Are there any CATV installers on AT?

[MrPickins]

I've been making some money doing electrical work for a friend who owns a small handyman company. Nothing too tough, just stuff 1 man can handle (although, running cable alone is an excercise in frustration).

The job we're on now has turned into almost a complete remodel, and they want me to wire new cable and phone lines. I did phone/network cabling for years straight out of HS, so that one is already taken care of. My problem is the CATV system. Maybe just because I've had sattelite since the k-band days and now digital, I haven't done anything other than point to point coax runs.

I made an admittedly simple picture in paint of what it intend: LINK

I bought solid copper core RG6 quad shield (the customer said not to skimp 😉 ), and three 4-way splitters. The customer already has an Electroline EDA 2100 drop amp (+15db).

I have read that 4-way splitters usually have 7.5db attenuation, and <100' runs of wire ~4db. So, if I set it up like the diagram, I should end up with 10 runs, 8 of which will be 4db less than at the dmarc, and 2 will be 3.5db above dmarc?

Does this look like a decent setup? Anything I should look out for?
All advice iss appreciated.

 

[MrPickins]

Anyone?

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
I've been making some money doing electrical work for a friend who owns a small handyman company. Nothing too tough, just stuff 1 man can handle (although, running cable alone is an excercise in frustration).

The job we're on now has turned into almost a complete remodel, and they want me to wire new cable and phone lines. I did phone/network cabling for years straight out of HS, so that one is already taken care of. My problem is the CATV system. Maybe just because I've had sattelite since the k-band days and now digital, I haven't done anything other than point to point coax runs.

I made an admittedly simple picture in paint of what it intend: LINK

I bought solid copper core RG6 quad shield (the customer said not to skimp 😉 ), and three 4-way splitters. The customer already has an Electroline EDA 2100 drop amp (+15db).

I have read that 4-way splitters usually have 7.5db attenuation, and <100' runs of wire ~4db. So, if I set it up like the diagram, I should end up with 10 runs, 8 of which will be 4db less than at the dmarc, and 2 will be 3.5db above dmarc?

Does this look like a decent setup? Anything I should look out for?
All advice iss appreciated.

tOO MANY SPLITTERS. iF THE CUSTOMER IS REALL INTERESTED IN MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE, get a multi port amp that meets the output needs and eliminate all the signal drop calcs.
I just re-did ours here and the Comcast Guy just tweaked their output to our node and we were pHaT.
Make sure the amp will pass the Broadband and lay it out radially, you know like spokes from a central hub .
Multiple connections are the weak link of the s[plitter method. One screwy connection upstream and all may show symptoms. And they may not all be the same symptom.

 

[MrPickins]

My problem is that I need 10 cable drops, but I the largest amps I see are 8 port, so I would still need two 2-way splitters. Is that a better option, you think?

Thanks for the help. 😀

 

[MageXX9]

Yeah, too many splitters. I would make them all "home-runs" meaning that all runs go all the way back to the initial split.

I'm not sure exactly how you would do it since you need 10 runs, and the biggest amps are 8. Maybe buy two 8-ports, split the connection into 2 runs to go to each amp, and then make home-runs from there.

 

[MrPickins]

I'm going to try to convince the homeowner to cut back to 8 runs, and purchase a new amplifier with 8 ports. If he still want's 10 runs, I'll have him decide which 2 runs will have the 2-way splitters. Some of the lines probably won't be used much, maybe he won't mind slightly reduced quality in those.
Thanks again for the advice.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
I'm going to try to convince the homeowner to cut back to 8 runs, and purchase a new amplifier with 8 ports. If he still want's 10 runs, I'll have him decide which 2 runs will have the 2-way splitters. Some of the lines probably won't be used much, maybe he won't mind slightly reduced quality in those.
Thanks again for the advice.

Now you've got it.
Remember, K.I.S.S. makes for happier installs.