If there are two or more TVs in the house, a logical question arises: how to connect all devices to one antenna structure? At first glance, it seems that it is enough to simply make a branch in the cable and solder it with other wires, connecting the screen and central cores to each other.
In this case, the signal level will drop significantly, and in addition, due to the mutual influence of the receivers, interference will begin to form. If a large family uses 3 or 4 TVs, it is better to purchase an antenna splitter. But before that, it is recommended to study their varieties and become familiar with their technical parameters.
Device settings
When choosing, you need to take into account the technical parameters of the device:
- The attenuation level indicates how much the signal transmission power through this device is reduced. The smaller this value, the better the device works.
- A splitter is designed to distribute the incoming signal between several television receivers. Typically the number of recipients is from two to eight. It is important that the number of outputs corresponds to the number of pieces of equipment. There are also splitters for 16 recipients, but such models are relatively rare.
- Bandwidth characterizes the frequency range used. In most cases, for terrestrial television it is 5-1000 MHz, and for satellite television it is 5-2500 MHz.
- An active antenna splitter additionally uses an amplifier. It is capable of providing increased power during signal transmission. Such devices are more expensive and can work with no more than two devices.
When choosing a splitter, its parameters must correspond to the specific situation of the buyer. If not all connectors will be used, it is recommended to install plugs on the remaining ones.
The device indicates the degree of signal attenuation for each connector Source stroy-podskazka.ru
Varieties
Various types of structures are used, each of which has its own characteristics. When choosing, you need to take into account that the preference depends on the tasks facing the user.
Splitter
This device divides the incoming signal into the required number of consumers. At the same time, its characteristics change accordingly. This can be illustrated with the following example. If the input signal has a level of 12 dB, then when divided into two TVs, each of them will receive 6 dB. For three, this value will be equal to 4 dB.
The use of a threaded connection ensures a reliable connection Source stroy-podskazka.ru
Couplers
This design is used for signal conversion in apartment buildings. At the same time, it is distributed to each floor by splitters. And then to each apartment using taps. Here, two outputs are usually used, and the signal on one of them is more powerful. The latter can be used to connect another similar device. The cable from the weaker output will be used to transmit the signal to the apartment.
Adders
They can be used to simultaneously work with terrestrial and digital channels. It can only work with two consumers. If one of the receiving devices is disabled, it will still be possible to use the other.
Using different types of plugs Source stroy-podskazka.ru
How to choose
It is important to understand that the more receiving devices, the more the incoming signal will weaken. This is acceptable in cases where it is initially high. If this is not the case, then you need to choose an active antenna splitter. It is advisable to install it next to the receiving antenna.
First you need to determine the required device parameters. To do this, go to the settings and look at the frequencies of the channels used. It is important that the upper threshold of the range is above this frequency.
You need to take into account the number of television receivers available and think about whether you plan to buy new equipment. If this is the case, then splitter outputs must also be provided for them. Their quantity in the purchased device must correspond.
When purchasing, you need to evaluate the appearance of the device. If you plan to place it in a special box, then you need to select the dimensions so that it can fit there.
The TV body may have a place to mount the device. If they plan to fix it here, the splitter needs to match it. It is unacceptable to attach it in such a way that it dangles freely.
When purchasing, you need to determine the types of connectors available. They must match the existing cables. Having made your choice, it is recommended to look on the Internet to see which models are suitable. If necessary, you should prefer an active splitter.
Determining the frequency of the channels used for the correct choice of splitter Source lampa-ekb.ru
How to choose
First of all, it should be taken into account that the operating frequency of antenna splitters for digital television and satellite dishes is different. For the former it is limited to 1 GHz, for the latter it is 2.5 GHz. In addition, the satellite splitter may have a “Powerpass” function (allows you to supply power to the satellite dish head).
Note that a satellite splitter can also be used to split a digital or analog signal.
The second parameter that you should pay attention to is signal attenuation; as a rule, its value is indicated on the device body; the lower it is, the lower the losses.
It is also important who the manufacturer of the device is. Products from such well-known manufacturers as: Lans, Rexant, Premier, TAH, Luxmann, Alda, Hama, Sat, etc. will give an output signal an order of magnitude better than Chinese or homemade splitters.
Principle of operation
At first glance, it may seem that you can directly connect several output cables to an input cable. In fact, although this will work, it will make the signal so low quality that it will be impossible to watch.
The fact is that each cable has a certain characteristic impedance. They will be different for the input and output. If they are connected to another using twisting, then part of the signal will pass through it, and most of it will be reflected. The device is designed in such a way that the loss of quality during transmission is minimal. An active antenna TV splitter can completely compensate for the loss of signal quality.
Connecting two TVs to a TV divider Source paes250.ru
Do it yourself
It’s not difficult to make a splitter for analog television with your own hands; here are some simple diagrams of such a device.
Passive splitter with resistors.
Separator circuit for two and three devices
The figure shows two diagrams:
- a – for connecting two TVs (R1, R2, R3 = 25 Ohm);
- b – for connecting three TVs (R1, R2, R3, R4 = 36 Ohm).
Below is an example of a printed circuit board layout for circuit “b”.
Splitter board for three devices
The assembled device must be placed in a special case (any metal box will do for this), which should preferably be grounded. If the grounding is incorrect, interference in the form of snow may occur. Actually, it is better not to ground at all than to do it incorrectly.
If the image on the TV screen is double, you should put a ferrite ring on the coaxial cable between the splitter and the TV.
Active splitter circuit.
