Newbie Q - Combining RF outputs

B

Bugsy

Guest
Apols if you think this is the wrong NG for this - seemed a logical choice
to me!

I have a number of Set Top Boxes (Sky,DVD,DTV etc) and I want to pipe the
output from these around the house.

I already have a distribution system which allows me to pipe SKYaround the
house (and feed back remote control signals from other rooms to the stack of
STB's)

I can feed the dvd output from the main room to the other rooms using RF.

However, the more devices I want to distribute using RF the more loss there
is when they are daisy chained. My question is this. Is there a device which
allows me to combine outputs from RF devices (4 or 5 of them) so that they
are effectively in paralell? I guess it's the reverse of an RF
amplifier/splitter.

Additionally, I would like the device to allow + 10V through as this is used
by the TV Link in some of the rooms.

Sorry if the question seems a bit combersome!

Thanks,

Dave
 
"Bugsy" <dont.spam.me@btopenworld.commy> wrote in message
news:bsubml$8kh$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
Apols if you think this is the wrong NG for this - seemed a logical choice
to me!

I have a number of Set Top Boxes (Sky,DVD,DTV etc) and I want to pipe the
output from these around the house.

I already have a distribution system which allows me to pipe SKYaround the
house (and feed back remote control signals from other rooms to the stack
of
STB's)

I can feed the dvd output from the main room to the other rooms using RF.

However, the more devices I want to distribute using RF the more loss
there
is when they are daisy chained. My question is this. Is there a device
which
allows me to combine outputs from RF devices (4 or 5 of them) so that they
are effectively in paralell? I guess it's the reverse of an RF
amplifier/splitter.

Additionally, I would like the device to allow + 10V through as this is
used
by the TV Link in some of the rooms.
Click to expand...
Careful choice of UHF channels and more importantly good quality coax and
tight coax plugs and you should not have problems with loss of signal until
you get more than 5 serial items in your chain. There is no easier way to do
it. Anything else involves multiple wires or really fancy hardware at the
sending end to only put on 1 UHF channel the thing you want to watch.
 
In article <bsubml$8kh$1@sparta.btinternet.com>,
dont.spam.me@btopenworld.commy mentioned...
Apols if you think this is the wrong NG for this - seemed a logical choice
to me!

I have a number of Set Top Boxes (Sky,DVD,DTV etc) and I want to pipe the
output from these around the house.

I already have a distribution system which allows me to pipe SKYaround the
house (and feed back remote control signals from other rooms to the stack of
STB's)

I can feed the dvd output from the main room to the other rooms using RF.

However, the more devices I want to distribute using RF the more loss there
is when they are daisy chained. My question is this. Is there a device which
allows me to combine outputs from RF devices (4 or 5 of them) so that they
are effectively in paralell? I guess it's the reverse of an RF
amplifier/splitter.
Click to expand...
Some splitters are symmetrical, i.e. they can be used as combiners.
I've seen really cheap splitters that use just resistors, but most of
the ones lately use baluns to split. These balun types should work as
combiners. But I don't know how much of the signals from the other
three feed back into each source. The nice thing about this, tho, is
that it's inexpensive to buy a four way splitter and try it out. You
might even find one along with some coax pigtails for a dollar or two
at a garage sale or a thrift shop.

Additionally, I would like the device to allow + 10V through as this is used
by the TV Link in some of the rooms.
Click to expand...
That's probasly not going to happen, because there may be blocking
capacitors inside the splitters, or worse, the spltter is a DC short
across each of the coaxes.

Sorry if the question seems a bit combersome!

Thanks,

Dave
Click to expand...

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Maybe something from this page will help you out... They are a bit spendy
but I've installed them in several homes with great success. Notice the
3x8 Bi-directional video module. You could essential use 6 source using 3
combiners into the 3 video inputs and have them all amplified.

http://www.broadbandutopia.com/levaudvidmod.html

If you don't want to spend that much here is something I learned not long
ago. Apparently you need to balance the signal inputs to your
splitter/combiners. If you are lucky enough to have your STB or
modulators say what level dB signal they are outputing, try inserting an
attenuator or two inline before the combiner. Say a 3dB or a 6dB. They
can be found here...

http://www.hometech.com/video/atten.html

As far as sending 10V over coax... a lead you can chase is this link...
http://www.electroline.com/en/products/drop_amplifiers/eda/index.html. I
have the EDA 2100 and the output says "OUT+PWR+15Db". Power is 15VDC.
Maybe, just maybe, your unit could handle that. But I'd look for
something else first.






On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 11:25:09 +0000 (UTC), Bugsy
<dont.spam.me@btopenworld.commy> wrote:

Apols if you think this is the wrong NG for this - seemed a logical
choice
to me!

I have a number of Set Top Boxes (Sky,DVD,DTV etc) and I want to pipe the
output from these around the house.

I already have a distribution system which allows me to pipe SKYaround
the
house (and feed back remote control signals from other rooms to the
stack of
STB's)

I can feed the dvd output from the main room to the other rooms using RF.

However, the more devices I want to distribute using RF the more loss
there
is when they are daisy chained. My question is this. Is there a device
which
allows me to combine outputs from RF devices (4 or 5 of them) so that
they
are effectively in paralell? I guess it's the reverse of an RF
amplifier/splitter.

Additionally, I would like the device to allow + 10V through as this is
used
by the TV Link in some of the rooms.

Sorry if the question seems a bit combersome!

Thanks,

Dave
Click to expand...
 
My thanks for your comprehensive reply. Maybe when I have sobered up (from
new year) it will make more sense!

Thanks again,

Dave

"Amos K" <abk131@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:eek:pr025wsg6djs71l@netnews.comcast.net...
Maybe something from this page will help you out... They are a bit spendy
but I've installed them in several homes with great success. Notice the
3x8 Bi-directional video module. You could essential use 6 source using 3
combiners into the 3 video inputs and have them all amplified.

http://www.broadbandutopia.com/levaudvidmod.html

If you don't want to spend that much here is something I learned not long
ago. Apparently you need to balance the signal inputs to your
splitter/combiners. If you are lucky enough to have your STB or
modulators say what level dB signal they are outputing, try inserting an
attenuator or two inline before the combiner. Say a 3dB or a 6dB. They
can be found here...

http://www.hometech.com/video/atten.html

As far as sending 10V over coax... a lead you can chase is this link...
http://www.electroline.com/en/products/drop_amplifiers/eda/index.html. I
have the EDA 2100 and the output says "OUT+PWR+15Db". Power is 15VDC.
Maybe, just maybe, your unit could handle that. But I'd look for
something else first.






On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 11:25:09 +0000 (UTC), Bugsy
dont.spam.me@btopenworld.commy> wrote:

Apols if you think this is the wrong NG for this - seemed a logical
choice
to me!

I have a number of Set Top Boxes (Sky,DVD,DTV etc) and I want to pipe
the
output from these around the house.

I already have a distribution system which allows me to pipe SKYaround
the
house (and feed back remote control signals from other rooms to the
stack of
STB's)

I can feed the dvd output from the main room to the other rooms using
RF.

However, the more devices I want to distribute using RF the more loss
there
is when they are daisy chained. My question is this. Is there a device
which
allows me to combine outputs from RF devices (4 or 5 of them) so that
they
are effectively in paralell? I guess it's the reverse of an RF
amplifier/splitter.

Additionally, I would like the device to allow + 10V through as this is
used
by the TV Link in some of the rooms.

Sorry if the question seems a bit combersome!

Thanks,

Dave
Click to expand...
 
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