Please forgive the lack of tech knowledge & terminology on my part...
Currently using Walmart GE "Pro" 3-way splitter & coax to allow antenna signal to go to Vizio M420NV & also to Winegard HDTV receiver. Winegard receiver then goes composite (red, yellow, white) to Zenith DVD/VCR recorder combo. Ultimately, trying to record antenna TV shows.
This has worked fine, except I've noticed the picture is grayed out on HDTV & VCR just a smidge when I have the splitter set up. Is there too great a degree of "loss" going on that make that picture quality a little off or is that just the nature of splitters?
2 follow-up questions:
1. Who makes the best splitter for this task?
2. Who makes best coax cable? I've noted that the white coax I bought from Home Depot has ends that are incredibly difficult to screw on & off.
What do you mean by "grayed out a smidge"? Do you mean the picture drops out (grey screen?) or that it doesn't look as good? Because subtle changes to the image are not the result of a weak digital signal - it's either there or its not.
Unlikely there will be any difference in performance of one splitter vs. another - but if you're using a 3-way splitter for only two devices, swap that out for a 2-way splitter - that will help any digital signal issues.
Also, really - look at one of OTA DVR's instead of that non-HD product. ChannelMaster DVR+ or the TiVo Roamio (although the OTA-only model is hard to find, apparently). That will be so much better than the 90's era DVD recorder. The hassle alone is worth the upgrade.
Sorry, I didn't explain enough, you're right. Few more details. This is RG6 from antenna wall port, then into 2-way splitter...my bad, 1 connection in, 2 out...1 goes to HDTV, one goes to Winegard HDTV receiver. Realized I'm going RG6 into the TV & RG59 into the Winegard receiver. That RG59 probably accounts for the picture issues. Will be putting a 3' run of RG6 in place of that RG59 & see how she sails. The picture "grayness" is like the contrast dropped & the colors washed out a little. Kind of like when you upload a digital camera pic on your PC & then use some program's auto correct or instant fix...it normally adds contrast & color to the original pic. My Winegard picture is like the original pic As well, in some parts of the image, there are horizontal lines distorting the picture slightly. Weird. Anyway, thank you guys for your guidance. Will let you know if RG6 saves the day.
It's possible it's a defective splitter, or that there was a defective run at the factory, but in all honesty most splitters are in the neighborhood of their rated loss. A 2-way is rated to lose 3.5dB but you just assume that it's 4 and be done with it. That much difference won't make or break you. The real difference between big box store splitters and distributor catalog splitters is the price. I wouldn't ever consider buying a $10 Monster splitter with fancy graphics over a $1.30 Holland or Commscope splitter.
Just in case anyone stumbles across this thread, research indicates that Channel Master made a couple of units in the recent past that functioned as OTA (Over The Air) antenna signal receivers w/ a DVR functionality as well...& all for free. Those are:
CM-7001PAL
CM-7400
Both are hard to find, but the latter has the best of all old-school & new AV connections (including HDMI, ethernet, & eSATA), as well as a Roku-like interface w/ Vudu & 3 antennas mounted on it for that Wi-Fi / streaming capability. Sadly, much of Vudu's current content is not free.
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