wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Wadcutter wrote:I'm using a splitter. Sure not getting 1/2 signal loss. In fact, I've played with it quite a bit switching it back and forth and can't tell the difference. It locks into the same channels whether running thru the splitter or not. A properly working splitter should not cut any signal in 1/2.
A properly working SWITCH won't cut the signal (NOTE you can use a switch) but a properly working splitter will. 3 to 6 DB, ,Here is why
Imagine you are not splitting television signals but 120 vac
You have two lamps.. both lamps have 100 watt bulbs.. Both are plugged into the same duplex outlet (Which is acting in this case as a splitter) both lamps are getting "Full power" of course, or 100 watts
How much power is being deliverdd by the house to the outlet? Answer 200 watts (which are then split between the two lamps)
Now. due to some other factors there are two kinds of splitters
Transformer and resistor
A transformer splits the load much like the duplex outlet.. NOTE that if only one load is present it may deliver all the power to the other load
A much more common resistor splitter dumps half the power in the resistor network and delivers the other half, split between the loads Operating this type of splitter without a proper load on a port can cause issues But your loss input to output will be 6db and your overall loss is 3db with 1/2 the power lost in the splitter
Many splitters have the loss factors printed right on the splitter
3db is 1/2 S-unit on old radios with S-meters.. In short Very very hard to notice.. You need to get up in the 10 db loss range before it's obvious
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
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Triker33
Homestead, FL
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I recommended the splitter because I'm using three splitters from my amplified Winegard Batwing antenna with no loss of channels received.
From the antenna the first splitter sends a cable to a Winegard switch box that feeds either the front TV or bedroom TV with off air channels, the second cable goes to my entertainment center to the second splitter.
From the second splitter one cable goes to a DirecTV HD receiver, the other cable to the TV for analog channels.
The third splitter is in the bedroom TV. The cable comes from the Winegard switch box in front that was already split. From the splitter one cable goes to the TV analog tuner and the second cable goes to a Winegard converter for SD channels.
Like I have said there is no loss of 50% or 75% in signal from using a splitter, could be a 5-10% loss. Your experience may be different then mine. Not that anything is wrong with that.
I forgot that from the Winegard switch box output for the front DTV receiver I use another splitter, one cable goes to front TV and second cable runs to TV in a outside compartment. I won't even mention the other splitter in the bedroom that feeds the TV in the bathroom.
The cable to the front TV is only used for off air channels, I use RCA AV cables from the DTV receiver direct to the front TV. But the cable going to the compartment TV is used for off air & DTV signals.
* This post was
edited 05/30/08 10:46am by Triker33 *
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Wadcutter
IL
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wa8yxm wrote:3db is 1/2 S-unit on old radios with S-meters.. In short Very very hard to notice.. You need to get up in the 10 db loss range before it's obvious
Exactly. If I was DXing for TV signals then I would worry about the loss from a splitter. For use on camper TV the effect is insignificant enough I'm not worried about it. It's not like I'm getting only 1/2 the stations with the splitter. From playing with it both with and without the splitter the minor loss isn't a factor.
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jhilley
Buxton, ND
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Wadcutter wrote:I'm using a splitter. Sure not getting 1/2 signal loss. In fact, I've played with it quite a bit switching it back and forth and can't tell the difference. It locks into the same channels whether running thru the splitter or not. A properly working splitter should not cut any signal in 1/2.
A two-way splitter has a 3.5dB loss, every 3dB loss cuts the signal in half, if you cascade two splitters you have 7dB loss or 1/4 the signal going into the first splitter. You might not visually see a difference with digital, but you will get to a point where you reach the minimum threshold and you won't see anything. If the amplified antenna has 15dB output a splitter will reduce it by 3.5dB. I don't know what the minimum signal level is for digital. For analog to get a clear undistorted picture you should have a level of 4 to 7dB.
Tomorrow I will make some measurements to see what the minimum signal is. If you are in a metrolitan area you will have more signal to work with than in fringe areas.
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armadillo 17
Jamestown, OH USA
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In Answer to the Question "how important is the pass-thru feature)--I understand that Canada will continue to use the analog signals for a few years beyond the US--also I haven't heard about Mexico, if they are making a change and when. So if you are planning trip across either border or even near enough to want to receive their signals, it could be important.
Jon and Susan in S/W Ohio
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VE3ESN
Ontario, Canada
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armadillo 17 wrote:In Answer to the Question "how important is the pass-thru feature)--I understand that Canada will continue to use the analog signals for a few years beyond the US--also I haven't heard about Mexico, if they are making a change and when. So if you are planning trip across either border or even near enough to want to receive their signals, it could be important.
Canada's conversion date is 2011, but most major metropolitan areas have a number of stations already broadcasting in digital but of course continuing in analog. And, I sure don't expect a government offer of a $40 coupon!! 
Having said that, if your RV setup is simple like ours (1 TV/DVD combo) you could use an A-B switch as I described in a previous post. No insertion loss at all. Not too many converter boxes have the analog pass-thru feature so the switch is an easy fix.
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BaldEagle
Oregon
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Simple answer to thread question:
Pass through is important now, is not needed after 2/9/2009.
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pulsar
Lewisville, NC
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BaldEagle wrote:Simple answer to thread question:
Pass through is important now, is not needed after 2/9/2009.
How does your "simple" answer deal with the low-powered analog stations that are not required to go to a digital format?
Tom
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bearsnob
Oregon
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Just bought one with analog pass through (Philco). Glad I have it because I get five digital stations where I'm camped and four stations that are only coming through analog. Some of those analog stations should be coming through digital, but I'm right next to a large hill and can't get any signal, let alone one that will produce a picture. Here in Oregon, roughly 4/5 of the state will not switch in 2/2009 and, from what I hear, there are no set dates for these more rural areas of the state. I'm sure the same is true in other states. If you will be camping in large, populated areas, then analog pass through probably won't be a big issue. But if you camp where most people camp, it could come in handy for at least a couple of years. The analog pass through boxes are kind of hard to find. I'm happy with the one I got, but now I'm waiting for one that will come out next month that will let you program it like a VCR/DVR so you can record more than one station when you are away. It also has analog pass through. You can't do that with a spliter or switch.
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Jim83Itasca
La Quinta Calif
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Bearsnob, The same (Philco) should arrive to my door any day now.....A dab more money but like you some of the places it will work fine.
Got a number for the one that is "VCR/DVR" programable?
Jim
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