# Splitting a HDTV signal to 3 TVs (from a ViP722)



## smcjb (Mar 30, 2008)

I currently have a ViP622 that powers a Sony 50" SXRD on TV1 and for the longest time I had an old tube on TV2. I recently replaced that with a Sony 37" Bravia and have been extremely disappointed in the quality of the analog picture on a HDTV.

I'm about to move to a bigger house where I will be adding another large screen HDTV and upgrading to the ViP722. My goal is to i) be able to watch HDTV content on all three TVs and ii) be able to watch recorded events on all three TVs. Unfortunately two of the TVs are a fair distance from where the ViP722 will be located.

My plan was to split both the TV1/HD signal and TV2/Analog signal into three and run one to each TV. (I do realize that I would still only be able to watch one HD and one analog channel at a time). I would then use the input selector to switch between the HD and Analog input.

So do I split the HDMI signal or the Component Cable? With HDMI I would need to get a 1x3 HDMI powered splitter and run HDMI cable. I was intially concerned about distance but Blue Jeans Cable has 100 feet HDMI cable which they claim to have tested sufficiently. This was the route I was planning on taking until I read about all the ViP622/722 HDMI issues. I don't want to spend all this money only to have continued HDMI issues be they reciever hardware/software or TV related. So that leaves me to splitting Component Cable with an A/V amp. As far as I can tell this is slightly cheaper, less likely to be effected by longer distances and potentially less problematic.

Questions I have
i) Am I completely missing something or is their a big reason to use HDMI over Component?
ii) Would I need an A/V amp for the Digital Audio as well?
iii) Any A/V amp recommendations? (I found several for HDMI splitters)
iv) I understand the UHF remote only controls TV2 but that if I switch to single TV mode the UHF will now work and I will be able to change the TV1 HD output using the UHF remote? If so can I switch to single TV mode using the UHF remote?
v) Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks in Advance,


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

i) This has been argued, some see no difference while others are split between the two as far as which has better pq.
ii) Audio is carried along with the picture on an HDMI, on Component audio lines would have to be run as well. So you should not need that if you run HDMI, not sure what you would need if you run Component.
iii) I am not familiar with a/v amps, I'm sure someone will chime in with recommendations.
iv) Only switch is on front panel of the receiver, there is no way to switch using the remotes.


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

Hi there

this is not the cheapest way to do it... But it is what I did and it works reall well

get this for each tv
http://www.smarthome.com/7829da2.html

if you are doin analog audio, you will need one of these for each tv
http://www.smarthome.com/7829sa2.html

Get this to split the source 
http://www.smarthome.com/8145h.html
Run cat 5 to all locations that you need the HD signal to...

Plug the cat 5 into the balun's and hook up to the spliter & tv's. real easy to do and works great.

All of my 4 722's set in a media rack in the basment office. I then cat 5 to all 7 of the tv's in the house.

It makes for a real clean install.

Here's a picture of the media rack as I was installing the Dish 722's. At the time of this picture I only got 2 of installed
http://www.buyastrostuff.com/ftp/Rays/tv/P3260123.jpg
http://www.buyastrostuff.com/ftp/Rays/tv/P3260124.JPG

You can also do this for HDMI also, but it is way mor expensive...

Anyway.. One way to do it....

Ray Cooper


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

grcooperjr said:


> Hi there
> 
> this is not the cheapest way to do it... But it is what I did and it works reall well
> 
> ...


You are such a geek! And, yes I'm jealous as Hell.  
Very impressive.


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

TulsaOK said:


> You are such a geek! And, yes I'm jealous as Hell.
> Very impressive.


Hey.... What can I say.....

One of my past life-past times was to put together media systems & home automation systems. It allowed me to play with all sorts of cool stuff. But in my current job, not much time left for any other side projects....

Ray Cooper


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

iii) If you're using HDMI, know that receivers that have "HDMI switching" or "HDMI pass-through" do not process the sound carried over HDMI.


----------



## smcjb (Mar 30, 2008)

Thanks grcooperjr



grcooperjr said:


> get this for each tv www~smarthome~com/7829da2.html
> 
> if you are doin analog audio, you will need one of these for each tv
> www~smarthome~com/7829sa2.html


I assume I could also use www~smarthome~com/59808.html. 
All of these products all have only 1 audio jack. Don't you actually need 2, left and right?



grcooperjr said:


> All of my 4 722's set in a media rack in the basment office.


How do you control the 722's then or are they all set to single TV mode?

Sorry about the ~s in the URLs. Site won't allow new members to post URLs.


----------



## smcjb (Mar 30, 2008)

BobaBird said:


> iii) If you're using HDMI, know that receivers that have "HDMI switching" or "HDMI pass-through" do not process the sound carried over HDMI.


Thats good to know BobaBird, and another reason not to go the HDMI route.
Thanks.


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

smcjb said:


> Thanks grcooperjr
> 
> I assume I could also use www~smarthome~com/59808.html.
> All of these products all have only 1 audio jack. Don't you actually need 2, left and right?


 Well... It depends on the TV. All but one of my tvs have a digital audio in. the one that doesnt i have to use a analog balun. As far as the link you provided, That'l work to... Here is the link to the stero balun that I use on the one that does not have digital audio input. http://www.smarthome.com/7829sa2.html



smcjb said:


> How do you control the 722's then or are they all set to single TV mode?
> 
> Sorry about the ~s in the URLs. Site won't allow new members to post URLs.


