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Splitters

I have a problem maybe someone can help me with. I added 2 TV's last week. Now I have 4. The splitter Verizon originally gave me only supports 3 TV's so I need a new one. I tried using my splitter that I had with my satellite hookup, which says 40-2500 MGHZ, which is better than the verizon one. However, with that splitter I don't get access to DVR or On Demand. The splitter seems to not be strong enough for the signal? Is there something I'm missing? Is a digital splitter not compatible for FIOS?

What kind of splitter do I need exactly? I'm having trouble finding a splitter for 5 or more TV's. Originally, I picked up another 3 TV splitter and thought I could jump off of one splitter to another, but didn't work. Any thoughts?

Comments

TimSykes

You would need the same rated one as verizon put in. I beleve they are 1000

kcas72

They gave me one that says 5-1000 MGHZ. the one I tried was 40-2500. So are you saying it needs to be exact? I thought going for larger rated one would be fine also.

TimSykes

The fios system does not like when there is to much or to little power going into the system. I don't know the specifics on how much it will take. But I do know if there is to much or to little the system will not work correctly. I am sure someone will chime it with the specifics.

Message Edited by TimSykes on 11-24-2008 08:05 AM

Telcoguru

You need a splitter that supports 2-way traffic. The STB uses MOCA for communication between the router and STBs. Get a 4-way splitter rated 5-1000Mhz that supports 2-way traffic. PDI and Antronix are the two off the top of my head.

CRobGauth

Here's a link to a good discussion on splitters on FIOS:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21170238?hilite=splitter

CapnTrips

@kcas72 wrote:
They gave me one that says 5-1000 MGHZ. the one I tried was 40-2500. So are you saying it needs to be exact? I thought going for larger rated one would be fine also.

You have a misconception. 40-2500 is not "larger" or "better" than 5-1000. It is a different frequency range. FIOS uses splitters that cover the frequency range from 5 MHz to 1000 MHz. It makes no difference that your splitter goes ABOVE 1000 MHz, since FIOS does not use the bandwidth between 1000 and 2500 MHz. That higher top end doesn't hurt, but it does nothing to help. On the other hand, if the splitter you installed does not go down to 5 MHz, but cuts off at 40 MHz, then you are cutting off a signirficant portion of the bandwidth that FIOS MAY use, between 5 MHz and 40 MHz (I don't know if that frequency band is or is not ACTUALLY used, but why reduce your bandwidth in a region that their equipment presumably provides for?). So you are best off using a splitter that has the same rating, but if it's different, the low number should be equal to or LESS than 5 MHz, and the high number must be equal to or GREATER than 1000 MHz. In the best circumstance, it should make no difference but should certainly not provide any IMPROVEMENT.

As to cascading splitters, there was an earlier discussion. There is no such thing as a true 3-way splitter, just multiple 2-way splits. The three-way splitter is not really a three-way splitter. It's a 2-way splitter with one of the two streams immediately (internally) split again for three outputs. If you look closely at the 3-way splitter, you will see that ONE output has 3.5 db attenuation, while the other two have 7.0 db attenuation. If the line you contemplate splitting is the one that has only been attenuated by 3 db, then you can install a 2-way splitter anywhere in that path. If on the other hand you put another splitter on one of the lines that are already reduced by 7.0 db, you're really suffering a lot of signal loss (10.5 db which is about 90%). You can replace the 3-way with a 4-way, and each output will be attenutaed by 7.0 dB.

EDIT: First paragraph edited to address the comment in the next post.

Message Edited by CapnTrips on 11-25-2008 04:44 PM

Keyboards

@CapnTrips wrote:
.... On the other hand, if the splitter you installed does not go down to 5 MHz, but cuts off at 40 MHz, then you are cutting off a signirficant portion of the bandwidth that FIOS DOES use, between 5 MHz and 40 MHz. So you are best off using a splitter that has the same rating, but if it's different, the low number must be equal to or LESS than 5 MHz, and the high number must be equal to or GREATER than 1000 MHz.

Please explain to me what frequency Verizon uses below 40 MHz. Cable companies use it for modem return path, but Verizon doesn't use anything below RF channel 2 (54 MHz - IIRC their OOB is around 70 MHz) and all the MoCA is above the video band (> 870 MHz).

Message Edited by Keyboards on 11-25-2008 04:09 PM

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