Digital Cable Question (1 Viewer)

[MarkMel]

Something wierd just started happening to just one channel on my digital cable. I have a cable splitter with the cable coming into the splitter and three outputs. -4db. -8db and -8db. I am only using the two -8db outs. When the splitter is inline, channel 106 is either blank or has large pixilixed boxes. When I take the splitter out all is fine. This just started happening. Would a signal amplifier fix this issue? What should one look for in a signal amp?

 

[Tim K]

try using the -4db output. I believe that this type of splitter has one stronger output and two weaker. The db measurement (I think) is a measure of the signal degradation when using that output. Therefore, the -4db output would have the strongest signal.

The splitter doesn't split it into 3 equal parts. I think it splits the signal in half first. Then it splits one of the halves again. In my case, I want the -4db signal to go to my HT where the HDTV box and big screen is. Stronger signal : better picture. The -8 signals go to my family room and my bedroom where the weaker signal has no impact on my 27" TVs.

Give this a try. Also, make sure you have the appropriate type of splitters. For HD signals I believe you need a 1Ghz splitter.

 

[MarkMel]

thanks a lot Tim!

 

[Tim K]

hope that helped...if not you may want to call your cable co to have a tech come out and measure the signal strength coming into your house and inside your house. That could also be the problem.

 

[PaulcM]

why is there a 3-way? you stated you are only using two of the ports. put a 2-way in place of the 3. a 2-way loses 3.5 dbmv per port. you can get a 1 ghz splitter at wally world or one of the big box home improvement stores. you would pick up 4.5 dbmv of signal just by changing.

 

[Sam P]

The problem also might be the splitter itself. You have to be careful of the frequebcy limits of the splitters. I have Digital cable too, but if I use an old splitter with a lower freq. limit I get weird things happening. I purchased a splitterd from radio shack with a higher Freq. limit that is used for digital Satalite and the problem went away
hope this helps
sam