# Antenna on the same cable as the dish?



## CoolGui (Feb 9, 2006)

This might have been asked before, but I couldn't find it.

I have two dishes on my roof and an antenna in my attic from the previous owners, but the cable doesn't run to the TV. The antenna looks decent and I think it will provide better reception than the little set top antenna I got from the store.

The satellite cable runs right through the attic next to the antenna so I'm trying to figure out if there is a way I can tap right into this cable to run the antenna to the receiver for OTA signals. Do I need some sort of switch or special splitter to accomplish this? I can run another cable all the way to the tv, but it would be a lot easier to use the same cable. I'm also using the same cable to feed the second TV and it's using some sort of switch as well right behind the receiver. By the way, the receiver is a ViP622.

Thanks in advance!


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

CoolGui said:


> This might have been asked before, but I couldn't find it.
> 
> I have two dishes on my roof and an antenna in my attic from the previous owners, but the cable doesn't run to the TV. The antenna looks decent and I think it will provide better reception than the little set top antenna I got from the store.
> 
> ...


U will need 2 diplexers. One side has input for UHF/VHF antenna the other side has input for satellite dishes. Then inside you need another one that comes in w/ both on the single cable. It is split so that one side will output satellite the other the antenna. Your installer should have been bringing a set just for that reason to hook up an OTA antenna and the dishes on one cable only.


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## CoolGui (Feb 9, 2006)

whatchel1 said:


> U will need 2 diplexers. One side has input for UHF/VHF antenna the other side has input for satellite dishes. Then inside you need another one that comes in w/ both on the single cable. It is split so that one side will output satellite the other the antenna. Your installer should have been bringing a set just for that reason to hook up an OTA antenna and the dishes on one cable only.


Yeah, it would have been nice but my experience with the installers is that I've been lucky to even get it working. They even tried to talk me out of having the second TV hooked up until I told them it was already wired from my previous 625. So I guess I'm doing it myself now. Where can I find these diplexers? I assume I have one of them already for the second TV, so do you think I can just use one where the antenna will plug into the cable, then split the output from the existing one near the receiver?


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

CoolGui said:
 

> Yeah, it would have been nice but my experience with the installers is that I've been lucky to even get it working. They even tried to talk me out of having the second TV hooked up until I told them it was already wired from my previous 625. So I guess I'm doing it myself now. Where can I find these diplexers? I assume I have one of them already for the second TV, so do you think I can just use one where the antenna will plug into the cable, then split the output from the existing one near the receiver?


Rat Shack carries them. I've also picked them up at the big hardware stores as well. If U can get them at the latter they usually cost less.


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## cpdretired (Aug 25, 2003)

CoolGui said:


> This might have been asked before, but I couldn't find it.
> 
> I have two dishes on my roof and an antenna in my attic from the previous owners, but the cable doesn't run to the TV. The antenna looks decent and I think it will provide better reception than the little set top antenna I got from the store.
> 
> ...


http://www.solidsignal.com/dishnetwork/Installation_Documents/The_Ins_and_Outs_of_Diplexers.pdf


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## CoolGui (Feb 9, 2006)

Thanks for the tips... I'm going to try today to install it using the diplexers used for TV2. I might have to set it to send out on CATV so it won't interfere with the signal, but I'm willing to try. I didn't see anything in that document that said it couldn't be done. I presume it will broadcast a low level signal from my TV2 output over the antenna. I don't think it will be strong enough for anybody to pick up though.... I can test with another TV in my house.


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## KKlare (Sep 24, 2004)

Note these are not splitters, when you get them, but diplexers that pass near-DC and above 1 GHz on the Sat side and say 40-800 MHz on the antenna side. High power ones are required for the DPP44 switch port 1 so avoid having it on that port. I assume you do not have a 44. Have only cable between them, power inserter and switch are outside the link between them. Powered antennas will require being cleaver, avoid it.

TV2 and TV1 on the 622 do not require diplexer unless you add an antenna signal to them. You can do that with OTA signals but cable signals (CATV?) will interfere. Check what is on the channels are on your cable before adding ones from the 622--separate by at least 2 channels. You do use splitter-combiners here.
-Ken


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## CoolGui (Feb 9, 2006)

KKlare said:


> Note these are not splitters, when you get them, but diplexers that pass near-DC and above 1 GHz on the Sat side and say 40-800 MHz on the antenna side. High power ones are required for the DPP44 switch port 1 so avoid having it on that port. I assume you do not have a 44. Have only cable between them, power inserter and switch are outside the link between them. Powered antennas will require being cleaver, avoid it.
> 
> TV2 and TV1 on the 622 do not require diplexer unless you add an antenna signal to them. You can do that with OTA signals but cable signals (CATV?) will interfere. Check what is on the channels are on your cable before adding ones from the 622--separate by at least 2 channels. You do use splitter-combiners here.
> -Ken


Sorry for taking so long to reply, but it took me this long to finally get around to climbing into the attic and the roof.  Anyway, at least on my setup, it looks like TV2 is using diplexers. Remember I had a 625 before the 622 and the installer didn't change any of that setup. Perhaps the 625 did need diplexers?

I have two of them already installed, one behind the TV, the other where the cable splits to go to TV2 and Sat. It's Holland Electronics DPD2. I googled and they are certainly diplexers. For some reason I still can't get it working but I'm pretty sure it's the right part. The only questions I have is the Mhz rating of them. It says 5-2150 mhz, is that enough for HD OTA signals?? I'm really stupid about this, so I'd like confirmation on my guesses, but these seem to be the diplexers I need right?

Here's a picture I found on ebay of the parts I have installed:

http://i14.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/fe/ca/d0_1_b.JPG


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

CoolGui said:


> Sorry for taking so long to reply, but it took me this long to finally get around to climbing into the attic and the roof.  Anyway, at least on my setup, it looks like TV2 is using diplexers. Remember I had a 625 before the 622 and the installer didn't change any of that setup. Perhaps the 625 did need diplexers?
> 
> I have two of them already installed, one behind the TV, the other where the cable splits to go to TV2 and Sat. It's Holland Electronics DPD2. I googled and they are certainly diplexers. For some reason I still can't get it working but I'm pretty sure it's the right part. The only questions I have is the Mhz rating of them. It says 5-2150 mhz, is that enough for HD OTA signals?? I'm really stupid about this, so I'd like confirmation on my guesses, but these seem to be the diplexers I need right?
> 
> ...


That unit should work just fine.


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## CoolGui (Feb 9, 2006)

whatchel1 said:


> That unit should work just fine.


Indeed it did! My problem was a cut cable between the antenna and where I thought I was tapping into it. I think one of the installers did it, however I'm not sure why. I patched it and it's all working now, I'm getting OTA signals great, all over 90 on the signal meter. TV2 still looks good. I'm a little concerned that I may be broadcasting my TV2 a little bit because of the antenna, but I'll do some tests to determine that later.


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