In cases where you have a low level of the incoming television signal, you can correct the situation using a divider that has a broadband frequency amplifier. The diagram of such a device is shown in the figure below.
Divider circuit with antenna amplifier
Parameters of the elements indicated in the diagram:
- R1-10 Ohm;
- R2, R4, R5 – 430 Ohm;
- R3 – 30 kOhm;
- R6 – 150 Ohm;
- R7 – 470 Ohm;
- R8-R10 – 43 Ohm;
- C1, C2, C4 – 150 pF;
- C3 – 0.01 µF;
- VT1 – VT2 – KT399A;
Choke L1 is a frameless coil wound with PEV-2 wire with a cross-section of 0.4 mm, the diameter of the coil is five millimeters, there are 4 or 5 turns.
You can use batteries to power the circuit, but it is better to take a power supply for this. In the latter case, the transformer may create interference, so it is advisable to place the power supply in a separate housing. That is why it is advisable to install the splitter in a wireless zone, that is, where there is no electrical wiring.
Note that the above antenna splitter circuits have proven themselves to be effective in dividing analog signals; as for satellite and digital television, it is better for them to buy a ready-made device than to make it yourself.
Making a connection
Please note the following when connecting cables:
- If the device has coaxial jacks, then you can connect any type of cable to them using regular antenna plugs.
- When threaded connections are present in the splitter, it is assumed. That the connection will be made using a thin cable.
- For screw terminals, any type of cable can be used.
In order to make a connection, you must perform the following steps:
- Secure the splitter using the chosen method. This can be done by mounting it on the wall, fixing it on the TV receiver mounts, in a special niche, or in a plastic box.
- The rivets must be removed from each splitter connector.
- Cables from TVs are connected to the corresponding sockets.
- Insert the antenna cable.
After this, you can start viewing available programs. After installation is complete, you need to check the image quality. If it is not high enough, it is recommended to use a more powerful antenna, or use an active TV divider.
How to connect
The instructions for connecting the splitter are quite simple:
- select a location and attach the divider to it;
- Next, you need to remove the plug from the antenna splitter (do this operation for each connector);
- use a coaxial cable (adapter) to connect the input to the TV and the jack;
- connect the television cable entering the apartment.
At this point the installation can be considered complete; installation takes no more than 10 minutes.
Using dividers in an apartment
It is necessary to pay attention to the location of devices inside the apartment. The installation rules depend on the connection structure. It can be equilibrium or nonequilibrium. It is convenient to illustrate this with the following example.
Splitter for connecting three TVs Source paes250.ru
The television signal enters the apartment via one cable. The receivers are at the same distance from him. In this case, you can use a simple divisor. Which will divide the input signal into several identical ones.
If the TVs are located at different distances from the input cable, the connections will have different lengths. Thus, the closest signal will be of the highest quality, and the most distant signal will be of the least quality. There is a nonequilibrium structure here.
Scheme for using TV splitters Source 220v.guru
In this case, a coupler is used that will split the signal into two, one of which is strong and the other relatively weak. The last one is for the nearest TV receiver, and the other is for the next coupler. This scheme will allow you to get maximum video and audio quality on all available devices. Splitters will allow you to redistribute the power of the input signal.
When using a splitter, you must choose a suitable location for it. It is important to keep the cable length to a minimum. When using three or more TVs, the signal is expected to become quite weak. This will allow you to watch analogue channels, but not digital ones.
Antenna divider for two inputs with plugs Source art-liga.rf
For the latter, high signal quality is critical. In this case, it is recommended to use an active splitter. It will enhance the input signal to the required extent. It should be taken into account that signal amplification can also be done immediately after the antenna.
The more outputs the divider has, the stronger the attenuation will be. Therefore, it is not recommended to purchase a device that has more sockets for connection than necessary. If there are only two TVs, it is not recommended to take the device for 3 or more television receivers. When using it, not only signal weakening can occur, but also image ghosting. The latter is due to the presence of empty connectors. To avoid this effect, a plug with a resistance of 75 Ohms is placed on the free connector, which simulates a connected load.
Connecting a TV splitter Source stroy-podskazka.ru
How to choose a signal splitter
As mentioned above, the splitter and splitter of the digital TV signal are selected, first of all, by operating frequency. With parameters up to 1000 MHz, they are unsuitable for satellite TV. And more expensive ones mean that the user will waste money. The second obvious parameter is the number of consumers. The splitter is selected according to the number of outputs corresponding to the number of TVs in the apartment.
The need to purchase an active divider is assessed based on the length of the cable network in the house . It will not be superfluous to take into account the antenna parameters. The criteria for choosing a splitter are quite simple.
- With an active antenna and a short length of lines, it makes no sense to spend money on a divider with an amplifier. All consumers will have sufficient signal level.
- An antenna with an amplifier and a significant length of lines also do not require the purchase of active splitters. But in extremely remote points of the cable network, the signal strength may be insufficient for a high-quality picture on some channels. In this case, it is cheaper to install a personal amplifier on such a consumer.
- A passive antenna with a short line length will force you to pay attention to the splitter parameters. If the receiving device provides an output signal level equal to or greater than the recommended input parameter of the divider, passive splitters can be installed. Otherwise, you will have to buy a more expensive active device.
Finally, with a passive antenna and long cable lines, you simply cannot do without an active signal divider. In this case, problems with the picture and search for individual channels are practically guaranteed for all consumers. However, the antenna and line combinations described above are too ideal to be encountered frequently in practice. Therefore, dividers must be selected paying attention to the physical structure of the cable network.
