My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal is
not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the signal
not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old analogue TV the
picture was never up to much either! She has another aerial (on the chimney
stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs set up, which includes a
freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is good enough. The outside
aerial cable is on the roof and then down the wall and enters the house
above her front door. Where the cable goes down the wall this is directly
outside her bedroom window, so I was thinking of cutting the cable and
putting a splitter in and running a new piece of coax in through the window
frame corner. Can you get waterproof splitters any where or will I have to
get a suitable box and put an internal splitter in there. I have look at
Screwfix, Maplins and RS but cannot seem to find anything suitable.

TIA

John

John wrote:

Can you get waterproof splitters any where or will I have to
get a suitable box and put an internal splitter in there. I have look at
Screwfix, Maplins and RS but cannot seem to find anything suitable.

CPC do them

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...AFCS1000&N=411

See thread in d-i-y group called "Aerial Spitters" too.


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

"John" wrote in message
...
My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal is
not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the
signal not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old
analogue TV the picture was never up to much either! She has another
aerial (on the chimney stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs
set up, which includes a freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is
good enough. The outside aerial cable is on the roof and then down the
wall and enters the house above her front door. Where the cable goes down
the wall this is directly outside her bedroom window, so I was thinking of
cutting the cable and putting a splitter in and running a new piece of
coax in through the window frame corner. Can you get waterproof splitters
any where or will I have to get a suitable box and put an internal
splitter in there. I have look at Screwfix, Maplins and RS but cannot seem
to find anything suitable.

TIA

John

Before you cut the downlead I suggest that you fit a 6dB attenuator between
the aerial lead and the STB. If the STB functions properly on all channels
after this remove the attenuator and split the aerial as you propose. If the
signal is not strong enough when doing this test you can still split the
aerial but you will need some amplification or some other remedy.

Richard

John wrote:
My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal is
not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the signal
not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old analogue TV the
picture was never up to much either! She has another aerial (on the chimney
stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs set up, which includes a
freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is good enough. The outside
aerial cable is on the roof and then down the wall and enters the house
above her front door. Where the cable goes down the wall this is directly
outside her bedroom window, so I was thinking of cutting the cable and
putting a splitter in and running a new piece of coax in through the window
frame corner. Can you get waterproof splitters any where or will I have to
get a suitable box and put an internal splitter in there. I have look at
Screwfix, Maplins and RS but cannot seem to find anything suitable.

I briefly tried those sorts of bodges, and then went for the far
superior option of moving the aerial outside.

"Nick Finnigan" wrote in message
...
John wrote:
My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal
is not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the
signal not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old
analogue TV the picture was never up to much either! She has another
aerial (on the chimney stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs
set up, which includes a freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is
good enough. The outside aerial cable is on the roof and then down the
wall and enters the house above her front door. Where the cable goes
down the wall this is directly outside her bedroom window, so I was
thinking of cutting the cable and putting a splitter in and running a new
piece of coax in through the window frame corner. Can you get waterproof
splitters any where or will I have to get a suitable box and put an
internal splitter in there. I have look at Screwfix, Maplins and RS but
cannot seem to find anything suitable.

I briefly tried those sorts of bodges, and then went for the far superior
option of moving the aerial outside.

The aerial I want to use IS outside, I just want to break into the cable and
have it supplying two TV sets. I know it is possible as my own is split
into three but the main bulk of my wiring is in the loft space or in the
walls, so I didn't need an external splitter box. I know they are available
as my In Laws have one on their house but there are no manufacturing marks
etc that I can see and my father in law cannot remember who installed it.

Thanks for your input anyway!

John

John wrote:
"Nick Finnigan" wrote in message
...

John wrote:

My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal
is not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the
signal not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old
analogue TV the picture was never up to much either! She has another
aerial (on the chimney stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs
set up, which includes a freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is
good enough. The outside aerial cable is on the roof and then down the
wall and enters the house above her front door. Where the cable goes
down the wall this is directly outside her bedroom window, so I was
thinking of cutting the cable and putting a splitter in and running a new
piece of coax in through the window frame corner. Can you get waterproof
splitters any where or will I have to get a suitable box and put an
internal splitter in there. I have look at Screwfix, Maplins and RS but
cannot seem to find anything suitable.

I briefly tried those sorts of bodges, and then went for the far superior
option of moving the aerial outside.


The aerial I want to use IS outside, I just want to break into the cable and
have it supplying two TV sets. I know it is possible as my own is split
into three but the main bulk of my wiring is in the loft space or in the
walls, so I didn't need an external splitter box. I know they are available
as my In Laws have one on their house but there are no manufacturing marks
etc that I can see and my father in law cannot remember who installed it.


