Split Digital Coaxial Cable?

ride2bhi · 01-21-2004, 04:34 PM

Hello,
Got hooked up with an HDTV cable box today so I can actually use the HDTV I bought about a year ago. Unfortunately Adelphia only offers 5 channels, but at least I get something. My reciever is an old Kenwood that I bought when AC-3 first came out. It is a piece of junk, but it works, and sounds good. No $$$, means no upgrade option. I am currently sending the audio from the DVD player to the only Digital Coaxial Cable input on the reciever. I would like to also hook up the cable box to the reciever, but the one input is being used by the DVD player. Can I buy any sort of spliter so as to share the input between the two devices and still get Dolby Digital 5.1? Thanks.

ride2bhi · 01-22-2004, 05:12 PM

Got tired of sitting around and did some research on my own into this problem. I found this on ebay. LINK Hopefully this will do the job. Any input would be appreciated since I am afraid I bought a regular RCA splitter.

NACZ3 · 01-31-2004, 01:49 PM

The splitter in the ebay link looks like the cable has too small a diameter to really be coax--it looks like rca. You can use rca for the coax in but coax is better. I did rca temporarily until I mad my own digital coax.

Don't use a regular rca splitter, use a regular coax splitter (as for cable tv). you can buy rca adapters for the f-type coax connectors in both male and female or just use coax cable screwed into the splitter and use the male rca to f-type on the ends of the coax. The better shielded coax if something-6 or 60 and should be labled on the package.

Only thing I would be worried about with a splitter if there would be a loss in the signal since your now splitting it. Try a search on www.avsforum.com

They also have a great HDTV faq

ride2bhi · 02-01-2004, 03:53 PM

Thanks for the tips. The cable I got from Ebay seems to works ok for my purposes. The receiver is so old that I don't really want to spend any more money on it. Save the money so that I can invest in a better receiver. Thanks for the link too. Seems to be a great source for info.

rajatQ2 · 02-05-2004, 09:31 PM

well, since its digital, wouldn't a regular RCA splitter just drop the voltage and produce no signal? If you try it, and it results in no signal, I'd hedge my bet on that.

One thing though - i don't think you can "degrade the quality" of a digital signal. Its either on or its off, not like analog.

A digital coax cable and an RCA cable can be used interchangeably as far as I can tell. I am using a really high quality RCA cable right now from my DVD player to my receiver because I can't find my digital coax cable, and its awesome.

01-21-2004, 04:34 PM	#1
ride2bhi Lieutenant Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 362	Split Digital Coaxial Cable? Hello, Got hooked up with an HDTV cable box today so I can actually use the HDTV I bought about a year ago. Unfortunately Adelphia only offers 5 channels, but at least I get something. My reciever is an old Kenwood that I bought when AC-3 first came out. It is a piece of junk, but it works, and sounds good. No $$$, means no upgrade option. I am currently sending the audio from the DVD player to the only Digital Coaxial Cable input on the reciever. I would like to also hook up the cable box to the reciever, but the one input is being used by the DVD player. Can I buy any sort of spliter so as to share the input between the two devices and still get Dolby Digital 5.1? Thanks.

01-31-2004, 01:49 PM	#3
NACZ3 Ensign Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 9	The splitter in the ebay link looks like the cable has too small a diameter to really be coax--it looks like rca. You can use rca for the coax in but coax is better. I did rca temporarily until I mad my own digital coax. Don't use a regular rca splitter, use a regular coax splitter (as for cable tv). you can buy rca adapters for the f-type coax connectors in both male and female or just use coax cable screwed into the splitter and use the male rca to f-type on the ends of the coax. The better shielded coax if something-6 or 60 and should be labled on the package. Only thing I would be worried about with a splitter if there would be a loss in the signal since your now splitting it. Try a search on www.avsforum.com They also have a great HDTV faq Last edited by NACZ3 : 01-31-2004 at 01:53 PM.

02-05-2004, 09:31 PM	#5
rajatQ2 Commander Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: boston, ma Posts: 1,020	well, since its digital, wouldn't a regular RCA splitter just drop the voltage and produce no signal? If you try it, and it results in no signal, I'd hedge my bet on that. One thing though - i don't think you can "degrade the quality" of a digital signal. Its either on or its off, not like analog. A digital coax cable and an RCA cable can be used interchangeably as far as I can tell. I am using a really high quality RCA cable right now from my DVD player to my receiver because I can't find my digital coax cable, and its awesome. __________________ Find some free Comcast or Verizon on-demand movies to watch at home tonight: www.movie-cat.tv

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01-22-2004, 05:12 PM	#2
ride2bhi Lieutenant Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 362	Got tired of sitting around and did some research on my own into this problem. I found this on ebay. LINK Hopefully this will do the job. Any input would be appreciated since I am afraid I bought a regular RCA splitter.

02-01-2004, 03:53 PM	#4
ride2bhi Lieutenant Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 362	Thanks for the tips. The cable I got from Ebay seems to works ok for my purposes. The receiver is so old that I don't really want to spend any more money on it. Save the money so that I can invest in a better receiver. Thanks for the link too. Seems to be a great source for info.

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