I have cable internet and am going to use an antenna for tv reception. my cable is now running into a 3 way splitter for internet. how can I run my antenna tv into this system so I can get TV reception on all 3 of my TVs. Advise would be greatly appreciated

On Sunday, April 1, 2018 at 3:26:16 PM UTC-4, Nadman wrote:
I have cable internet and am going to use an antenna for tv reception. my cable is now running into a 3 way splitter for internet. how can I run my antenna tv into this system so I can get TV reception on all 3 of my TVs. Advise would be greatly appreciated

If your purpose it to use the antenna and not cable, then yes you can
just run the antenna into a 3 way splitter. Whether you have enough
signal strength from the antenna to drive all three is another question.
If not there are amps available.

On 4/1/2018 2:26 PM, Nadman wrote:
I have cable internet and am going to use an antenna for tv reception. my cable is now running into a 3 way splitter for internet. how can I run my antenna tv into this system so I can get TV reception on all 3 of my TVs. Advise would be greatly appreciated

I don't know what channels your cable uses, but there is a
large chance that they duplicate some of the channels that
the OTA stations use. I expect that the signals are still
in the cable, you are just locked out of receiving them.
In that case there is no way to make it work. You could
test it by reversing the splitter and try sending a TV
signal down it to one of the sets. When I say reversing
the splitter I mean to disconnect the input and connect it
to one of the outputs. Connect the antenna to another
of the outputs. Then connect what was the input to one
of the cables to a TV. Then see what you get on the TV.
If it works you could try using a 2 way splitter ahead of
the three way. With the 3 way in its normal configuration
(cable in 3 sets out) connect the 2 way reversed. Cable in
one of the outputs, antenna in the other output, and the
input from the 2 way connected to the input of the 3 way.

As trader_4 said you may need an amplifier.

The best way is still to bite the bullet and run a separate
system for the antenna. You might need an amplifier for
that system too.

Bill

On Monday, April 2, 2018 at 9:10:53 AM UTC-4, Bill Gill wrote:
On 4/1/2018 2:26 PM, Nadman wrote:
I have cable internet and am going to use an antenna for tv reception. my cable is now running into a 3 way splitter for internet. how can I run my antenna tv into this system so I can get TV reception on all 3 of my TVs. Advise would be greatly appreciated

I don't know what channels your cable uses, but there is a
large chance that they duplicate some of the channels that
the OTA stations use. I expect that the signals are still
in the cable, you are just locked out of receiving them.
In that case there is no way to make it work. You could
test it by reversing the splitter and try sending a TV
signal down it to one of the sets. When I say reversing
the splitter I mean to disconnect the input and connect it
to one of the outputs. Connect the antenna to another
of the outputs. Then connect what was the input to one
of the cables to a TV. Then see what you get on the TV.
If it works you could try using a 2 way splitter ahead of
the three way. With the 3 way in its normal configuration
(cable in 3 sets out) connect the 2 way reversed. Cable in
one of the outputs, antenna in the other output, and the
input from the 2 way connected to the input of the 3 way.

As trader_4 said you may need an amplifier.

The best way is still to bite the bullet and run a separate
system for the antenna. You might need an amplifier for
that system too.

Bill

If you do what you propose without a splitter that has one way
isolation, you will be broadcasting the cable signal to the
neighborhood, which is illegal. Cable companies regularly go
around trying to minimize their system doing so accidentally and
I would not be surprised that they might track down the radiating
antenna. Beyond that, does this even make sense? Many, probably
most places now, you need a box to even get local stations,
so what do you feed into that at each TV?
And if you have cable and are using cable, why do you need an
antenna at all? I guess there could be some odd ball stations
that are not on cable, but with hundreds of channels now, seems
they have just about everything.

