Do I need a amplified splitter

SemperFly

Currently have 4 TV's and 6 coax connecters populating the house
with a 1 into 4 splitter running FiOS.

I want to have the ability to have at any given time to move a "spare" TV / STB to one of the two unoccupied sites depending on the circumstances.

The issue is that I would like to have an eight-port splitter that can handle all 6 of the connections; am I going to need to purchase an amplified splitter or will a standard spliiter handle the FiOS feed?

Either way are there any recommendations on a specific brand (amped or otherwise)?

v/r
S/F

PoloDude

You will not need an amp for that setup.

JPL

You definitely don't want an amplified splitter. The FiOS signal is plenty strong - so strong, in fact, that the opposite problem is usually what people have. They have to attenuate signals because they are so strong. Just make sure your splitter can handle 5 -1000MHz - FiOS operates at higher frequency range than most cable systems do.

SemperFly

Thanks for the quick responses ...

Just ordered a 5-1000MHz 8-way passive splitter.

VideeO

This is not super critical, but any unused ports should have 75 ohm terminations on them.

You can probably get them at Radio Shack for a couple of bucks each.

ITALIAN926

UUUUUgghhhh

I really try to resist these threads but its not so cut and dry as 99% of this forum makes it out to be.


Make sure you dont split anything past this 8 way splitter.. especially not he router. They should all be home-runs and not a very long distance. If you have any especially long runs, you are ASKING FOR TROUBLE. You could have found a 6way splitter out there to slightly lessen your signal loss.

Your post is worrying me because you say you have 4 TV's with a 4 way splitter. Your router is likely wired with a 2 way splitter beyond the 4 way. NOT GOOD if your plan is to replace the 4 with an 8. If you get rid of the 2 way and make a new homerun for the router, youll be OK. This is the kind of crap that customers do that causes my company headaches. Theres always the possibility the 8way can come defective from the factory.. I see defective splitters very often right outve the wrapper.


JPL, we very rarely attentuate anymore. About a year ago the company modified the acceptable signal strength range and the only time we ever have to attentuate is when the customer has 1 TV outve a 2way split.

__________________
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Scottnot

A polite way of implying that 99% of forum members are idiots.
But fear not, Italian "knows it all" and is certainly "smarter" than 99% of this forum.

Of course, if the OP does, he'll find out rather quickly whether it'll work or not.
It may work . . . it may not; the "make sure you dont(sic)" is sort of a lame warning.

Right, keep everything under 1,000'.

Let's see, an 8-port splitter will have 12-15dB loss at each port.
A 6-port splitter will have 12-15dB loss at four of the ports and 6-7dB loss at two of the ports.
A "6way splitter" certainly does not lessen the signal loss at all ports; and unless the OP knows he's operating "at the limit" an 8-port splitter makes a lot of sense.

I guess some folks can worry and likely and what if themselves beyond all reason.

Fear not, Mighty Tech is here to save the day.

And . . . . ????

ITALIAN926

Scotty boy , this is the very last time I ever respond to you.

As far as FioS goes? Yes I do. I know more about FioS than YOU DO. Believe it.. know it. .. and I sure know more about splitters and coax when used in conjuction with our FIOS SYSTEM.

It WONT work. For the TV outlet, putting a 2way beyond the 8 with an average size run WILL FAIL IT. You might have pixellation, be missing some channels, if your router is on a 2way beyond an 8, your on-demand and MRDVR will have all kinds of issues... probably on all TV's.

Obviously you have been inside my garage stockroom and are an expert in the splitters we carry.

That is the dumbest thing you ever said. Even dumber than when you said there is no coax LAN between STB's and Router. Outve a 8 way splitter? A homerun shouldnt be more than 100 feet or so. There will be virtually no signal on a 1000 foot run ! LOL

You come on here and talk your crap as if there are no variances when it comes to wiring and splitters. It really cracks me up. You come on here and try to give the illusion that you know my job better than I do. Its really amusing.

