It seems to me that once you get into the world of audio and video, there are a seemingly limitless number of terms to learn. Today we’ll talk about launch amplifiers. This sounds vaguely like something you’d get from NASA, but in truth it’s something you see in a lot of larger installs.
A launch amplifier is not something the average person would buy… but an important part of cable TV headends, apartment complex systems, and anywhere that TV distribution happens over a large area. A launch amplifier is a specific amplifier that works in commercial rack systems to keep TV and internet flowing.
How is a launch amplifier
I’ve said it before, an amplifier is an amplifier is an amplifier. The gods of amplification will not come down and smite you if you use the wrong one for the task. However, there are some kinds of amplifiers that are designed for very specific things, and a launch amplifier is one of them. Using a launch amplfier isn’t recommended for most jobs, but when you need one you need one.
There are two things that make a launch amplifier so good at its job, which is distributing signals from a headend or master antenna. First, launch amplifiers have ridiculously high amplification levels, along the line of 50dB. Amplifiers designed for your roof-mounted antenna are often 10-20dB, and we’re talking 1,000 times more powerful than that. You’ll pay a lot for this amplifier because of the high-quality electronics and construction. Launch amplifiers tend to be physically larger and designed for rack mounting.
Why such high amplification levels? It’s expected that where this amplifier is used, there are going to be a lot of splitters, a lot of wire (including some poor quality stuff in the walls) and nowhere to put any other amplifiers. So, you pump up the signal to fairly ridiculous levels in the rack and it can survive all of that other stuff.
Let’s talk about return path
The other thing common to a launch amplifier is the return path. “Return path” is very important when internet comes on the same line as television. Obviously you wouldn’t have a very good experience if your internet went only one way… you couldn’t even type in an address if that were the case. So, cable modems put out a really strong signal designed to get back to the main equipment closet. It may not be strong enough though, which is why launch amplifiers actually amplify the signal going back to the central internet connection. Launch amplifiers keep all that information flowing both ways. Return path amplifiers shouldn’t be used for most antenna and satellite installs, but they are increasingly common with cable TV.
You may not ever need a launch amplifier, but if you do, you’ll find the one you need at Solid Signal. We have the best selection of commercial equipment for every need! Not sure which amplifier is best? We can help! Our team helps thousands of commercial installers with their needs. Call us at 888-233-7563. When you call during East Coast business hours, you’ll connect with a real tech in our Detroit-area corporate offices. We don’t use overseas call centers. We only use real, trained technicians. That means when you call for advice, you’ll get it. Give us a try? We can help you choose the parts you need. If you need installation help, we can recommend someone in your area, too.
