Combining OTA & Cable to TV

[DarrellP]

I have an outdoor antenna and Basic Cable, which I only use for the guide, free music, free VOD and the Discovery channel. I need a way to combine the OTA digital input and the cable signal, as my TV has a single input. I tried a common splitter but I get really bad noise on the cable side. Do I need a combiner of some sort?

Thanks.

 

[boba]

I have an outdoor antenna and Basic Cable, which I only use for the guide, free music, free VOD and the Discovery channel. I need a way to combine the OTA digital input and the cable signal, as my TV has a single input. I tried a common splitter but I get really bad noise on the cable side. Do I need a combiner of some sort?

Thanks.

You need an A/B switch. Both OTA and CABLE share some of the same frequencies so you can't put them together on the same cablr at the sane time.

 

[sergei]

I have an outdoor antenna and Basic Cable, which I only use for the guide, free music, free VOD and the Discovery channel. I need a way to combine the OTA digital input and the cable signal, as my TV has a single input. I tried a common splitter but I get really bad noise on the cable side. Do I need a combiner of some sort?

Thanks.

First to help understand your setup and your options besides using a switch.

1) Are your TV sets analog with a converter box or digital sets?
2) Does your cable company use a box which can be switched between channels 3 & 4

 

[DarrellP]

Thanks guys, I'll use a switch. I hoped there was an easy way to use the TV tuner for both sources on a single cable. I am using my TV to tune both sources.

 

[jayn_j]

Thanks guys, I'll use a switch. I hoped there was an easy way to use the TV tuner for both sources on a single cable. I am using my TV to tune both sources.

Try doing a scan on the cable. Cable companies are required to pass through the local HD in the clear. They can show up on strange channels, but they should be there somewhere.