Quote:
Originally Posted by slowhike
I'll ask in this thread that gives all my info were the fine folks here have already helped me choose a good antenna & I continue to get between 35 & 40 some channels.
I need to split the signal to a TV in the next room & maybe to another TV later.
The antenna is mounted on the chimney on the south end of the roof peak.
The main TV is in the living room directly below the antenna, so the cable goes down the side & into the LR window (aprox 15').
The new TV will be in the next room on the far side of the living room (another 15' maybe) & the possible 3rd location would be in the next room.
So I'm hoping for advice on a good quality splitter & some understanding on the best way to split the cables off from the splitter.
For instance, would I run the original cable from antenna to inside the attic were it would connect to the splitter, then run the three new cables through the ceiling into each TV room?
Thanks. ...Tim
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Generally, you'll want to use a single splitter if at all possible. You indicate that you anticipate the need for three feeds, therefor a three way splitter would be ideal. A splitter with unused ports needs terminating resistor caps installed on each unused port (a small additional expense) and there will be less signal available at each output port.
The big box home improvement centers carry a variety, I favor those splitters that are clearly labeled indicating bandwidth and loss specifications. For example, at Home Depot, the
Ideal brand 85-133 has 1000 MHz bandwidth (more than needed for OTA signals) and the loss per port is labeled, one port has 4 dB the remaining two have 8 dB. (Tip: use the 4 dB port to feed the longest piece of coax.) (If you find satellite grade splitters with 2400 to 3000 MHz bandwidth at a better price, they'll work fine but won't improve reception.)
When choosing a mounting location for a splitter, I generally opt for a location that is centrally located, accessible for future service or additions. Perhaps a closet, utility room, garage or attic. In my home, a basement closet is the location were all phone, TV and data cables terminate. From there I found a fairly convenient route to pull cables to the various areas in the home.
I would try using a passive splitter in your case. If you don't need an amplifier, why spend the money? If you install the splitter, then find you have lost reliable reception of any signals, I would recommend using a preamp installed close to the antenna. That's the ideal location for amplification because every dB of coax loss ahead of the amplifier costs you the same in net signal to noise ratio (one measure of signal quality). In the case of 15' of RG-6 that won't be a great deal but still, if you need to amplify, why not do so in a way that leaves you with the best quality signal. Two amplifiers worth considering in your case are the Antennas Direct CPA-19 and the Winegard HDP-269. Both have the ability to handle strong signal levels, the CPA-19 has better noise specifications.
On a separate note, if you have not grounded your coax yet, most splitters have a ground lug that makes it easy to connect a #10 copper wire. If the splitter is located near the electrical service ground, it will be easy to complete that task also.