Splitter and Switches

TV Splitters for Cable, Satellite and Off Air - 101

RG6, RG59, and RG11 TV splitters can be divided into two main categories.

1. Splitters for Satellite TV (900-2400 MHz)

2. Splitters for Cable TV (CATV) and Off Air (5-100 MHz)

Splitters for Satellite TV have changed quickly throughout the years. The older satellite systems use multi switches to split lines. The newer satellite systems now use splitters just like Off Air and CATV.

Multi-Switches came into existence for one main reason …. Channel Capacity.

Satellite has typically never used a splitter until recently. The newer Dish Network and Directv technologies are now focused on splitting lines rather than using multi switches.

Here is a quick briefing on the history of the multi switch. We start out in the early days of Satellite when we had 10 ft C-Band satellite dishes. C-band satellites only have a capacity of 12 transponders per satellite. 12 Transponders could easily become 24 by utilizing the opposite polarity. Instead of only having horizontal polarity now you could add vertical polarity producing 24 transponders and more channels. To switch between horizontal and vertical polarity a servo motor was used. As C-band technology evolved to Circular KU (Directv and Dishnetwork) Satellite Servo Motors which physically flip a plate to change polarity evolved to 22 KHz switches which do the switching between 13 and 18 Volts. The lnb has now became a LNBf with a 22 Khz switch hermetically sealed in the unit to flip polarities. The feed horn and lnb and switch have become a simple one piece unit now know as a lnbf.

Off Air and Cable TV run in the 5-900 MHz frequency range. Satellite runs in the 800-2250 range. Typical splitters are either "Not Power Passing" or "Power Passing". Power Passing splitters are essential to allow power to pass over your RG6 line. You need to pass power over the RG6 cable when you power an lnbf or an off air antenna or perhaps you want to amplify a long cable run. If you want to do any of these things you will need to have a power passing splitter.