__________________
Proud owner of a 60" plasma and ~1500 DVD's Pio PDP-6010FD , Panny TH-42PX77U, Toshiba HD DVD Player (HD-A20)
Xbox 360

Former FiOS technician
My Family Room Pic #1

My Family Room Pic #2

Bob Walters

Actually,
The attenuation "thing" was a real problem "back when"......made the STB keep saying NO signal. Box was changed...........same thing!!!! Italian 926 diagnosed it & fixed it.......TOO MUCH signal. Took out the 2 attentuators [not splitters that cablevision uses.....yes, its true...I was THERE when they put them in while I was waiting to calibrate the display] and "life is good"............a tech that knows what he's doing!!!!!

VideeO

never mind

VideeO

Your post makes no sense.

If there was "TOO MUCH signal" and if, as you report, he "Took out the 2 attenuators", the result would be an even greater signal.
If he's a tech that takes out attenuators to decrease the signal, I'd think twice about calling him "a tech that knows what he's doing".

I guess your post demonstrates why anecdotal evidence is considered untrustworthy and is one of the least accepted forms of evidence. Very similar to the infamous "advertising testimonial".

Anyway, great post.

Scottnot

Promise???

. . . and I bet your dad is bigger than my dad too!!

Sorry, splitters and coax is splitters and coax; what system they are used in is somewhat secondary.

Interesting how you insisist that it "WONT"(sic) (wont means to grow accustomed to; the word you're looking for is won't) work, then go on to specifiy all of the conditions for your statement to be correct; such as "an average size run" (of course no one knows what an "average" size run is).
The "goal" of any television distribution system is to deliver a signal level of 0dBmV to each set in the distribution path (actually, digital televisions are able to receive and decode signals down to -25dBmv to -20dBmV; so there's a pretty hefty guardband already); so most systems try to provide sufficient input signal to a customer's home of 15-30dB resulting in an input to the home of 15-30dBmV.
So the total dynamic range that most cable customers have to work with is on the order of 35-55dB.
An 8-port splitter will introduce nominal loss of 15dB; a 100' run of high quality RG6 will introduce another 6dB of loss; that's 21dB total loss; leaving a guardband of 4 to 31dB.
Obviously in some combinations of system and television another 2-port splitter and more cable will lead to loss of reception. However in MANY cases, it will not.
So to say that something WON'T work is a bit foolish.

It doesn't matter what splitters you carry.
Aside from the bandwidth issue, passive splitters is passive splitters; they will all result in the same attenuation based on the number of ports.

I guess sarcasm flys right over your head.

Is there a law? How about 150 feet? Or 200 feet?

Indeed, at the end of a 1000 foot run the signal will be down on the order of 60dB . . . I knew that.

You're kidding right??
I'm simply conveying that there ARE variances.
You're the one who keeps insisting that things won't work, even after posters report back that it did work and everything is fine.
But, to reiterate, in terms of attenuation, all passive splitters are the same; a 2-port will exhibit 3/3.5dB of attenuation, a 4-port will exhibit 6/7.5dB of attenuation and an 8-port will exhibit 12/15dB of attenuation.
A 3-port is nothing but a combination of two 2-ports. A 6-port is nothing but a combination of a 4-port and two 2-ports.

I certainly never intended to give the impression that I knew your job better than you.
It's obvious however that I do know certain aspects pertaining to your job far better than you do.
I see nothing amusing about that.

Bob Walters

Sorry,
Wasn't thinking when writing........substitute NOT ENOUGH for TOO MUCH............my mistake!

VideeO

Hence the continuing saga of testimonials and anecdotal evidence.

Neither first account nor your revised account nor the two combined have no evidentiary weight.

Bob Walters

"no evidentiary weight"............about what??????


and now I'm also wondering!!!! How come "Scottnot" became "VideeO"??????????????? I'll let the rest of the forum answer.