They are all in single mode & I use a combo of IR and UHF remotes to control at the moment. (eliminates the fighting)Eventually I'll have my 7 HD dvr's (722"s)back on line like I did on DTV(hr10-250) But I cant afford to do it all at once.:lol:


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

Hi Again

Here is a link to Intelix's site. It has a complete listing of all of their structured wiring stuff..
http://www.intelix.com/products/balun_rack.htm

Ray Cooper


----------



## sam fisher (Mar 31, 2008)

grcooperjr said:


> Hi there
> 
> this is not the cheapest way to do it... But it is what I did and it works reall well
> 
> ...


You, sir, are my hero! When I get the tax rebate, i may have to get more details about how you set this up! I assume the 2 computers are media servers?


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

sam fisher said:


> You, sir, are my hero! When I get the tax rebate, i may have to get more details about how you set this up! I assume the 2 computers are media servers?


I dont know about the HERO part..... Just glad you like it... Hope it helps you out a bit... Anyway.... There is actually 7 computers in the rack. 1 is my e business server, 2 are DNS servers to suport my domains. 2 are mail servers to support my domains and 1 is my weather station server and lastly a media server. As you can see.... I got way to much time on my hands.

Now the real pastime/hobbie is this stuff .......and of course it goes along with this
And the end result is to get pictures like this

Just not enough time in the day:lol:


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

smcjb said:


> Thats good to know BobaBird, and another reason not to go the HDMI route.


I didn't mean to imply you should stay away from HDMI, only that if you want the full benefit of audio and video on a single wire, or the new full-resolution surround formats without adding 5.1 cables, you will need to move up the A/V receiver model line to find a unit that adds HDMI 1.3a sound processing to the usual video switching. As examples, that eliminates the regular Pioneer line (you have to move up to Elite), Yamaha HTR series, Onkyo below the 605, etc.


----------



## concord704 (Feb 19, 2006)

Great devices. An installer I know did this when he built his new house. Only concern he had was the switching on of HDCP and reducing HD to 480p/i on component. He'll need to replace the component ones with HDMI (optical) ones if it happens...


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

concord704 said:


> Great devices. An installer I know did this when he built his new house. Only concern he had was the switching on of HDCP and reducing HD to 480p/i on component. He'll need to replace the component ones with HDMI (optical) ones if it happens...


There's a lot of cool stuff out there. Fiber is the way to go if cost is not a issue. One fiber line can do a lot of stuff

On the 480p/i. All of my stuff is in 1080i on component and works well. I was going to do HDMI to start but i ran into issues on some of the tv's (Older stuff) so I changed to component. Fixed all of the problems. It still requires the same cabling either way if you are using analog audio.

HDMI for the most part has stabilized and the various Mfg's all seem to play by the same rules now. It sure wasn't that way when HDMI 1st hit the street. Everyone seemed to have their interpretation of the standards. What a mess it was.


----------



## geoff (Jan 3, 2004)

grcooperjr said:


> Hi there
> get this for each tv
> http://www.smarthome.com/7829da2.html
> 
> ...


Quick question...how do you select which receiver you are viewing?

Beautiful set up by the way...

Geoff


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

geoff said:


> Quick question...how do you select which receiver you are viewing?
> 
> Beautiful set up by the way...
> 
> Geoff


Hi Geoff

Each TV has its own 722 or 211 in the rack or will shortly. It's taken me a while to get the 722's and to get em on line.(lack of funds) I need 3 more to get back to where I was on the DTV side before I changed at the end of November last year. 
The exception is the theater room & living room. Those rooms have a switch box to see any of the DVRs. 
The remotes are the problem I have not as yet found a universal remote that I can easily program for more than 1 722's DVR remote code. So currently I have to borrow the remote from the other room. That's a real pain......

Hope it helps

Ray Cooper


----------



## geoff (Jan 3, 2004)

grcooperjr said:


> The remotes are the problem I have not as yet found a universal remote that I can easily program for more than 1 722's DVR remote code. So currently I have to borrow the remote from the other room. That's a real pain......


Ray,

Wouldn't a Harmony 890 independently control 4 722's by programming what port they are connected to on the IR extender?

I don't have one, just my understanding of how it works.

Geoff


----------



## grcooperjr (Mar 19, 2008)

geoff said:


> Ray,
> 
> Wouldn't a Harmony 890 independently control 4 722's by programming what port they are connected to on the IR extender?
> 
> ...


It would..... But being I use different remote codes for each DVR, i would have to learn all of em to the remote manually. I also use the UHF's too which are not controlable by the 890


----------



## ClevelandRob (Jun 22, 2006)

I have a ViP622 feeding 3 HDTVs...

TV1=50" Panasonic Plasma on 6' of HDMI ($5 cable)
TV2=42" Toshiba LCD on 50' of Component + L/R audio (about $25)
TV3=32" Vizio LCD on 100' of Component + L/R audio (about $40)

Ran component out from 622 into Radioshack 1x4 component switch ($50) and then off of there to the other two TVs. Used existing cabling from Sat/cable for modulated TV2 output (SD) to the second and third TV in case TV1 is watching something the others don't (rare occurrence in our house). Called E* for a second UHF remote for free.

Total cost = about $120

Cheers.

P.S. I did not want to go HDMI because of the problems many devices (including the 622) have with HDMI. Component is bigger and bulkier, but less glitches.


----------



## smcjb (Mar 30, 2008)

Where did you get the component cables that cheap? I'd been looking at Blue Jeans Cable and their prices are significantly higher than that.


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

smcjb said:


> Where did you get the component cables that cheap? I'd been looking at Blue Jeans Cable and their prices are significantly higher than that.


Have you checked Monoprice.com?


----------



## smcjb (Mar 30, 2008)

TulsaOK said:


> Have you checked Monoprice.com?


I hadn't but I wished I had.


----------



## ClevelandRob (Jun 22, 2006)

TulsaOK said:


> Have you checked Monoprice.com?


Bingo!


----------

