Cable Splitters - what do people use?

[wayner]

I am going to be moving my Sage PC to a WHS server in my basement. This room contains my main electrical wiring box and it is also the point where cable enters my house and where I have all of my ethernet cabling terminated plus it is where my networking hardware (cable modem, router, switches, Vonage phone adapter, etc.) resides.

In this room I will likely have at least two cable boxes plus connected to Sage plus my internet cable modem so I will need something like a 4 way cable splitter to feed 2 (or more) cable boxes plus my cable modem.

Do I need a powered amplifier/splitter for this configuration (I am worried that a 4 way splitter may drop my signal too much)? If I do does anyone have any suggestions on where to buy good quality splitter - I have found that what you buy at Radio Shack is often junk.

[Opus4]

Look at www.cabletvamps.com

They have the Electroline amps, like the EDA-FT08100 and will make suggestions if you contact them & describe your layout. Be sure to check out their FAQs & other info.

- Andy

[Polypro]

If you want to try passive splitters, Silicon Dust did some tests and found that the (yes) Monster SSxRF splitters had the least loss. Search on their site for the full details.

P

[S_M_E]

I use the cheap radio shack/walmart splitters and amps, they may not be the best but they work for me and they're not expensive. If I were building a new house I might use better brands.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Polypro

If you want to try passive splitters, Silicon Dust did some tests and found that the (yes) Monster SSxRF splitters had the least loss. Search on their site for the full details.

I saw that comparison, but it didn't look like they compared to the splitters from cable supply places online, like the one I linked above, hometech.com, or some other places. I would be interested in the results for those as opposed to what is in local stores.

- Andy

[brainbone]

I use the EDA-2400 for a similar configuration. Works well.

[BlueH2O]

I have my incoming cable split 4 ways without an amplifier. Last year I had Time Warner come in and they ran new cable from the basement to the pole, and tested my signal. (The old cable had been spliced several times due to ice storm damage) I currently have no signal issues with cable. The splitter was purchased from ebay. If anyone wants the exact model, shoot me a message and I'll go look it up.

[psklenar]

My CATV provider (COX) put one of these PCT 2 port amps and multiple 1-to-2 and 1-to-3 splitters last year due to "low line levels". When I setup my Sage Server over the holidays, I ordered the PCT 8-port Amp in order to eliminate all the splitters and their associated loss. However, I had an internet/CATV outage New Years Day and when the tech arrived on Saturday (the earliest one was available), he discovered my line levels were way too high and told me to get rid of the amplifier ... apparently COX had upgraded the system in my end of town during the fall. So I am now using the Channel Vision HS-8 8-WAY and am very pleased. I had a Tech out to the house this past Monday for another issue (turned out to be a loose conenction outside the house in the NIU) and he said that the Channel Vision is a good unit.

pat----

[bhyman1]

Try it out with a good quality splitter first. You may not need an amp. Also, too much signal can be just as bad as too little.

[wayner]

I started this thread as I was worried that using passive splitters would cause problems - but it appears that this has not been the case. My Sage server is located in my basement - along with all of my network wiring. I have two cable drops coming from the street to my house and from each drop there are four outlets conencted. One of these four outlets was connected to my cable modem (for internet). I have this cable run through a 1:2 splitter with one output going into the cable modem and the other goes to a 1:4 splitter. Currently I am using three of the outputs from this splitter that are connected to digital cable boxes and so far I have not run into any problems. My internet connection is stable and seems quite fast (the service is marketed as 10Mbps - when I run bandwidth test I get around 6 Mbps but that may be due to the nature of cable as you bandwidth is somewhat shared with your neighbours) and I have not had any troubles tuning channels with my digital boxes.