Coax Cable RF Splitters

ZeeOSix

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I'm planning on putting an HDTV antenna in the attic, and will be splitting the RF signal to the two existing coax cables that run inside the house to the wall connections.

The splitter needs to be on the outside of the house where the cable company coax originally hooked up to the old 1 into 3 splitter. The coax cables I need to use are all sealed where they go into the outside wall, and I don't want to disturb the seal job. I have minimum cable length on the outside of the house.

I want to buy a new splitter that is a 1 into 4, but only use 2 of the 4 OUT ports because the IN port is on the same side of the splitter as the 2 OUT ports I need, so that configuration makes it an easy hook-up with the existing short cables on the outside of the house.

From what the linked article says, it sounds like a 1 into 4 splitter will have more RF signal loss (cascaded splitters), but maybe that is if you hook all 4 outputs up - ?. I'm not sure exactly what the internal design is, or if all splitters are designed the same in this regard.

Is the internal design of all 1 into 4 splitters going to result in 7 dB of RF loss on each port regardless if you connect 1 or 4 of the outputs? If so, then I'll have to somehow make a 1 into 2 splitter work and have 3.5 dB instead of 7 dB loss on each OUT port.

 
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The loss between the input and one output is the same whether other outputs are connected or not. If there's an amplifier before the splitter it isn't a concern. If your antenna is not amplified you should definitely use a two way splitter.

In the future don't install cables with "minimum length" because situations like this will arise.
 
Why not just use a two way splitter?? The signal loss is minimal. If you are dead set on a four way splitter, you should be OK with signal strength if you are fairly close to the broadcast towers. If you go the four way route, get two terminating resistors and screw them on the unused outputs of the four way splitter. If your house has aluminum siding, that will hinder the performance of your attic antenna and I would definitely use a two way splitter instead of a four way.
 
The loss between the input and one output is the same whether other outputs are connected or not. If there's an amplifier before the splitter it isn't a concern. If your antenna is not amplified you should definitely use a two way splitter.
Yeah, that's what I figured but wasn't sure if the output loss was based on how many outputs were connected or not. Sounds like I'll have to make a 1 into 2 splitter work because there is no amplifier between the antenna and splitter.

In the future don't install cables with "minimum length" because situations like this will arise.
The cable setup was done when the house was built, way before I bought the place. There might be enough cable length outside the house to make it work, but don't want to bend the coax too tight. I've looked for a 1 into 2 splitter with the IN and two OUT ports on the same side, but seems they don't make them in that configuration.

If a 1 into 4 splitter didn't lose any more signal than a 1 into 2, then I'd go with the 1 into 4 because it would make it easy to configure with the cable length I have to work with.

Lubener - no aluminum siding, so no concerns there.
 
Why not get a coax extender. If I remember correctly it is less than 8.00 at Lowes. Extend the cables a couple of feet so it won't be so tight. I will be replacing Mr 2 way for a three way later this year once I run line to bedroom. I noticed no loss so far. Now my newer tv is picking up one fewer channel.
 
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