[che123]

I live in an apartment with just one television. A coax comes in through the floor and connects to a splitter. A coax is connected to one of the outputs of the splitter and that coax connects to the cable box. A piece of coax several feet long connects to the other output of the splitter but that connects to nothing. The cable company told me to get a cap to put on the splitter where that unused piece of coax is attached.

My question is should I just get a connect to connect the two pieces of coax and eliminate the splitter completely?

 

[richart]

I live in an apartment with just one television. A coax comes in through the floor and connects to a splitter. A coax is connected to one of the outputs of the splitter and that coax connects to the cable box. A piece of coax several feet long connects to the other output of the splitter but that connects to nothing. The cable company told me to get a cap to put on the splitter where that unused piece of coax is attached.

My question is should I just get a connect to connect the two pieces of coax and eliminate the splitter completely?

It will work either way. In my opinion the cable company should have sent you a terminating cap for the splitter.

 

[rabbit73]

The purists would say you should use a 75 0hm termination cap, but it usually doesn't make much difference:
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=75+ohm+f+terminator+cap

The splitter loss is about 3.5 dB, so if you remove it and replace it with an F81 coupler to add a longer piece of coax, the signal to the TV will be stronger.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=F81+coupler

If the signals were too strong to start with, removing the splitter would be bad. If the signals were too weak to start, it would be good. If the signals were in the normal range, it wouldn't make any difference.

I agree that the cable company should have done it for you. The advantage of leaving the splitter in place is that it would be easy to add a second TV so that you could watch two shows at once.

 

[holl_ands]

"If it ain't broke....don't try to fix it."

Missing termination resistor caps mostly affect the SWR and port-to-port Isolation in the system...which could degrade SOME channels and not others:
http://www.communications.gov.au/__...-and-cables-within-shared-antenna-systems.pdf

An unterminated port can ALSO pick up Interference from nearby EMI sources, such as Ham Radio Transmitters, Cell Phones, Microwave Ovens, Motors, Dimmers, Fluorescent & LED Lights....and in the Garage, from Power Saws and esp. Arc Welders.

Port-to-Port Isolation needs to be fairly high to minimize output signal distortions due to reflections between two or more Cable Boxes (or MOCA sources) transmitting RETURN signals in the under 54 MHz band....and the above 1000 MHz MoCA Band used between Whole-Home DVR's and DLNA PC to TV or DVD/BD Player file exchange.

 

[che123]

It will work either way. In my opinion the cable company should have sent you a terminating cap for the splitter.

This is the way it was when I moved in. I just attached one of the cables to my cable box and everything was fine. I didn't worry about the other cable from the splitter which was not being used. A couple months ago I started having picture and cable guide problems. Comcast did something outside and the picture problems were resolved but the small picture which used to be displayed when I was using the cable guide disappeared and the program search function does not work like it once did. The Comcast person told me putting a cap on the splitter might help since they can't find any other reason.

 

[holl_ands]

Sounds like the UPLINK Cable signals back to the Headend are being affected....which COULD be that SWR/ISOLATION problem I mentioned. Terminations are cheap...Just Do It...and THEN if still having problems, call Comcast and tell them their equipment isn't working right....could ALSO be insufficient UPLINK Gain in your DropAmp/Splitter.

Use fol. procedure to bring up COMCAST's DASHBOARD DIAGNOSTICS MENU and let us know if any of the items are NOT Green as well as "SigLvl" values at the bottom...and whether adding the Terminations changes anything:
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-and-Equipment/Set-Top-Box-suggestions/td-p/1065289