I suspect Channel Master has opted to reduce the cost of manufacturing a penny or two... Hence the ad copy on their website "New & Improved". (... meaning improved profit margin for them??)
If you are set on a CM7777, my best suggestion would be to search the big online auction website(s).
CM product documentation has been getting harder to find over the last few years and what is available often leaves me unable to make a informed comparison to other vendors competing product. The spec. sheet for the
CM777x for example, does not offer any information re. noise performance beyond the ambiguous claim of 'low'.
The performance numbers of the Winegard and Antennas Direct products are available... If you must have a two input option, the Winegard AP2870 is available at:
http://www.winegarddirect.com/viewit...0%29&p=SAP2870.
The noise figure of the Antennas Direct PA-18 is spec'd at less than 2 dB. Which makes it a very good choice if you need to use an external UVSJ at the antennas.