Digital TV: Split signal from aerial?

Hi.

Is there a degradation in signal if I split it 3 ways from the aerial?

I'm just about to install a new aerial myself and want to do the job properly. I've not installed an aerial before, but I'm fairly good at electrics etc.

Thanks, in advance.

Howard

Reply to
Howard Coakley
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You say " Digital TV" so I take it there is a Freeview box somewhere in the equation?

Reply to
Usenet Nutter

Hi. Yes, 3 different freeview boxes in different parts of the house.

Reply to
Howard Coakley

Always degradation. If you look at the specs for your 3 or 4 way splitter you'll see how much degradation. If you hoo up a tv you'll see whether the result is acceptable. If not, add a masthead amplifier as close to the aerial as poss.

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Reply to
NT

yes. Use an active distribution amp if passive splitting degrades quality below acceptable.

bring a single downlead to somewhere you can mess with a TV, and start by splitting it three ways passively: if signal quality is poor on the most split line, get a labgear or similar amp, and feed the three lines from that.

Do not just couple three lines to the downlead. You will get horrible cable resonances that will potential murder some muxes and peak up others.

I've got 9 all full signal coming out of mine.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Its not necessary to have a masthead amp unless you are really in totally marginal conditions to start with.

If signal is good enough on a single downlead to a single set, then the distribution amp can just as well go at the end of the downlead in a convenient and more accessible place.

It is important to distinguish the function of a masthead amp - to essentially boost really weak signals as close to the antenna as possible, and a distribution amp, which is really there to buffer a distributions system from the downlead and antenna.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:04:05 +0000 someone who may be Howard Coakley wrote this:-

Whether this is a problem or not depends on how strong the signal is at the aerial. If it is strong then splitting it three ways should still leave enough signal at each outlet for most freeview boxes/televisions, provided the splitting is done properly.

There are perhaps two sites you should study and in order to gain an understanding of the options.

If you have not yet bought the aerial there is a lot in those sites you should be aware of before buying.

Reply to
David Hansen

"Howard Coakley" wrote in message news:C7106A95.7B9B% snipped-for-privacy@end.of.message.com.invalid...

Obtain a 12dB attenuator. Connect the aerial to a receiver with the attenuator in line. Observe the results for several days. If everything is OK obtain a three way inductive splitter (a small thing wth f connectors built into a metal case; not any other type) and connect ther aerial to the input of the splitter and the three outputs to the downleads. If the attenuator test is a fail obtain a small one-in four-out amplifier and fit it fairly close to the aerial.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

"Howard Coakley" wrote in message news:C7106A95.7B9B% snipped-for-privacy@end.of.message.com.invalid...

'uk.tech.digital-tv' is a good place to ask these questions (although there is significant overlap between the groups).

Reply to
David WE Roberts

Mine is split 3 ways [sort of], I've had to fit a 2-way booster in the lounge, one output to the TV, the other is sent along a long crooked route to a spare room/office, to another booster, with one output to TV, and another to short crooked route to a downstairs bedroom. Its a bit messy, but the only way I could get all 3 TVs to work OK.

Reply to
Simon C.

What about the aerial itself, where are you going to obtain it? A DIY shed is probably not the best place to go because they only sell wideband aerials, which might not be the ideal choice in your case. The ideal aerial "group" depends on which transmitter you intend to receive, do you know what the transmitter it's called?

Reply to
Graham.

He's had as good a reply here as he would get there (by one of their best contributers).

Reply to
<me9

You must have an extremely large pad, or else you're using string to connect the sets.

Reply to
<me9

Not actually true. If the signal is strong enough there will be no difference at all on the digital set top boxes. However if its too weak the results will be dreadful. Mine splits three ways using cr@p splitters but free view works fine, but I do get a good signal that requires an attenuator to stop channel break through on analogue

Reply to
dennis

If you are referring to me, kind sir, I hereby lay on the floor at your feet and wag my tail, and invite you to fondle my nipples.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

This arrangement is a sort of allegory for life itself, really.

Bill

sigh

Reply to
Bill Wright

CAI benchmarked string is OK.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

Hehe, unfortunately not. I've always assumed its because of marginal reception and the far from ideal but unavoidable routing of the cable, ie quite a few sharp right-angle bends that have left the co-ax pretty badly kinked.

Reply to
Simon C.

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:28:11 +0000, Simon C. had this to say:

If you do actually have marginal reception then your best bet is to remedy that before considering 'complex' distribution around the house, possibly using a better ærial and/or a _grouped_ amplifier (grouped to improve the signal/noise ratio and reduce the chance of blocking by nearby transmissions). Certainly avoid a 'DC-to-light' broadband amplifier such as designed (?) to boost FM transmissions as well as TV. Only when you have a decent signal should you consider distribution amplifiers, splitters and so on.

Reply to
Frank Erskine

Where can he get one of those from?

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

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