Using splitter to get DTT in another room

william

Hi,

Would appreciate some advice from someone in the know!!

We have a Sat dish and DTT aerial. A single cable runs from these to our living room and there is a signal splitter just before the TV, which separates the DTT and Satellite signals into two separate cables. One connects to the TV and the other cable connects to the Freesat box.

We're trying to get DTT to a second bedroom, not too fussed about sat channels, these would be a nice to have only. Also, don't want to go climbing and so want to stay at attic level and lower.... All TVs are full hd.

I've attached what I see as two possible options, the 1st one being the preferred. Could someone be so kind and tell me would either option work?

Would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

William

decor58

Option 2 is the one to go for.

william

decor58 wrote: »

Option 2 is the one to go for.

Thanks Decor. Is option 1 a complete non-runner? it would be far more convenient as Option 2 would have to involve two cables going from the attic to one of the rooms - the signal split happens near the TV in Option 1 therefore one cable all the way.

Thurston?

You can try option 1, yes, but if you want satellite viewing in the 2nd room, you'd be better off getting a separate feed from the dish. Provided the signals are strong enough, it should work fine for DTT, & won't harm satellite viewing in room 1.

The 2-way splitter will obviously pass the full range of frequencies needed, & will have unidirectional power-passing on each leg or, power-passing only 1 leg, that supplying the room needing the satellite signal. Also, no need for the satellite/terrestrial diplexer in room 2, if you're not using the satellite signal.

The Cush

Where are the aerial and sat feeds combined?

In option 1 it's not possible to split a single sat feed to 2 TV points independently, each sat tuner requires a separate feed from the dish because the sat channels are spread across 4 sub bands unlike an aerial feed (1 band) which can be split.

Option 1, I'm not sure if this 2 way splitter will work in the attic with your setup and allow the combined sat/aerial feed pass thru to the living room (via the power pass legs) with the other output feeding the aerial feed to room 2, for a few quid you could test it.

william

Thanks guys. I don't know where the signal combines other than that it's outside the house somewhere. Think I'll buy a 2 way splitter and test the option 1 setup as suggested. Hopefully it will get the DTT to the room.

Sam Russell

Option 1 cannot work at all, so option 2 is the only one to go with.

You cannot split out a satellite signal like that - you have to take the signal directly from each LNB output as the sat receiver outputs tones and voltages to select the quadrant that the sat receiver selects. You can mix the DTT signal with the sat signal as it is a different band.

Can you run another cable from the satellite dish?

william

Thanks Sam. Don't want a sat signal in room 2 so can avoid the need for a cable run from the dish.

I thought of a possible 3rd option for getting DTT to room 2. See attached. Could this work in allowing DTT to room 2 and a single cable carrying sat and DTT to room 1. Hoping that the quality of the sat signal would be maintained.

Thurston?

There's nothing wrong with option 1 if you only want DTT in room 2, provided you use the right kind of 2-way splitter, like either of those I linked to in post #4, & also assuming the signal levels can cope with the split.

Option 3 is just complicating matters for no reason.

former total

Option 2 is the logical one.

But before you do, why not try hooking a cheap indoor aerial to the 2nd TV? Might make all this redundant.

Thurston?

former total wrote: »

Option 2 is the logical one.

But before you do, why not try hooking a cheap indoor aerial to the 2nd TV? Might make all this redundant.

'All this' is just a 2-way splitter, & possibly a length of cable to room 2. (Might already be a cable in place.)

Only reason to use option 2 in preference to option 1, given what the OP has said re. convenience, is if some of the satellite channels are too weak to stand the 2-way split, which they shouldn't be.

william

Am going to test all of the above this afternoon, including a cheap aerial. Will report back. Thanks for advice.

william

Well the good news is that mission accomplished. Went with Option 1 first and this worked a treat. Have DTT in room 2 and DTT and Sat in Room 1 as before. Quality looks the same, as in very good. Took me about 4 hours to do it. Hardest part was running cables from outside into the attic and back out again. Got the 2 way splitter in powercity. It was a 1000 Ghz one.

I have the Sat cable in Room 2 also but haven't tested it. Am afraid I might damage something. Any thoughts on the risk of this occurring?

Thanks again for your help.

Gerry Wicklow

william wrote: »

............
I have the Sat cable in Room 2 also but haven't tested it. Am afraid I might damage something. Any thoughts on the risk of this occurring?

Thanks again for your help.

Satellite tuners send different DC control voltages and signals to the LNB on the dish to select which frequency band it is tuned to. Connecting a second tuner to the same cable means the two boxes will be fighting for control. At best you could try turning OFF the LNB power on the 2nd box but it will only be able to show whichever band the first box is watching. Messy and not recommended.

The Cush

william wrote: »

Got the 2 way splitter in powercity. It was a 1000 Ghz one.

This one?

Are you getting all your sat channels on the main box? The reason I ask is that splitter covers the range 5-1000 MHz but the satellite frequency range from the LNB on the dish to the satellite receiver is in the range 950-2150 MHz. The other 2 splitters mentioned above cover a range up to 2300/2400 MHz.

former total

Thurston? wrote: »

'All this' is just a 2-way splitter, & possibly a length of cable to room 2. (Might already be a cable in place..

"All this" turned out to be a fair bit more effort.

william

This was well worth the effort. Enjoying the DTT. Haven't done anything with the Sat aspect. Thanks again to those that advised me along the way.