On 4/2/2018 8:33 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, April 2, 2018 at 9:10:53 AM UTC-4, Bill Gill wrote:
On 4/1/2018 2:26 PM, Nadman wrote:
I have cable internet and am going to use an antenna for tv reception. my cable is now running into a 3 way splitter for internet. how can I run my antenna tv into this system so I can get TV reception on all 3 of my TVs. Advise would be greatly appreciated

I don't know what channels your cable uses, but there is a
large chance that they duplicate some of the channels that
the OTA stations use. I expect that the signals are still
in the cable, you are just locked out of receiving them.
In that case there is no way to make it work. You could
test it by reversing the splitter and try sending a TV
signal down it to one of the sets. When I say reversing
the splitter I mean to disconnect the input and connect it
to one of the outputs. Connect the antenna to another
of the outputs. Then connect what was the input to one
of the cables to a TV. Then see what you get on the TV.
If it works you could try using a 2 way splitter ahead of
the three way. With the 3 way in its normal configuration
(cable in 3 sets out) connect the 2 way reversed. Cable in
one of the outputs, antenna in the other output, and the
input from the 2 way connected to the input of the 3 way.

As trader_4 said you may need an amplifier.

The best way is still to bite the bullet and run a separate
system for the antenna. You might need an amplifier for
that system too.

Bill

If you do what you propose without a splitter that has one way
isolation, you will be broadcasting the cable signal to the
neighborhood, which is illegal. Cable companies regularly go
around trying to minimize their system doing so accidentally and
I would not be surprised that they might track down the radiating
antenna. Beyond that, does this even make sense? Many, probably
most places now, you need a box to even get local stations,
so what do you feed into that at each TV?
And if you have cable and are using cable, why do you need an
antenna at all? I guess there could be some odd ball stations
that are not on cable, but with hundreds of channels now, seems
they have just about everything.

Splitters really have very good isolation. They are pretty much
one way items. A signal into one of the 'outputs' only comes out
the 'input'. There shouldn't be any problem there. The real
problem with the OPs plan is that there would probably be
interference between the cables RF frequencies and the TV
RF frequencies.

The OP simply wants to use the cable for internet service,
not for TV service. So he is trying to come up with a way
to use the same system to distribute the TV from the antenna
and the internet. It is probably a bad idea, but I thought
of a way he might be able to do it.

Bill

In article , says...

Splitters really have very good isolation. They are pretty much
one way items. A signal into one of the 'outputs' only comes out
the 'input'. There shouldn't be any problem there. The real
problem with the OPs plan is that there would probably be
interference between the cables RF frequencies and the TV
RF frequencies.



Most splitters are simple resistor networks. They have very little
isolation. If you backfeed a 2 way splitter with a signal, it will pass
through with about 3 db less signal if it is a 2 way splitter. About the
same as a signal going through in the normal way.
One of the parameters is to keep the inpedance the same, not signal
isolation as the normal use is one way, not 2 way.

On Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 9:43:02 AM UTC-4, Ralph Mowery wrote:
In article , says...

Splitters really have very good isolation. They are pretty much
one way items. A signal into one of the 'outputs' only comes out
the 'input'. There shouldn't be any problem there. The real
problem with the OPs plan is that there would probably be
interference between the cables RF frequencies and the TV
RF frequencies.



Most splitters are simple resistor networks. They have very little
isolation. If you backfeed a 2 way splitter with a signal, it will pass
through with about 3 db less signal if it is a 2 way splitter. About the
same as a signal going through in the normal way.
One of the parameters is to keep the inpedance the same, not signal
isolation as the normal use is one way, not 2 way.

I thought they have no isolation either and I know for sure I've seen
many that are actually labeled bi-directional.

The other problem I pointed out is, even assuming you combine them,
then what do you do at the TV? To recover the cable the coax goes
to the cable box, then the cable box sends HDMI or component video
to the TV. The OTA signal won't make it through. I guess you could
split the signal at the TV, send on direct to the tuner input of the
TV, other to the cable box. But then you wind up having to switch
inputs to view and also you've split something 3 ways already, now
you'd be splitting it again, so you'd be down to one sixth signal
strength, which may be too low.

Still not sure what the purpose is, because if you have cable, it
has the local stations already included. I guess there might be some
third tier station they don't carry. Or they want better HD reception.
Apparently in at least some cases OTA is better than what comes across
cable.