Newbie questions on using splitters for coax cables...

On 7/20/2012 9:21 PM PT, Ant typed:

Is it true that coax cable splitters, with many ports (e.g., five
ports
with one input and four outputs), are not even in each of its port to
TVs? If so, then are they all like this by design? I know they lose
strengths when splitted, but someone told me that each port is not the
same as the other ports.

All the 75 ohm splitters I've seen are labeled for what each output
is in
db. A 4 way splitter as you described could all be equal power or one
could be higher than the others; I've seen both.

Look at the label and post back if you want more feedback.

OK, I will do that when I get to them in person. The one, in the old
house's room with a DB2 bowtie antenna is RadioShack's like this (don't
know if it is the same exact model though since it was from several
years ago):
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062051 ...

A photo of it:
http://zimage.com/~ant/MiCasa2/OldHo...2008or2009.jpg

(with details I saw on it -- no model either so I assume it is just a
generic one). I think I got it in the end of 2008 or early 2009.

I hope to look at the other house's splitter in the attic this weekend.

I also found an used/old three ports splitter (one input + two 3.5 dB
outputs) from my goodies bag. I think I used this splitter before I got
RadioShack's five ports splitter since I got more tuners. :P Its sticker
label said:
RMS
DigiTap(TM)
Low Intermodulation Splitter
Model 1002DWSBSCTE
6KV Surge Protected
5-1,000 MHz
-120 dB RFI
CE
Made in China

I will try that too to see if it makes any differences in the other
house's attic (just to try all rooms with TVs).

Uh oh, I found out that the attic's $25 splitter was from RadioShack.
That's bad quality splitter, right? Let's see if this RMS one will be
better with a different brand and less signal losses.
--
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sent him a revelation: 'Wouldn't it have been sufficient to burn a
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Number 536
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On 07/20/2012 11:41 PM, Ant wrote:
A photo of it:
http://zimage.com/~ant/MiCasa2/OldHo...2008or2009.jpg
(with details I saw on it -- no model either so I assume it is just a
generic one). I think I got it in the end of 2008 or early 2009.

The photo probably would be more informative if it had been taken either
with a better camera or from far enough away to be in focus. And if you
do take one from farther away, be sure to use the camera's highest
resolution setting.

TJ

On 7/21/2012 4:45 AM PT, TJ typed:

A photo of it:
http://zimage.com/~ant/MiCasa2/OldHo...2008or2009.jpg

(with details I saw on it -- no model either so I assume it is just a
generic one). I think I got it in the end of 2008 or early 2009.

The photo probably would be more informative if it had been taken either
with a better camera or from far enough away to be in focus. And if you
do take one from farther away, be sure to use the camera's highest
resolution setting.

Yeah, I don't have any good cameras that can do macro shots. All my
other shots were worse than that. In that photo., I wrote down its texts
(RadioShack, 4 sets (output ports); UHF, VHF, and FM; hybrid splitter
combiner, and made in China) that I saw on it. It did not give any
details like that old RMS three ports splitter I found in my goodies bag.
--
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"Ant" wrote in message
m...
...
...In that photo., I wrote down its texts (RadioShack, 4 sets
(output ports); UHF, VHF, and FM; hybrid splitter combiner, and made
in China) that I saw on it. It did not give any details like that
old RMS three ports splitter I found in my goodies bag.
--
..
If the ports are "UHF", "VHF" and "FM" then it's not the kind of
splitter you want, it's meant to combine separate UHF, VHF and FM
antenna sections which receive different frequency bands.

jsw

[please delete unneeded quoted text before replying]


In article ,
Ant wrote:

Uh oh, I found out that the attic's $25 splitter was from RadioShack.
That's bad quality splitter, right?

$25 for a splitter? Or do you mean a distribution amplifier? Splitters
are usually only a few dollars. Well, maybe up to about $10, but any-
thing you bought for $25 doesn't sound like a simple RF splitter, but
rather something with a power source.

I have a RadioShack DA that I got probably 10-15 years ago for around
$25-30 and it's still going fine.


Patty

On 7/21/2012 10:14 AM PT, Patty Winter typed:

Uh oh, I found out that the attic's $25 splitter was from RadioShack.
That's bad quality splitter, right?

$25 for a splitter? Or do you mean a distribution amplifier? Splitters
are usually only a few dollars. Well, maybe up to about $10, but any-
thing you bought for $25 doesn't sound like a simple RF splitter, but
rather something with a power source.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062051 has it for
$15. We will check again in person in the attic later.
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
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On 7/21/2012 9:14 AM PT, Jim Wilkins typed:

...In that photo., I wrote down its texts (RadioShack, 4 sets
(output ports); UHF, VHF, and FM; hybrid splitter combiner, and made
in China) that I saw on it. It did not give any details like that
old RMS three ports splitter I found in my goodies bag.

