Non-motoring > TV Aerial Splitting Miscellaneous
Thread Author: BobbyG Replies: 20
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 14:51 
 TV Aerial Splitting - BobbyG
Friend has a bog standard aerial in her loft. cable runs down inside of walls and comes out at aerial point in living room (thats a coincidence eh??)

Anyway, her son now has a TV in his bedroom upstairs and gets very poor reception with a small TV top aerial even with a booster on it.

How easy is it to take a split from the aerial and feed it 2 ways ie. cut into it, keep one going to the living room but feed another through to the bedroom (could just drill a small hole in the ceiling of the built in wardrobes and bring it in that way)

Is it just a case of cutting the cable and then using a y-connector or is it a bit more complicated doing this at the aerial? Also will she lose quality by splitting the signal?

I know when I got an aerial fitted as it was going to 4 different rooms they fitted a powered booster in the loft but would this be necessary in this instance?
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 15:28 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Fenlander
For some years I had a simple Y-splitter in the loft to a second bedroom downlead. With a 21" main TV and 14" bedroom one this was fine and even mostly coped OK with the digital freeview channels.

Once we upped the TV sizes (still modest) to a 26" LCD downstairs and a 21" LCD in the bedroom the loss of quality became more obvious.

So as part of our recent house renovation I've put in a 6-way booster splitter (power spurred off a light ceiling rose in the loft) with digital grade downleads to living/bedrooms as reqd.

Much better result.

You have nothing to lose by trying the Y-splitter making sure you locate the thing where you might opur a booster if needed so your work running the downlead etc isn't wasted.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 6 Apr 10 at 15:28
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 15:30 
 TV Aerial Splitting - bathtub tom
I think you'll find the answer is: it all depends!

The proper way is to use a splitter (diplexer IIRC) that matches the impedance of everything. I think that reduces the signal by half (3dB).

I've heard people say they've just twisted the inners together without problems.

The problem with boosters is they boost any interference as well.

In the same position, I've bought an aerial (independant suppliers will give you free information), fitted it to a bit of old broom handle that I've screwed to a roof beam in the loft. I've then used a compass to take a bearing on the way other aerials point (I was surprised at the variance) and used that to line up the loft aerial. A bit of cable feeds the telly as you suggested.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 15:57 
 TV Aerial Splitting - CGNorwich
Would go with the additional aerial - One of the sheds will sell you one for £10 -£15 If yoi can get a good picture with loft aerial then you have a good picture strength and don't need anything fancy.

Makes sure you get the right one for your area and point in the same direction as the other aerial. Fine tune by yelling down through loft hatch to helper watching tv!
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:03 
 TV Aerial Splitting - henry k
>>Fine tune by yelling down through loft hatch to helper watching tv!
>>
Ah! the good ole days.
Mobile phone works much better :-)
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:06 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Zero
>> >>Fine tune by yelling down through loft hatch to helper watching tv!
>> >>
>> Ah! the good ole days.
>> Mobile phone works much better :-)

except it interferes with the TV signal.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:08 
 TV Aerial Splitting - spamcan61
>>
>> The proper way is to use a splitter (diplexer IIRC) that matches the impedance of
>> everything. I think that reduces the signal by half (3dB).
>>

Nearly. A diplexer does split the signal, but based on the frequency of the signal rather than a straight 'half the power down each output' split. A typical diplexer is the type commonly used to split a lower frequency radio signal from a higher frequency TV signal coming in on the same cable.

In answer to the OP the I'd probably try and straightforward 'Y' splitter first, then If that reduces the signal too much try a basic low gain distribution amplifier.

Typical 'Y' splitter ( expensive from Maplin but easy example):-

www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=955


Typical distribution amplifier:-

www.amazon.co.uk/SLx-Aerial-Amplifier-Digtial-Pass/dp/B0009D5W0Q/ref=pd_cp_ce_0
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:10 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Zero
>> Nearly. A diplexer does split the signal but based on the frequency of the signal
>> rather than a straight 'half the power down each output' split. A typical diplexer is
>> the type commonly used to split a lower frequency radio signal from a higher frequency
>> TV signal coming in on the same cable.

yup you need to multiplex before you can diplex.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 15:32 
 TV Aerial Splitting - percy
Y splitter will attenuate the signal, could end up with 2 snowy pictures (or none if digital).
Powered booster is the better bet. Maybe worth getting one with more than 2 outlets in case another TV is required? Only real problem is finding a 240V source of power as only power in the loft usually is the 6 amp lighting circuit. In theory if you find the live lighting circuit and connect it into a loft mounted 13 amp socket outlet then you can plug in the booster with the smallest fuse (1 amp) available in the plug. Not entirely sure how legal it is but I've had that arrangement for 20 years now with no problems....
Good luck!
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:01 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Zero
A TV lead is just like a water pipe. Put too many taps on it and the flow goes down to all of them.

If your flow in the header tank (the aerial) is poor to start with, it will get worse to all the taps.

In short you may get away with a dumb unpowered splitter, or you may need an amplifier/distribution box.

