Coax Splitter: need recommendations

[mistergq]

I have Verizon FIOS. When it was hooked up, I was told to never use a booster because the signal is coming in hot. (No idea if the Verizon tech knew what he was talking about).

Right now, I have an OTA for an HD Homerun. I am eliminating the OTA and start recording QAM from FIOS. I have a second HD Homerun I have not hooked up because I am debating what to do.

For FIOS, I have a 4 way splitter right now. 3 of the ports are actually used (two for STBs for STV and 1 for a TV). The 4th port goes to an outlet we no longer use and don't plan to use.

Question 1) Should I get an 8 way splitter?

Question 2) should I unhook the 1 connection that I am no longer using and plug in a 4 way splitter to that for HD Homeruns?

[Fastrack]

Personally, I believe adding a 4 way splitter to the empty port will still drop the quality of the other lines so it would be no different than adding a 8x splitter.

What I would do is get a powered (amp) splitter, one that amplifies and splits the signal - a 4 port version... then connect your current 4 way to one of the ports for the HDHRs)

With the QAM since it's a digital signal you might be fine as a "weak" digital signal will work until it doesn't Unlike analog where it becomes snowy.

[sjrx0213]

Couple of questions:

Do you use the cable for your internet connectivity?
How are your cable runs currently laid out and terminated?
Do you have easy access to the tap?

[mistergq]

Originally Posted by sjrx0213

Couple of questions:

Do you use the cable for your internet connectivity?
How are your cable runs currently laid out and terminated?
Do you have easy access to the tap?

Because its FIOS, its all new run. The present 4 coax splitter is the first and only splitter for this run.

There is a FIOS Internet Modem that has its own line from that point. The loss of signal strength is part of the concern I have about doing this split, whether 8 or 4.

The other three are run to three STBs on the same floor as the splitter.

I was told by the tech that installed the system to never use an amplifier because the signal is running "hot".

[Fastrack]

Originally Posted by mistergq

Because its FIOS, its all new run. The present 4 coax splitter is the first and only splitter for this run.

There is a FIOS Internet Modem that has its own line from that point. The loss of signal strength is part of the concern I have about doing this split, whether 8 or 4.

The other three are run to three STBs on the same floor as the splitter.

I was told by the tech that installed the system to never use an amplifier because the signal is running "hot".

Did some reading on Google...
http://www.broadbandreports.com/foru...Splitters-Amps

Looks like because of the nature of FIOS (Fiber-Optic Television)... It sounds like the signal is SUPER strong coming into your house as the person above talked about needing to attenuation in some cases. So it looks like you should be fine with just splitting it 8 times - But I don't think it'll matter if you just connect another 4 splitter to the unused port vs a 8x splitter.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Fastrack

But I don't think it'll matter if you just connect another 4 splitter to the unused port vs a 8x splitter.

I have no experience with FIOS, but the general rule is that with a four-way splitter, each output gets 1/4 the signal strength. Put another four-way splitter on one of those outputs and you're down to 1/16. Whereas a single eight-way splitter would give you 1/8 on each of the outputs.

Generally it's better to have fewer splitters with more outputs per splitter than to cascade splitters with fewer outputs.

[Fastrack]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

I have no experience with FIOS, but the general rule is that with a four-way splitter, each output gets 1/4 the signal strength. Put another four-way splitter on one of those outputs and you're down to 1/16. Whereas a single eight-way splitter would give you 1/8 on each of the outputs.

Generally it's better to have fewer splitters with more outputs per splitter than to cascade splitters with fewer outputs.

Yeah I agree, no question there. However this FIOS sounds like it has some crazy signal quality. So I'm not entirely sure if it would matter in this case. Unless the 8x was 3 times the cost I would probably go with the 8x myself. Also considering the QAM in the picture instead of an analog as well.

With my crappy Rogers Cable connection I had a passive 4x splitter and the quality was trash so I had to use a Powered 4x splitter, perfect picture now. I don't have digital/qam so that wasn't a factory for me.

[mistergq]

I think I am going to try a 4 way on the open port and will report back.

Thanks for looking into this!