Home Automation - RG-6 Whole House Splitter

I am remodeling my house and running RG-6 throughout the house for cable TV and cable modem access. I planned to have 6 runs for cable tv from various rooms and 1 run for my cable modem. I had planned on running them all back to a central location and then connecting them through some device (such as a splitter) to the line coming into the house. My question is is what device should I be using to interconnect them all ensuring no signal loss? I have never seen a 1 to 7 splitter before and even if I did I would think using such as device would cause signal loss.

You are correct that splitting the cable signal too much will cause discernable signal loss. As I understand it, more than three splits from a main line will require an amplifier. I don't have any data on this, but your cable company can tell you how to determine how much amplification and how much splitting you can tolerate. Some of this may depend upon how much signal you currently have.

If the one amplifier for more than three splits applies, then you may need two amplifiers.

Running your drops from a central point will give you something easier to manage and control than splitting in various places under the house or in the attic.

You will want to make sure that the run to the cable modem has the best signal. It tolerates static and poor signal quality less than a television does.

There are 1:8 splitters (usually with built in amps). There is no such thing as a splitter that causes no loss - it's an electrical impossibility.

Make sure that whatever splitters you use are rated for at least a GHz of bandwidth and are bidirectional - otherwise your cable modem won't work (nor will digital cable).

You may want to consider a high quality splitter for the cable modem, and then a separate splitter/amp for the regular cable lines - that way you ensure minimal signal loss to the cable modem and reduce the potential for problems. This is how I wired my house when I had a cable modem (and is similar to how it's wired now for DSL).

bjboudre,

One other thing. Not all RG6 cable is the same. Get high performance rg6 that is rated for digital cable.

fred

If it is all labeld RG6 how do you tell what RG6 is beter than the other?

The box or cable itself should quote " Fully swept tested to 2.4 Gigahertz" Up to 2200 mhz would also be ok.

fred

I have looked at RG6 at a alot of different places and have never seen any rated that high. Does anyone know where I can get some of thi stuff?

I have 24 runs of RG6 throughout my house, though only 8 are active. I actually got our local cable company (Charter) to supply a 12 way splitter and signal amplifier. You may want to try the same thing.

Dan

dlubin - your local cable company may supply the correct cable at no or little cost. It saves them service calls in the long run !

You may also want to consider running multiple cables to the same outlet. Then, you can use one cable for "IN"to room" and the other for "OUT" from room. So, for example, if you had a DVD in one room, you could watch it in another room. I even ran a third cable that I use for as an FM antenna for my receiver in one room and my clock radio in another. I have an antenna in my attic that has a cable going to my central cable area.