The flow thing gets more important on Freeview.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:08 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Old Sock
Just tell the lad there's nothing that can be done about it - much better to be out in the fresh air (or so my mum used to say!).
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:19 
 TV Aerial Splitting - MJM
I've done it by cramming two sets of coax into the same aerial connector. The cover won't fit back over the connectors but what the heck, it's in the loft. We get a strong signal anyway and it worked a treat with no boosters or anything.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:15 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Stuartli
I have an 11-year-old TV aerial feeding two aerial amplifiers to serve two main TVs and a computer Freeview PCI TV card; the second amplifier is connected to the first via a 60ft coaxial cable.

Signal quality and quantity on the second TV, a new Freeview and Freesat HD model, are 10 out of 10 in both tuner's cases, the same going for the TV card.

The best passive indoor portable TV aerial I've ever found is the Telecam TCE2000 (see tinyurl.com/ylbpzxb) which I bought for a tenner at Argos.

It's used on a cheapo Freeview STB for a Sony 15in bedroom TV and brings in every channel perfectly. In fact when Winter Hill went fully digital I eventually had to insert the TV aerial when retuning after channel 53 to avoid bringing in all the Welsh channels as well.

By the way, using a splitter will only make matters worse if the signal is not good in the first place.
Last edited by: Stuartli on Tue 6 Apr 10 at 16:17
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 16:35 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Bromptonaut
Stuart,

Am i right in thinking you have more or less a line of sight to Winter Hill?

If, like me, Bobby is right on the mast's horizon (as suggested by the poor reception on set top aerial) his mileage may vary significantly!!

PS, Zero's pipe analogy is spot on.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 6 Apr 10 at 16:37
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 17:03 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Aretas
Put your aerial amplifier as close to the aerial as you can. ( i.e. with as short a lead as practical from the aerial to the amp). If you buy an amp with two outputs you can then run a separate lead to each television.

Not sure of the legalities of putting a 13A socket on the lighting circuit but as long as you only use it for the amplifier it will be fine. 2A fuse as stated above is ESSENTIAL. Boldly label it "TV amp ONLY" for when you sell the house. Alternatively, use a fused junction box (same as you would for a heated towel rail) but fitted with a 2A fuse and hard-wire the amp to this.

Historically, one could get an aerial amplifier whose power arrives via the aerial lead - my Humax recorder will supply (low voltage dc!) up the lead. But I am not aware of this type of amplifier currently on the market.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 17:29 
 TV Aerial Splitting - henry k
>>Alternatively, use a fused junction box ..
>>
IMO the very best way to connect to a lighting circuit would be to chop off the 13A plug and connect the cable to a suface clock outlet box.
Then connect the clock box to the lighting circuit.
Usual switch off when playing with the volts applies!
www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MK0997.html?utm_source=shopping.com

The price is a bit steep but this is IMO the safest proper way to do the job.
Do not bodge it.
No worries about safety of future owners
Simples.
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 17:40 
 TV Aerial Splitting - henry k
P. S. These clock connectors use a fuse that is smaller in size than those in 13A plugs so little chance of up rating and nowt else plugs in to the outlet. I have only ever seen the complete unit with plug on sale ( never the plug on its own )
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 17:50 
 TV Aerial Splitting - henry k
P.P. S.
See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets
for "UK electric clock connector" and a view of the fuse side of the plug.( of a flush fitting varient )

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UK_Clock_Connector_3_pin_Open.JPG
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 18:44 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Bigtee
All this technical advice i bet the op has no idea were to turn to next!

Try the splitter you have nothing to lose if snowy don't bother with a booster just fit another aerial in the loft it's cheaper and simple and use the correct coax think it's 75 ohm.


Or anybody joining/repairing coax look up pl-259 connectors have these proffesional gear don't twist the wires.


tinyurl.com/y9mebuw Link shortened - that reminds me, I must put a link to tinyurl on the site somewhere
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 6 Apr 10 at 21:02
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 18:49 
 TV Aerial Splitting - Stuartli
>>Am i right in thinking you have more or less a line of sight to Winter Hill?>>

If I walk about a mile north into the open countryside then yes, I can see Winter Hill some 15 miles or so away.

However, digital reception can vary almost from house to house, let alone street to street, as aerial erectors will confirm. In fact the bedroom portable TV aerial mentioned is situated on a east wall of our semi-detached property and thus blocked from the direct television mast transmissions.

Winter Hill, in fact, covers a huge area and has the power to do so (it's second only to Crystal Palace for population coverage). See: www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=SD660144 and www.aerialsandtv.com/winterhilltx.html

Incidentally, Bigtee's 399 character URL can be reduced to: tinyurl.com/y9mebuw ..:-)
Last edited by: Stuartli on Tue 6 Apr 10 at 18:51
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New Tue 6 Apr 10 19:30 
 TV Aerial Splitting - AshT
I have the cable from our roof mounted aerial feeding into a 6 way booster which is fixed to the wall in a corner of our wardrobe. Cables from there are routed under the floor then through the walls to wall sockets for all the TVs in the house.

Analogue signal was very good, and now the digital signal has gone live all the digital TVs are getting a very good signal.

The good thing about having the booster to hand of course is that we can disconnect the boys' TVs if they misbehave :)
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