# TV2/OTA/UHF hookup question



## emoney28 (Mar 1, 2004)

I used to have a 522 in my basement, and a coax line running up to the 3rd floor of my townhouse through my attic for TV2. The UHF remote did not work well, so I combined the UHF out to the TV2 coax and split it back upstairs next to my tv. This worked very well.

Now I have a 622 and I just purchased an OTA antenna. Because I live in a townhome, getting an outdoor antenna is almost not an option, so I bought an indoor amplified antenna. In order to receive OTA stations, it has to be in the attic. Therefore I figured I could use the line for TV2 to hook up my OTA antenna.

The problem: To test the OTA antenna, I unplugged both the TV2 and UHF outputs on the receiver and used the line the the antenna only. This worked perfectly. Now I need to see if I can use that 1 line for all 3 (OTA, TV2, and UHF). I purchased a 4-way satellite splitter from Radio Shack and hooked it up to the receiver with the 3 inputs, and tried to split off the OTA signal in my attic, then split off the UHF/TV2 connections in my upstairs bedroom.

The result: I am not getting any reception on the OTA antenna, but TV2 and the UHF antenna are working fine.

When I get home tonight, I am going to try to attach the power portion of the OTA antenna closer to the antenna itself. Right now, the power portion is before all of the splitting. This may or may not work; I don't know.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might fix this problem? Please note that physically running a separate line into my attic is not an option, as my association would not permit me to do this.

Thanks!


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## auburn2 (Sep 8, 2005)

emoney28 said:


> I used to have a 522 in my basement, and a coax line running up to the 3rd floor of my townhouse through my attic for TV2. The UHF remote did not work well, so I combined the UHF out to the TV2 coax and split it back upstairs next to my tv. This worked very well.
> 
> Now I have a 622 and I just purchased an OTA antenna. Because I live in a townhome, getting an outdoor antenna is almost not an option, so I bought an indoor amplified antenna. In order to receive OTA stations, it has to be in the attic. Therefore I figured I could use the line for TV2 to hook up my OTA antenna.
> 
> ...


Try this:

1. Disconnect the UHF antenna input. I doubt this is the problem, but do this to be sure. Assuming the OTA still does not work continue as follows:

2. Chose a channel for the modulator far from the local OTA channels

3. install the 10dB attenuator at the RF modulator output.

4. If it still doesn't by a line amp to boost the OTA signal further (get a good name brand since there is a good chance you will be overdriving it with two amplifiers in series).

5. If it still doesn't work get a higher gain antenna, go to a passive antenna if you have to (antenna gain is better than amplifier gain of the same amount because the amplifier will raise the noise floor while the antenna won't). If you have enough room by a large Yagi outdoor style antenna. These will still work indoors and generally have a lot more gain then the indoor units. Since it is in your attick who cares what it looks like.

If it works, hook back up the UHF to make sure it is still OK. If it doens't I don't have any other ideas.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

emoney28 said:


> I combined the UHF out to the TV2 coax and split it back upstairs next to my tv.


You need to be careful about saying UHF out if it is actually UHF _in_.


> Now I have a 622 and I just purchased an OTA antenna.


One radical change at a time, huh?


> I figured I could use the line for TV2 to hook up my OTA antenna.


Remember that your remote is running in the UHF band and your receiver is sending two UHF frequencies upstairs.


> The problem: I purchased a 4-way satellite splitter from Radio Shack and hooked it up to the receiver with the 3 inputs, and tried to split off the OTA signal in my attic, then split off the UHF/TV2 connections in my upstairs bedroom.


This could be where things start to break down. Certainly my understanding of what you tried to do has just gone out the window.

You should use a two-way in the attic to funnel everything downstairs and continue to use the two-way to split between the remote antenna and the television in the bedroom. I'm guessing that the four-way splitter is eating up your OTA signal. If you insist on using the four-way splitter, make sure you put a dummy load on the unused port(s)


> When I get home tonight, I am going to try to attach the power portion of the OTA antenna closer to the antenna itself. Right now, the power portion is before all of the splitting.


Is this an amplified antenna? If so, have you confirmed that you have the OTA antenna connected to the leg of the splitter that passes DC power? Splitters may pass DC power on none, one or all ports. Radio Shack doesn't say on their website. Some only pass power in one direction (output 1 to antenna). Most splitters don't pass DC power at all. If the amplifier has a power light, check it before you get too involved in changing things around.

There is usually a significant loss involved in combining signals using a splitter. Some of the inexpensive models I've looked at will chop a signal by up to 15db (versus the 7-9db loss going the other way)


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