calling experts: problems with receiving digital cable tv

Hello everyone, I just got a new digital cable receiver at home because I had problems in the past with receiving the digital signal (i have a humax digital receiver, the ivox i believe). We immediately put in the right frequencies and updated the software. We activated the smartcard and turned the unit on. But, we could not receive certain stations and other stations had blocks in the screen and the sound was not good. We looked in the settings and the signal strength was 26 and the quality was 100. Now we immediately connected the receiver to the signal source (where the signal enters the house) using a 5 meter good quality coax cable. The signal strength now was 36. We called the cable company and they recommend that we change the cable that goes through the wall to the connector in our living room (that cable is 10 meters) and that we buy a antenna signal amplifier from hirschman. I discussed this with my sister but then I thought maybe the signal that I get into my home, so straight from the source, is not up to scratch. I mean and this is the main question, can a 5 meter long good quality coax cable that I connect directly to the signal source already cause signal loss? If so then they are right and an amplifier might help but we are all very doubtful that this is the case Electronica experts please give me some help in this situation, is the signal that comes into my home faulty or should an amplifier and better cable do the trick?
Thanks in advance for any expertise/information.
Greetings, Anouk,

Hi, No I know for sure it is not too high. The cable company specefically tols me on more then one occation that it was too low and that 40 was the recommended lowest treshold for watchable tv, so even at 5m from my entry point with a good cable the signal was below the recommended standard strength.
Greetings, Anouk,

Hello, I thought about it. I guess it could be db/mv because what the humax receiver is showing is not the ACTUAL value of the signal strenght but only arelative percentage like 26percent. I know however that my webstar cable modem does show its signal strength in db/mv but the modem does show actual signal strength unlike the digital receiver.
Greetings, Anouk,

Hi Dan, I just talked to a friend and he says I should ask someone with a spectrum analyzer but he too thinkt that the signal is probbably too low (so that it is the companys fault) because according to him if you have a good 5m long cable that you connect to the source then there should not be all that much signal loss. I have really no wish to buy an amplifier and a new cable and have someone install that new cable when it is the fault of the company. I guess I will check some of my facts and call them again and ask them to send someone over so that they can do the spectrum analyzing.

Greetings, Anouk

Hello, well I just called my cable company. They can send someone but if it is not a problem of their signal then i have to pay them 45 euro. According to the woman its probbably the cable but I do not think so. My brother and my family do have a signal of 47 IN THEIR LIVING ROOM and they use CRAP cables. He does not know what their signal is at the source. I have a signal of 36 at the source and 25 near my desk. I also tried the signal before and after the filter and that gave only a difference of 3 so I suppose the internet/tv splitter is working. I think i will indeed have to exchange the cable i use from the source to the connection point in my room but i doubt it will stop my troubles because even when i connect from source I still cent get certain tv channels. I now also know what cable I have and I think its a good one so I think the people at the ocmpany are talking rubbish and the signal I am getting is the more or less acurate one that is at the source, my cable is a profigold high performance hdtv antenna interconnect and there is more info about it on the profigold website PROFIGOLD - FEEL THE EXPERIENCE From what I gather there I think the cable is good enough. I am now going to buy a hirschman cable to replace the cable that is in the wall and maybe an amplifier will do the trick but I do think that I have too little signal here.
Greetings, Anouk

Hi wu, no i think that profigold page lists more cables because its a coax cable. I normally dont use a monitor at all because I am blind i like the digital receiver because it takes up little space and I dont need a monitor to use it. I connect it to my corda symphony through an optical cable. I called my cable company yesterday they will be here tomorrow. I will tell you what they say.
Greetings, Anouk