How to split cable?

[Dougryan]

Hi,
Well, this may be way off topic, but I figured I'd ask anyway. Hope someone can help.

In the past (since cable TV was installed in my area back in the 80's) I have been able to use coaxial cable splitters to feed multiple TVs from one main cable. As long as the TV is 'cable ready' I could attach the coax and start watching.

About 4 years ago I moved and decided to go with Dish TV. This could be a real option for the Rural Living forum, right?
Anyway, with Dish I was able to run two TVs from one 'receiver box'. I don't recall the exact technology, but for some reason I recall understanding that each TV needed it's own 'receiver' and that each receiver box really had two receivers inside.

So the coaxial cable comes in from the dish, goes to the receiver box then 1 HDMI cable goes to one TV and 1 coaxial cable goes from the receiver box to a second TV.
HD on the TV with the HDMI cable and Standard Definition on the TV being fed by the coax. No problem.

I'm now thinking about switching to a regular cable TV provider and am wondering if I can just split the cable like I always did. I'd like to add a third TV, but don't really want to have more special receivers and the monthly fees associated with each.

Thanks in advance,
Doug

 

[dickfoster]

Hi,
Well, this may be way off topic, but I figured I'd ask anyway. Hope someone can help.

In the past (since cable TV was installed in my area back in the 80's) I have been able to use coaxial cable splitters to feed multiple TVs from one main cable. As long as the TV is 'cable ready' I could attach the coax and start watching.

About 4 years ago I moved and decided to go with Dish TV. This could be a real option for the Rural Living forum, right?
Anyway, with Dish I was able to run two TVs from one 'receiver box'. I don't recall the exact technology, but for some reason I recall understanding that each TV needed it's own 'receiver' and that each receiver box really had two receivers inside.

So the coaxial cable comes in from the dish, goes to the receiver box then 1 HDMI cable goes to one TV and 1 coaxial cable goes from the receiver box to a second TV.
HD on the TV with the HDMI cable and Standard Definition on the TV being fed by the coax. No problem.

I'm now thinking about switching to a regular cable TV provider and am wondering if I can just split the cable like I always did. I'd like to add a third TV, but don't really want to have more special receivers and the monthly fees associated with each.

Thanks in advance,
Doug

Seems to me with cable ready sets you can just use splitters and you're done as before.

I have Dish now with three TVs and a hopper which is a set top box and DVD unit. The other two TV's have what they call a sling that is controlled by the Hopper via WiFi. The antenna has three receivers that any of the TV's can use as needed. Since there are only two of us there is rarely a problem unless the Hopper is recording one thing and we each want to watch something else and record something different at the same time.

 

[George2615]

Most cable companies have gone all digital. I have cable that was split into 2 lines with a splitter. 1 line to the DVR Cable box in living room and one line directly to a TV in another. All was fine until they went digital. The TV in room 2 lost all channels. Only way to get TV in room 2 is to pay cable company extra for a digital converter box for each additional TV. Cable bill is high enough with all the fees they charge. I bought an over the air TV antenna for room 2 for about $40 and installed it on a pole on the attached garage roof. Room 2 now gets 36 channels over the air. Those TV transmitters range from 20 miles to 70 miles away and come in crystal clear.

 

[joefromga]

Just call dosh and upgrade to Hopper and a Joey. That gives you 3 dvr tuners and TV in another room. You can add more if you need them. It's better than cable in my opinion with a better to use guide and easier to read and work with. You can also watch from your phone at another location if you want that ability.