How Does a Cable TV Splitter Work? Basic Guidelines Before You Use It
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A cable splitter
is precisely what the name suggests – it is a device that
splits the signal using cables! It is an excellent choice
when you aspire to buy a new set and would like to access
cable on your old television and new television without
having to buy a new subscription altogether.
Table of Contents
What Does a Cable Splitter Do?
When you have more than one television set at home, a cable splitter can come in handy. You can split the signal into many outlets, and everyone at home can watch TV on different sets. Apart from Televisions, you can also use a cable splitter to split the signals among multiple devices without compromising the signal’s quality.
To choose a suitable cable splitter, one should know the number of devices you will be connecting it to as there are options of getting 2-way, 3-way, and all the way up to 16-way cable splitters. So depending upon your preferences and devices, you can invest in the cable splitters that serve your purpose.
How Does a Cable TV Splitter Work?
Now that we know that the cable splitter is convenient, let’s see how it works:
- It comes with an input into which the signal enters
- It will have two or more output ports through which the signal exits. You will know the amount of signal to come out of a port by reading the number mentioned on that particular port. You must know this because this helps you determine whether you are getting the strongest signal for your requirements
Never compromise on the number of outlets or output ports in a cable splitter. This is one of the key reasons behind the signal loss.
What are the Common Types of Cable Splitters?
To get the best out of your splitter, you must use the one that’s suited for you, and to do so, you must learn about the different types of splitters available in the market today:
- Balanced cable splitters: These splitters have an even number of output ports, and the strength is balanced among these ports. They all suffer the same amount of signal loss.
- Unbalanced cable splitters: These splitters have an odd number of output ports, and the strength is unbalanced. A few ports may suffer more signal loss than the rest.
- Resistor cable splitters: Resistor splitters divide only 50% of the signal among the output ports. The remaining 50% is lost. That’s why, even though these are cheap, we advise against buying them.
- Transformer cable splitters: These splitters work to divide the signal equally among the ports.
- High and low-frequency splitters: Digital cable signals use a 5-1000 MHz band. Satellite TV signals use a 2-2300 MHz band. High-frequency splitters can be used for almost all cable TV signals because their range is pretty extensive. However, you cannot use low-frequency splitters for satellites since their range does not cover it.
Now, one thing that you must remember and be careful about is that cable TV splitters are different from satellite TV splitters. Using one for the other may cause more signal loss and reduce the strength drastically. This will affect picture quality. To help you get the best cable splitters for your TV, here are our top picks:
Top 3 Best Cable TV Splitter
1. Extreme 3 Way Coax Cable Splitter
A budget-friendly 3-way splitter from Extreme, praised for solid performance with TV, broadband, and similar connections.
Key Features and Specifications
- 1
Universal mounting supports horizontal or vertical install in most locations.
- 2
No extra hardware or screws required for mounting.
- 3
Sealed F-ports make it suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
- 4
Built with SMD PCB component insertion tech for improved electrical and mechanical performance.
2. Antronix CMC2003H-A 3-Way Horizontal Splitter
A premium quality digital splitter built for durability and efficiency, designed for two-way broadband networks with low intermodulation and 40dB port-to-port return band isolation to prevent signal distortion.
Key Features and Specifications
- 1
Coupled F-ports block AC surges and prevent hum modulation.
- 2
6 kV ring wave surge protected.
- 3
Compatible with Comcast, Xfinity, RCN, Optimum, Wow, COX, Spectrum, and other providers.
- 4
Flat 1002 MHz Bandwidth with minimal insertion loss.
- 5
Employs high 'Q' surface mount technology components for consistent long-term performance.
- 6
Ports are SCTE compliant with 1-inch spacing.
3. Antop 3 Way TV Signal Splitter
A stylish, well-shielded 3-way splitter from ANTOP that cleanly splits cable, antenna, or satellite signals to three destinations with solid performance.
Key Features and Specifications
- 1
Low insertion loss and high return loss for cleaner signals.
- 2
Corrosion-resistant build for maximum signal transfer.
- 3
Precision zinc die-cast body with 18K gold‑plated chassis for enhanced performance.
- 4
Wide 5–2050 MHz frequency range; compatible with all digital‑ready RF signals.
- 5
High shielding structure reduces digital noise and improves signal quality.
Concluding Remarks
We hope this guide helps you get a clear understanding of cable TV splitters and its functions so that you know which one to pick. Make sure to follow a guide while installing cable splitters as it can make your work easy and quick. We would love to hear your comments about our suggestions, let us know in the comment section below.About the author
Written by
Robert Mills
My name is Robert Mills. If you want a high-speed internet or cable TV connection in your multiple devices like monitors, TVs, media players, consoles, etc. from a single coaxial signal, then you can get it done with the help of a coax splitter.
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