How many times can you split a coax line?

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Alright, I am looking to get the best quality out of my cable connection as possible, but I am just a little confused with my cable TV situation. I currently have basic cable, which includes clear QAM HD local channels, with Time Warner in my apartment. I run VMC on my media server pc with 2 analog tuners (PVR-150 and HVR-1600) and 2 HDTV tuners (HD Homerun for the clear QAM channels). This is all connected to my 42 in 1080P Westinghouse via a VGA cable. To connect everything in my apartment, I have my one and only cable line in my apartment split 8 times (1 to my cable modem, 4 to the HTPC, 1 to the 42, 1 to a tiny 15 in tv) with 2 old, chep-o, radio shack 4-way gold splitters. I am confused by this because I do not really have any sort of quality loss. I have tried switching back and forth between a direct line to my TV and the 8 way split, but I don't really see a quality loss. It's not like I can compare it side by side so I'm not sure if I am crazy or blind. My question is how many times can you split a cable line? I figured 8 was a lot, and by my estimate, a 28 db drop in signal strength. Is this normal, or do I have a really good cable line?
 
You may be near the hub/amp in your building and just getting a good signal, and no neighbors backfeeding interference. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
I work for comcast and this is what i recommend -

Main feed off ground block that enters house, install 2way splitter. 1 leg of a 2wy splitter has a 3.5db drop and all splitters should be used should be 5-1000mhz in freq. (gold doesn't = good quality, and IMO radioshack splitters are the #1 cause of cable signal loss and crappy fittings)

So back on track, main feed to 2wy splitter - 1 leg direct to modem. Second leg run to 15db+ amp, run out of amp to 8wy splitter. off 8wy run homeruns to each cable outlet.

Try to use RG6 cable, and compression fittings.

You can NOT put an amp behind a modem, the 2 channels used for dwn/up stream will be pushed out of range and you will not have block sync. As for TV, you can push it pretty high and split it numerous times honestly if the plant has adequate signal.

please feel free to PM me if you have other questions.

nate
 
what's a good 15db+ amp?

where's the best place to buy 8wy splitter? or maybe let's put it this way... what should the package of the splitter say so that we know it's good.

thanks for your expertise - i am in the same boat as OP
 
IndyGSX said:
This is the amp that comcast issues us -

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3374891

Nate
Click to expand...

While a gain may boost signal strength and most likely quality, a television set should have around 10db worth of play, and good signals i've seen work and 20db loss.

The important thing is, think of it like a tree of splitters, the further down you go, the less quality you get (approx 3.5db per split). Important things go first.
 
My last apartment had 1 home run and 8 apartments split off the board. I had digital cable and hi speed internet and always had what I believed was a great connection. :)

Talk about splitters and low signal quality probably has more to do with splitting an already shitty connection like a bad run from the street to the home.
 
I have 1 home run coming into my basement. From there, I have a 2 way splitter, one goes to the cable modem and then the other goes to an 8 way that feeds the rest of my house. I used two ways at the end of some of those runs as well and never had a problem.
 
TV sets will work behind very crappy signal. If you are running a digital/hd/dvr it might not lock down, but for just basic cable signal isn't that much of an issue.

Online devices such as MTA (phone modem) and regular modems though should be off the first splitter and preferrably off of a 3.5leg. (most 3wy splitters have 1 3.5 leg output and 2 7.5 outputs, 4wys are typically 7.5 across all 4 outs and 8wys usually give a 10db drop)

Nate
 
My drop comes into my bedroom closet and goes into an 8-way there that splits it to the rest of the house. My modem is from a the wall into a 2-way then the modem. I then have another 2-way that splits to my pc in my bedroom and then to my 32in on the wall. I haven't seen any problems anywhere, and the signal is plenty strong.

Though, in the future, I am going to take the drop into a 2-way in the closet and have one go to the modem and the other to the 8-way with my wireless router into the closet as well since I have cat5 run to all the phone outlets and just use that as my wired network.
 
I would have made a statement to say what I thought, but everyone has pretty much said the same thing. I worked for Time Warner and would have to agree. Two way to an 8way and if you really need it a house amp after the 2 way.
 
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