Splitting aerial feed

[SandsofEss]

Hello again,

One final question. It turns out that we do have an aerial mounted to the roof.

At the moment, this enters the loft as a single cable. I've not been able to look at it myself yet, but I suspect it's standard RF stuff.

As a short- to mid-term fix, I am considering chopping into this cable after it enters the loft, splitting it, and then running it as two separate feeds to the rooms below.

I will be running WF100 cable down to the same rooms from the satellite dish. Does it make sense to also run the standard TV cables as WF100 (and indeed, is it possible to split from standard TV aerial cable to two WF100 cables instead)?

I presume that the quality will still be limited to whatever the original entry cable can carry, but this solution (if possible) at least gives me the option of upgrading my aerial at a later date without having to mess with my connections to the rooms below.

Or would I be better off just running it all as RF.

I'm also presuming that I won't need to get any kind of powered or amplified splitter, as it's only two signals and the split cables will both run to around 6 metres each. Is this correct?

As always, thanks for your time.

Steve

 

[Gaspode_TWD]

You can do as you suggest. The risk is that the signal strength for each will be too low for you to pick up all (or, in extreme cases, any) channels. It would be safer to amplify the signal at the point it is split. You could split the feed and only buy the amplifier is the signal was too bad to be useful.

 

[SandsofEss]

Thanks Gaspode,

That sounds like a sensible plan. I guess it would be easy enough to swap a RF - 2 Coax splitter for an amplifier.

Would I need to ensure I have a power socket adjacent to the location where the amplifier may need to go, or are they unpowered?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[grahamlthompson]

Splitting the cable will reduce the signal level by approx. 3.5db.

Use a quality splitter like the ones shown at the link below.

Unless your signal is very poor it will have no effect on signal quality. You can always add a powered splitter later (these can be powered using one of the downlead coax cables with a power supply unit plugged in by one of the TV's). No problem in using the existing aerial coax and extending using WF100, it's all 75ohm coax. WF100 is ideal for DTT as the extra screening is good at eliminating pulse interference.

See

Television Aerial Boosters / Amplifiers, Splitters, Diplexers & Triplexers

You can also use the same downlead cable to carry a lnb connection if you wish.

 

[Technicsman]

Don't be tempted to use those cheap Y coax splitters - they will attenuate your signal! Use a good quality one (the sort where you have to use F connectors) and all should be well. I did the same with no drop in quality.

 

[SandsofEss]

Thanks Graham (again!) and Technicsman,

So I should be fine as long as I use decent components, and if I'm not fine, I can run power up one of the Coax cables?

I'm presuming a twin WF100 coax satellite, a single WF100 coax for TV and Cat6 ethernet cables won't interfere with one another if I put them in the same conduit.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Thanks Graham (again!) and Technicsman,

So I should be fine as long as I use decent components, and if I'm not fine, I can run power up one of the Coax cables?

I'm presuming a twin WF100 coax satellite, a single WF100 coax for TV and Cat6 ethernet cables won't interfere with one another if I put them in the same conduit.

Correct you can get 12V power units that will power a remote amplifier pretty well anywhere, and Cat6 cabling is unlikely to be an issue run alongside wf100. You might like to consider adding a 4th coax (return cable) to allow you to watch the satellite box remotely using a rf modulator. If it's a sky box they have a built in remote control capability magic eyes).

No need to change the splitter simply add the amplifier before the splitter. Check the splitter you use has DC pass from at least one of the outputs to the input.

eg

Televes 2 Way Splitter Bi-Directional Power Pass: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

If you need the amplifier

Vision V20-1360 Single 13dB Gain Masthead Amplifier With Vision Power Supply Kit | eBay

 

[Rodders53]

WF100 is suitable for UHF TV frequencies... slight over-kill for UHF but it's what I ran for mine as I bought a 100m reel.

A good quality passive 2-way split will lose over half the signal (-4dB or about 40% to each) and the cable losses will never be much on short runs - even with the old cable {unless it is really, really old - >50 years - and VHF cable}. Metal cased ones are better than plastic and you can get them with Belling Lee (TV plug) terminations if required. [Nasty resistive splitters lose more so you get 25% or less - but those are almost impossible to get now, I believe. The plastic housed ones nowadays just lack really good screening.]

NB1 You may have problems with getting a good fit with a screw-on F-connector on the old aerial cable; and if it is one of the (fairly rare) types with stranded centre conductor you will need a B-L-plug solution for that joint.

