Making a good connection- splitting aerial 3 ways

[Mart74]

Hi Guys

I've just spent a while searching but can't seem to find what I am after so thought I'd make my first post!!

I've just put a TV into a bedroom at home and am having problems with the ariel connections. I've run some ariel cable up into the loft and cut the main ariel cable that feeds our downstairs TV. Ive then put this into a 3 way splitter and taken the new ariel plus the old on off of this. The problem is now the digital signal is not as good as before. I can only assume it's because of this 3 way connection. I've checked the joins and they seem ok but I'm wondering if the connecting box and fittings I used are a bit crap (bought from homebase).
Has anyone got any ideas?

Applogies if this in the wrong section

 

[Robbo]

A splitter will always add attenuation.

Having long cables will also add attenuation.

I'm not convinced you have the best routing either, don't make the route unecessarily long and you may get away without an amplified splitter.

 

[Mart74]

A splitter will always add attenuation.

Having long cables will also add attenuation.

I'm not convinced you have the best routing either, don't make the route unecessarily long and you may get away without an amplified splitter.

Thanks for the reply.

The main TV signal has always been good so I assume the cable routing is ok for that. The problems have only started since I've added the splitter. I was hoping I'd be able to buy a higher quality splitter and connectors?

 

[Robbo]

All splitters, independent of quality, attenuate.

I don't do much terrestrial stuff, mainly satellite, so I only use satellite cable and F-connectors with F to aerial plug adpaters whatever. This will ensure that you get good connections at least.

I'll let one of the Terrrestrial installers advice you on what amp/splitter you need, as I don't have the foggiest.

 

[acezon]

is it a amplified splitter or just a 3 way connection, I think that you ill need to change the connection to an amplified one,

also if u un plug the the added tv does the picture downstairs sat poor, alos as mentioned before your connectors could not be perfect, what happens if you take out the 3 way spliter and jus connect the old cable back to the original tv?

 

[kenny1234]

Its hard to say what to use without knowing what your existing signal was before you connected the other rooms, you could try a variable mast head amp in the loft split by a powerpass 3 way f connector splitter, put a power supply in one of the rooms to power up the system, this is prob cheapest and easiest way as then you dont need a plug socket in the loft.

Good quality cable will lose about 0.2db a mtr, 3 way splitter(power pass) will lose around 4db so by using the amp to increase the signals it will compensate for the splitter and extra points.

Just rem too much signal is as bad as not enough so dont turn it up full lol if your existing aerial was good maybe 10-15db should do it providing cables are all good quality

 

[Mart74]

is it a amplified splitter or just a 3 way connection, I think that you ill need to change the connection to an amplified one,

It's just a splitter with no amp at the moment. I'll try taking the new tv out and just connect the old tv back to the ariel via the new plugs and see what happens.
If it's still poor the I'll look into getting an amp splitter for the loft, then I'll have to worry about geting power up there too!!

 

[acezon]

if its still poor when yuo take out the tv it proberly means you have a bad connection on one of your connectors

 

[Mart74]

I checked last night but both TV's had good reception without me touching anything. I think that's due to the weather being ok, especially dry which seems to make the difference. I'll do the tests when the pictures starts to deteriorate.