As,IIR, Richard suggested - it may be worth checking to see if the
existing set can manage on the reduced signal.

IIUC, splitters come in three forms:

1) Cheap and nasty passive - basically a few resistors. Best avoided
unless you can pick up stations on a coat hanger..

2) Low loss passive - using more expensive inductors to split the
signal. Half the signal goes to each and very little is lost in the
splitter, unlike (1).

3) Active (masthead amplifier) - which typically have a plug-in power
supply at the downstairs aerial socket to power the splitter via the coax.

Whether you risk (1) or (2) - with or without trying an attenuator first
to see the likely effect, or go straight to (3) - which /will/ work, is
up to you and how much you like ladders.

At least with (3), if you ever want to feed yet another TV, it won't be
a problem.

However, (1) and (2) are pretty immune to nearby lighning. Whereas (3)
isn't. Not a problem if living in a valley with loads of houses/trees
higher up to attract the nasties. But, if you live in Bleak House or
look down on the plebs..maybe best avoided unless essential - although
perhaps better the masthead box goes than the TVs..


--
Sue

In article , John
wrote:

[2 way external splitter]

I know they are available
as my In Laws have one on their house but there are no manufacturing marks
etc that I can see and my father in law cannot remember who installed it.

We have them in stock most of the time.



--
AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems
http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk

"Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)" wrote in message
. ..
In article , John
wrote:

[2 way external splitter]

I know they are available
as my In Laws have one on their house but there are no manufacturing
marks
etc that I can see and my father in law cannot remember who installed it.

We have them in stock most of the time.



--
AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems
http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk

How much are they incl p&p and do you have a picture, or a manufacturer and
part no. so I can look at one on line?

TIA

John

John wrote:
"Nick Finnigan" wrote in message
...

John wrote:

My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal
is not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the
signal not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old
analogue TV the picture was never up to much either! She has another
aerial (on the chimney stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs
set up, which includes a freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is
good enough. The outside aerial cable is on the roof and then down the
wall and enters the house above her front door. Where the cable goes
down the wall this is directly outside her bedroom window, so I was
thinking of cutting the cable and putting a splitter in and running a new
piece of coax in through the window frame corner. Can you get waterproof
splitters any where or will I have to get a suitable box and put an
internal splitter in there. I have look at Screwfix, Maplins and RS but
cannot seem to find anything suitable.

I briefly tried those sorts of bodges, and then went for the far superior
option of moving the aerial outside.


The aerial I want to use IS outside, I just want to break into the cable and
have it supplying two TV sets.

You wrote that there was one inside aerial and one outside; that is
what I had as well. Splitting the outside aerial outside the house was a
bodge. Moving the inside aerial to be outside and feeding one TV off
each aerial was far superior, and in my case required no extra hardware.

Richard wrote:
"John" wrote in message
...

My mum has just got a freeview TV for her bedroom and the aerial signal is
not good enough from the aerial in the loft, I presume because of the
signal not passing through the concrete tiles very well, on her old
analogue TV the picture was never up to much either! She has another
aerial (on the chimney stack outside) that is connected to her downstairs
set up, which includes a freeview STB, so I know this aerial signal is
good enough. The outside aerial cable is on the roof and then down the
wall and enters the house above her front door. Where the cable goes down
the wall this is directly outside her bedroom window, so I was thinking of
cutting the cable and putting a splitter in and running a new piece of
coax in through the window frame corner. Can you get waterproof splitters
any where or will I have to get a suitable box and put an internal
splitter in there. I have look at Screwfix, Maplins and RS but cannot seem
to find anything suitable.

TIA

John


Before you cut the downlead I suggest that you fit a 6dB attenuator between
the aerial lead and the STB. If the STB functions properly on all channels
after this remove the attenuator and split the aerial as you propose. If the
signal is not strong enough when doing this test you can still split the
aerial but you will need some amplification or some other remedy.

Richard


3dB attenuator would do as that is the same as splitting the signal in half

®ÖÐ wrote:

3dB attenuator would do as that is the same as splitting the signal in half

No, halving the signal voltage would be 6dB (You're thinking of power ratios)

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Mark Carver wrote:
®ÖÐ wrote:


3dB attenuator would do as that is the same as splitting the signal in half


No, halving the signal voltage would be 6dB (You're thinking of power ratios)

OK, its just I have a passive splitter here on my TV and it says each
output is 3.5dB less than input.

I take it the 0.5 is for insertion loss.

Than again I always get a bit confused when working with dBs