If the ports are "UHF", "VHF" and "FM" then it's not the kind of
splitter you want, it's meant to combine separate UHF, VHF and FM
antenna sections which receive different frequency bands.

Well, that is what the engraved letters said on the center piece with
the ports that I showed in the blurry photo. It doesn't specify if all
ports are all three or not though.

If it is not the right splitter, then I am surprised it even gets
anything through the antenna to three TVs/tuners (one tuner is weak with
lots of drops on some channels like KTTV's 11.x channels [VHF] though)
at original home in my room with short coax cables)! I thought they were
the same for cable, satellite, and OTA video feeds especially when they
mention UHF and VHF!

So, what splitters are we supposed to get? Just for OTA only? There are
so many out there. Any GOOD ones from local retail stores without
ordering online (e.g., Best Buy, Walmart, Fry's Electronics, Costco,
RadioShack?(LOL))?

I hope that old RMS splitter (3 ports = 2 out + 1 in) is the correct
type to test to see if it makes any differences.
--
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men; as a self-educated specialist in several arts she is the superior
of any savage race of men; and in one or two high mental qualities she
is above the reach of any man..." --Mark Twain
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In article ,
Ant wrote:
On 7/21/2012 10:14 AM PT, Patty Winter typed:

$25 for a splitter? Or do you mean a distribution amplifier? Splitters
are usually only a few dollars. Well, maybe up to about $10, but any-
thing you bought for $25 doesn't sound like a simple RF splitter, but
rather something with a power source.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062051 has it for
$15. We will check again in person in the attic later.


Okay, I could see one with four outputs costing $15.

Splitting the signal four ways can be dicey, but if it's working
okay for you, then that's the bottom line.


Patty

On 7/21/2012 12:34 PM PT, Patty Winter typed:

$25 for a splitter? Or do you mean a distribution amplifier? Splitters
are usually only a few dollars. Well, maybe up to about $10, but any-
thing you bought for $25 doesn't sound like a simple RF splitter, but
rather something with a power source.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062051 has it for
$15. We will check again in person in the attic later.

Okay, I could see one with four outputs costing $15.

Splitting the signal four ways can be dicey, but if it's working
okay for you, then that's the bottom line.

Only one output is good I think. We'll see later when we try a RMS three
ports (1 in + 2 out) splitter. If not the splitter, then it is probably
bad coax cables or the coax cables are too long that need pre-amps (just
can't see them behind the walls --
http://zimage.com/~ant/MiCasa2/Googl...zontalOnly.gif
only shows straight lines without measurements for vertical, curves, etc.).
--
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"Ant" wrote in message
m...
On 7/21/2012 9:14 AM PT, Jim Wilkins typed:

...In that photo., I wrote down its texts (RadioShack, 4 sets
(output ports); UHF, VHF, and FM; hybrid splitter combiner, and
made
in China) that I saw on it. It did not give any details like that
old RMS three ports splitter I found in my goodies bag.

If the ports are "UHF", "VHF" and "FM" then it's not the kind of
splitter you want, it's meant to combine separate UHF, VHF and FM
antenna sections which receive different frequency bands.

Well, that is what the engraved letters said on the center piece
with the ports that I showed in the blurry photo. It doesn't specify
if all ports are all three or not though.

If it is not the right splitter, then I am surprised it even gets
anything through the antenna to three TVs/tuners (one tuner is weak
with lots of drops on some channels like KTTV's 11.x channels [VHF]
though) at original home in my room with short coax cables)! I
thought they were the same for cable, satellite, and OTA video feeds
especially when they mention UHF and VHF!

So, what splitters are we supposed to get? Just for OTA only?

Maybe this will help:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/radio-spectrum.htm

"FM", "VHF" and "UHF" are bands of TV and radio frequencies. They need
antennas of different physical sizes to match their wavelengths, which
decrease as the frequency rises. VHF is the old analog channels 2-13,
or the OTA digital 7-13. UHF is all the higher TV channels, analog and
digital.

At the digital transition the government took away the lowest VHF and
highest UHF channel frequencies to sell for other uses. To avoid
consumer confusion stations pretend to use their old analog channel
number while they may actually transmit on a different frequency that
your TV finds by auto-scanning. Channels 2 through 6 are definitely on
higher frequencies. My local channel 9 went to a higher one for the
digital signal during the transition, then reverted to physical
channel 9 after they removed the analog transmitter.

Once upon a time TVs had a tuner (dial) for the original VHF channels
2-13, with government-required click stops so people wouldn't have to
fine-tune them (much), and a separate tuner (dial) for the newer UHF
channels 14-83 that tuned continuously like a radio.

The combiner you have would mix the signals from the large VHF and
separate, much smaller UHF antennas onto a single downlead, and a
second one behind the TV separated them back into connections for the
VHF tuner, the UHF tuner, and a lead to your FM radio which VHF
antennas receive. That's why it is called a combiner/splitter, it can
be used on either end.

jsw