signal loss from splitters (1 Viewer)

[RobbieF]

My antenna is currently connected directly to my HDTV (with an internal ATSC tuner). I usually get full signal for all my local digital channels.

I would like to add a splitter at the antenna to connect a bedroom tv and another splitter behind the HDTV so I can program the digital channels on "Ant A" and the analog channels on "Ant B". I like to keep the analog channels because I can't stretch 4:3 standard programs on my digital channels. I want to separate them because I hate having to flip through the digital and analog channels together (2, then 2-1, 8, then 8-1, 11, 11-1, etc....) Also I could then calibrate the digital channels separately from the analog ones (assuming the tv doesn't use the same settings for Ant A and B).

I know each splitter decreases the signal a little bit but does it actually affect the "quality" of the signal too? In other words, I don't care if the signal meter now says 70% (with splitters) instead of 95% (without splitters) because I can still recieve the signal, but is it the same picture quality between the signals?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Hi Robbie,

Welcome to the Forum! Nice to see another local boy here.

To answer your question, splitting reduces the signal strength, but not the quality of the signal. The only problem comes when it’s split so many times that reception starts to get bad. Digital especially is forgiving of things like this: Either it works beautifully or it doesn’t work at all; there’s no in-between.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[RobbieF]

Hi Wayne,

That is what I thought regarding the signal loss...just wanted to make sure I wouldn't affect that wonderful HD content! On the same lines I would assume upgrading any RG59 cable im using to RG6 wouldn't improve anything either, right? As long as I'm getting the signal fine now?

I have been a reader of the forum for quite some time but now that I finally have a decent setup (thanks to the knowledge of all of you), I feel "worthy" enough to start posting and maybe answering some newbie questions myself