Sometimes there are several TVs in an apartment. The incoming signal is distributed between them. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the highest possible quality of video and audio on each of them. To fully use a TV signal divider, you should understand the principles of its operation and understand how to choose it correctly.
Splitter for television cables Source tvdigitally.ru
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 make a TV crab from scrap material
You may have wondered and wondered what a metal box of candy is doing on a page about making your own TV crab.
Yes, this is indeed a box of lollipops, but they are no longer there, since a home-made television crab is made from it, its technical parameters are not inferior to any other industrially produced ones.
If you open the lid and look into the box, everything will immediately become clear. This is a homemade television crab, made according to the above electrical circuit diagram, but instead of connectors, the wire connections are made by soldering.
This design of the crab is completely justified; the television crab is a stationary device, it is installed once and in the future there is no need to change its installation location. And most importantly, such a TV crab can be made from any metal shoebox, sweets, or coffee. The size does not matter, the main thing is that the antenna cable mounting brackets and several radio elements fit.
To make a television crab, you need to make holes in the box at the bottom level for the television cable and in the bottom of the box for mounting brackets. If the walls of the box are thin, then it is better not to drill holes, but to push them through. First pierce it with an awl, then insert the tip of a small screwdriver into the resulting hole and press down while rotating. The hole will get larger. By changing the size of the tool, bring the diameter of the hole to the outer diameter of the television cable. The clamping strips can be made from any metal. The good thing about a pressed hole is that there are no sharp edges that can cut through the cable.
After preparing the box and clamping strips, you need to cut the television cable. It is very important not to cut the central core when removing the insulation. There is no need to remove the cable shielding, but wrap it in place with a strap.
Now you need to insert the prepared ends of the television cable into the holes of the box and secure them with clamping strips. Bend the stripped ends of the central core of the cable slightly upward.
All that remains is to mount the transformer and resistor, close the lid and the TV crab will be ready for use. If the box is of small depth, then you need to make sure that the exposed parts of the parts and the central core of the cable do not come into contact with the cover.
If it is not possible to get a ferrite ring to make a transformer for a television crab, then instead of it a splitter can be made using resistors according to the electrical circuit diagram below.
All resistors of the splitter have the same resistance, which, depending on the number of televisions connected to the antenna wire, is calculated using the given formula.
For example, to connect three TVs to a TV crab, the resistance value R will be equal to 75 Ohms × (3−1)/(3+1)=37.5 Ohms. From the standard series, the resistor with the closest nominal value is 36 Ohm, and that’s what you should take.
Below is an online calculator with which you can calculate the value of resistors for a crab, depending on the number of planned televisions or other television signal receivers for connection.
| Online calculator for calculating the value of crab resistors | |
| Enter TV quantity: | |
The resistor value for making crab is taken from the standard range closest to the calculated one.
The most reliable type of connection of radio components is, of course, soldering. But if it is not possible to perform the connection work in a television crab by soldering, then you can get by by twisting the leads.
For reliable contact, it is enough to tightly wrap the resistor terminal with three to five turns around the central core of the television cable. The contact will not be as reliable as with soldering, but it will be quite sufficient for stable operation of the TV crab.
You can also use a plastic box as a body for a homemade crab if you cover its body and lid from the inside with staniol (aluminum) foil. A prerequisite for this is to ensure electrical contact between the foil of the housing and the cover and with the shielding braids of the television cables.
For reliable contact of the braids, before clamping them with clamping strips, you need to wind several turns of a piece of any copper wire onto each one.
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
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
When the image is no longer satisfactory
It happens that after introducing a splitter, the image quality on several TVs deteriorates. Some people get out of this situation by connecting a Polish antenna with an amplifier. And the second solution to the problem is to purchase a television splitter with an amplifier. The last method is good if before this the TV showed without any complaints and, in fact, there were no complaints about the antenna.
But a TV technician can give you more precise advice in this situation. It has devices for measuring signal strength. This is important to do because the image may also be distorted if there is too much signal in the background.
There are 3 ways to implement additional devices that increase signal strength:
- At high load transfer rates of the splitter, you can use one intermediate amplifier at the input to the splitter.
- If overload is likely, it is better to give preference to separate amplifiers at each output. And it is set independently at each output.
- Combined reinforcement. One is placed at the entrance and additional separate ones at the exits.
Splitters are widely popular devices these days. If there is more than one TV in the house, then you cannot do without such a device. Some craftsmen make such devices themselves. Someone, wanting to save money, buys Chinese splitters. But the safest thing to do is buy this item from a trusted manufacturer, and use the services of a teleworker for installation.
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.
Price overview
As an example, we chose the Luxmann SP-202 splitter, which allows you to connect two TVs to one antenna cable.
| City | Cost (USD) | City | Cost (USD) |
| Ekaterinburg | 4 | Penza | 4,2 |
| Krasnoyarsk | 4,1 | Minsk | 4,1 |
| Moscow | 3,8 | SPb (Petersburg) | 3,85 |
As can be seen from the table, the price of an antenna splitter in Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Minsk and other cities does not vary much. How economically profitable it is to make it yourself or buy it is up to you to decide.
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 avoid a drop in signal level when installing a splitter
With a high-quality antenna and two TVs in the apartment, the user may not notice any problems after installing a simple splitter. However, in a large house there will definitely be network points where the drop in signal level at dividers and splitters will be excessive. There are several ways to avoid problems.
- Installation of passive signal amplifiers. They are mounted in front of the consumer and do not require power. The devices compensate for wave losses in the cable and are indicated when there are reception problems only on certain channels.
- The use of active amplifiers. They are also installed in front of the TV. Devices of this class produce an increase in signal level and are indicated in situations where the picture freezes on all channels, the required 20 digital broadcasts are not detected when searching, and other serious problems arise.
It is always worth remembering one thing: the more splitters, splitters, signal amplifiers in the network, the higher the distortion will be . To optimize the level of losses, it is highly recommended to reduce the length of lines, use a minimum number of switching points with F-connectors, and lay the cable away from 220V power wiring and other sources of interference.
