OTA antenna signal shared with SAT dish signal on same cable?

[am_dew]

This may be a far fetched question, but thought I'd ask...

Is it possible (feasible might be the better word) to mount an antenna on/near the satellite dish and then tap that signal into the cable that comes off of the SAT dish, and then on the far end of that cable, split out that OTA signal so it can be fed into an ATSC tuner? The goal here is to mount an outdoor antenna for OTA signals and be able to use a single cable as the source for both the SAT dish signal and that OTA antenna signal. I don't want to have to run another cable through the wall, around the house and up onto the roof if possible in order to be able to use an outdoor antenna.

 

[am_dew]

Should've done some homework first. Looks like a simple diplexer on each end of the shared cable should work just fine.

 

[SarKen]

Yes, I used a diplexer and was told to go around the switch. So either put your first diplexer after the switch or use two more and go around the switch.

Ken

 

[am_dew]

Sorry for my ignorance, but is this switch at the SAT dish end or the reciever end of the common cable?

 

[SarKen]

The switch is where all the sat feeds go into and then goes to your receiver(s). Just follow your cables off the dish and you will find it. Mine is in my attic.

 

[FitzAusTex]

I've thought about doing this, but I've heard that going this route reduces your satellite signal strengths. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[wonko]

The switch is where all the sat feeds go into and then goes to your receiver(s). Just follow your cables off the dish and you will find it. Mine is in my attic.

Unless he has a DP or DPP LNB, in which case there may not be a switch.

 

[wonko]

I've thought about doing this, but I've heard that going this route reduces your satellite signal strengths. Can anyone confirm this?

Any type of connector whether it's a diplexer or just a barrel connector will lower the gain, and have some affect on your signal strengths. However, unless you're borderline already, it probably won't make any noticeable difference.

I've done it for several years. It seems to have more of an impact on the OTA side (vs. a direct connection) than it does on the satellite signal.

 

[FitzAusTex]

Thanks for the info.

 

[RandallA]

I wouldn't worry about signal loss on the satellite side using diplexers unless you have cable runs over 220 ft.

 

[FitzAusTex]

I wouldn't worry about signal loss on the satellite side using diplexers unless you have cable runs over 220 ft.

My coax runs are maybe 75ft max. I think I got confused and thought it was the sat signal that could be degraded, now I recall that it was the OTA signal that can be degraded by running the OTA through the same coax as the sat signal. A small worry for a few of my OTA stations, especially since I would need to split the OTA signal to 2 receivers. Also, although I seem to have fairly strong sat signal strengths compared to other people, the consistent severely strong storms we get in Texas has me thinking that combining OTA and Sat into the same coax is not a great idea.

 

[wonko]

My coax runs are maybe 75ft max. I think I got confused and thought it was the sat signal that could be degraded, now I recall that it was the OTA signal that can be degraded by running the OTA through the same coax as the sat signal. A small worry for a few of my OTA stations, especially since I would need to split the OTA signal to 2 receivers. Also, although I seem to have fairly strong sat signal strengths compared to other people, the consistent severely strong storms we get in Texas has me thinking that combining OTA and Sat into the same coax is not a great idea.

An amplifier on the OTA side before the diplexers would probably take care of most of the loss. I actually did this when I was in Austin (nice avatar BTW) with a basic cable connection before locals were available without any problems.

 

[Fredinva]

An amplifier on the OTA side before the diplexers would probably take care of most of the loss. I actually did this when I was in Austin (nice avatar BTW) with a basic cable connection before locals were available without any problems.

That's what i did.
And I even have the OTA split to 622 and direct to TV2 for ota there.

fred