NB2 4dB loss may be too much if the aerial signal is poor (though the chances of that are probably fairly small). If that does become an issue, then a low gain remotely-powered n-way amplifier could be sited in the loft in place of the passive split. (n being the total number of TV feeds you may need in the longer term)

I have run some of mine outside in plastic conduit... but be warned you won't get too many in easily (depending on size of conduit and length of run and bends --- beware of kinking the WF100 smooth curves is what is needed!!)... Now I have run the ethernet wires alongside the WF100 for satellite in the same conduit, but the UHF and VHFs are buried in the plaster of the original building install. But they do run bunched together over about 3 metres or so between wall plates and the TV cabinetry - 3xsat, 2xuhf (go and return), 1x vhf (radio) and 3xcat6 (TV, AVR & Foxsat-hdr) with no issues that I can discern. So it's unlikely that you should have any problems if you install and terminate them all properly.

 

[SandsofEss]

Very helpful, thanks chaps.

Of course, you've got me thinking now. My plan was to put the Youview box with the TV in the lounge, and the Sky box (running Freesat) in the bedroom.

If I run extra cables (and get additional remotes), it sounds as though I may be able to watch Youview downstairs or upstairs, and Freesat downstairs or upstairs. Only one box on one TV at the same time no doubt, but this flexibility would work really well for us.

So, in order for this to work, am I right in thinking I'd need to run a satellite feed to the Sky box in the master bedroom, then a cable from the box down to the lounge (HDMI? Would I need to buy an HDMI splitter so that Sky box can export two feeds?). I'd also need to run an aerial feed to the Youview box, then the same HDMI split arrangement up to the master bedroom? And then finally I'd need to run the cables for remote control sensors and repeaters so I can control each box from each room.

Does that work? Is there anything fundamental I'm missing there?

Steve

 

[MartinPickering]

If you have one HDMI output and you need two, then the options include an HDMI splitter and an HDMI switch. Whichever you choose should have its own discrete Power Supply Unit. Don't rely on the equipment to power it. Also consider whether you need some form of "magic eye" facility for remote control. With HDMI it may be simpler to use an HDMI-CAT-HDMI system that incorporates remote control.

I strongly recommend you take a LARGE piece of paper and sketch your proposed wiring layout. Label it with ALL necessary information, including cable type/length, connector types, wall plates etc. You could scan it and upload it somewhere for comment.

 

[SandsofEss]

Hello again chaps,

Thought I'd report back post re-wire, and pick your brains further if I may on the best way to set up my new system.

At the moment I have an external aerial (of dubious quality) which enters the loft into a three way passive splitter (with two ways being used) sending the signal down to the lounge and the master bedroom. I also have twin feeds from my satellite dish to the same rooms.

There are two HDMI cables and a co-ax cable running between the lounge and the bedroom.

We have an old Sky+ box which we use for Freesat signal, and a new YouView box from BT (the Humax DTR T2100). We'd like to be able to watch and control both devices from both TVs.

I plan to put the Sky+ box in the lounge, and use the RF out feed from the box, with a magic eye, to feed the bedroom TV.

I want to also put the YouView box in the lounge, and use an HDMI splitter and IT over HDMI kit to run the signal up to the bedroom. My questions are:

Will this be possible? I know previous YouView boxes have had trouble exporting a second feed, but this looks like it 'should' work.

The new YouView box has a dual-tuner. Is there any way I can hijack this to let me watch two different feeds in two different rooms?

I know I can get an HDMI splitter for about £13 on Amazon, and an HDMI IR repeater for about £20, but will both products work when put together?

Thanks as always,

 

[MartinPickering]

I know nothing about YouView but I know about splitters.

A 3 way aerial splitter gives about 25% signal from each output - regardless of how many are connected. You'll get more signal with a 2-way.

HDMI splitters used to cost £200. The price has dropped considerably but £13 seems way too cheap to me. Make sure it has a separate Power Supply and make sure that it has the safety markings. There's a lot of cheap, unsafe PSUs causing fires. Amazon's warranty is only 3 weeks, in my experience. After that they tell you to "contact the manufacturer". They've done this to me twice and, because of where I live, it's not worth fighting.

An HDMI splitter is unlikely to pass remote control signals.

The new YouView box has a dual-tuner. Is there any way I can hijack this to let me watch two different feeds in two different rooms?

No.

 

[winston2010]

Amazon's warranty is only 3 weeks, in my experience. After that they tell you to "contact the manufacturer"..

A persons contract is with Amazon and telling one to contract the manufacturer contravenes all your statuary rights under the Sale of Good Act. Do Trading Standards know about this illegal action by Amazon?

 

[Spec-Chum]

They don't, i had a Sony smartwatch that was almost one year old bought from Amazon. It went faulty and i was refunded without any fuss. Their customer service is second to none in my opinion.

In regards to an HDMI splitter, here's mine which works really well: 2 Port HDMI Audio Video v1.3b 1080p 3D Splitter for HD: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

I use it to split the output from my Onkyo AV amp to both my PJ and TV