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One STB to several TV's

7K views 44 replies 9 participants last post by  holl_ands 
#1 ·
Hi again.
Well the antenna idea fizzled out when we got fibre internet and the provider provides a skinny cable package. The STB has a single HDMI out that goes to a TV. I also have a tv in the kitchen and a couple downstairs that I wouldn't mind being able to watch.
1) can I split the HDMI coming out of the STB?
2) what practical distance can I run it? The runs would be in the 50' or slightly longer range.
3) any better deployments available?

Thanks,
BJ
 
#28 ·
Another thought. The stb is sitting by our “main” tv. It is at one end of our house. The other 3 tv’s I want to hook up are at the other end of the house and in relative close proximity to each other.....within about 40’ of each other. But distance to rhe main tv is over 50’.
Can I split the signal at the main tv, run a cat5 extender to the area of the other tv’s, then use another hdmi splitter to send to the 3 tv’s? In other words, can the splitters be cascaded?
 
#32 ·
This discussion, although interesting from a technical standpoint, seems very silly to me. Anyone with 4 TVs and a large home with huge distances between TVs shouldn't even be considering this option. That person should rent/purchase a STB for each TV and watch whatever they want easily and without issue. The operability would be far superior and the cost is probably not any more than a bunch of HDMI switches/splitters, adaptors, cables, amps, RF remotes, etc.

(I could perhaps understand it if there were a nearby, seldom used TV...)
 
#33 ·
The problem is that renting equipment is a never ending cost. Over a number of years it could be a significant amount.
Whereas a one time capital investment is final.
I believe the issue was for a cost effective solution.
 
#34 ·
Whereas a one time capital investment is final.
But it's not final. Technology is always changing and what is good enough today will not be good enough tomorrow. For example, the less expensive cabling/equipment would not even be good enough for proper 4K distribution. You'd have to go bleeding edge, and it may not even be available for the distances and options involved in this discussion, or it would be so expensive that, when amortized, it would far exceed equipment rental costs.

Something else will come along and make the "one time capital investment" you mention obsolete. Just ask all the people who installed in-wall composite video, or component video/analogue audio, etc. Even expensive wireless options will become obsolete as the technology changes.

I know this because I've got a 25' run between my audio video equipment and my TV which acts as a monitor, see my HT link in my sig. I've had composite video, better composite video, component video, HDMI and if I wanted 4K signals to my 4K TV, I'd have to change out my HDMI. Luckily for me, my run is (relatively) short and is easy to change, since it runs behind a baseboard and the costs have been minor during each cable change. I can barely imagine the costs involved when multiplying this by four, over long distances, making the installation and equipment/cable costs exponentially larger.

To top it off, all four locations have to watch the same programme! That's just silly.
 
#35 ·
You’re right. Once I started thinking more about this, I realize the having even a second stb will make things easier.
So, let’s say I get Hay back in to install the second stb near the cluster of 3 tv’s. One tv is on the main floor in the kitchen, the other 2 or almost directly beneath in the basement rec room and bar area. If I run these off an hdmi splitter and i run a remote extender for the kitchen tv, can I still use a remote to control the stb downstairs? The stb would 100% have to live downstairs as there is no good place in the kitchen to put it.
Being a cheap bastard is in my genes.
 
#37 ·
...If I run these off an hdmi splitter and i run a remote extender for the kitchen tv, can I still use a remote to control the stb downstairs? The stb would 100% have to live downstairs as there is no good place in the kitchen to put it.
Some TV providers include an IR extender that plugs into a specific port on the STB, so you can check there first. These are usually long enough to to hide the STB out of the way, but you will probably have to splice the cable to reach the kitchen. That would be the most reliable. The IR extender may disable the IR sensor on the STB depending on the STB firmware, which you don't want.

An alternative is to buy an IR emitter that you tape over the IR sensor on the STB. These can be less reliable because they rely on being able to accurately line everything up so the flashes are detected correctly. You will have to check the specs from the IR emitter manufacturer to see if they will allow you to use the downstairs remote directly with the STB. They might call this pass-through.
 
#36 ·
@57
Who says you have to keep upgrading. I'm quite happy with 1080p and have no desire for 4K.
You are assuming that everyone is jumping on the band wagon to be up with the latest technology that is constantly being crammed down our throats.
 
#39 ·
[MENTION=279]Who says you have to keep upgrading. I'm quite happy with 1080p and have no desire for 4K.
That may well be the case, however, a few years ago people were happy with component video connections. Almost none of the equipment today has component video inputs or outputs. It's not whether you're happy, but when you need to replace your equipment perhaps because it no longer works or are forced to by the provider or some other change, what you're happy with is immaterial if the equipment of the day is not compatible.

If you have something in the wall that's incompatible with the equipment of the time you will be forced into change whether you want it or not. A bunch of cables in the wall are no use if all of tomorrow's equipment is wireless for example or requires different cabling.

The era of TVs (and other equipment/hardware) that lasted for 20 years with very little change in technology is long gone. Even seniors who don't want any change are being forced to change if they wish to watch TV, in whatever manner...
 
#38 ·
The cost of renting vs buying depends on a number of factors. The first is rental cost. Some BDUs charge way too much for rentals and have no option to buy. $5/mo for a cheap IPTV box is about right. Any higher and it becomes gouging. Another is projected lifetime of the BDU hardware, including failure and obsolescence. That's typically a maximum of about 5 years these days and is more likely about 3-4 years on average. It's quite probable that devices will work longer but they will be made obsolete by technology upgrades or lack of support. That includes things like cables. HDMI is an evolving standard with no sign that updates will stop anytime soon.
 
#40 ·
Another answer to the op's question, not sure why I did not answer it earlier. Some TV providers have this limitation which makes it very difficult to do, while other TV providers equipment makes it a lot easier. I forgot to mention I am currently doing one STB to multiple TV's with my Bell TV Setup, tho I have recently cancelled it. Not sure how you feel about changing providers but sometimes there are other providers that serve your area and you do not think wait a sec what if these providers have better technology?
My bell setup included an RF coax out which backfeed into my coax wall plug and was re-distributed to 2 other rooms in my house, plus my remote is RF so it worked between different rooms and walls and such, and to make matters better, it was widescreen 480i SD, and looked great on my other 2 tvs.
 
#42 ·
Just wanted to clarify, I am a Chord Cutter, not by choice but because of my financial situation, so I used to have this setup and it worked for me at the time. I have a TV in my kitchen, HAD a TV in my basement (it was a CRT so I eventually recycled it) and a TV in my bedroom. One thing I really wanted was a TV receiver in every room with independent control but I was not able to reuse the existing coax in the wall plates as it was going thru splitters and you can not put splitters on a satellite run it has to be direct to the switch, secondly, I did not have a CATV provider cus their cable boxes were cumbersome, only worked with IR, and were expensive and had many problems I decided to go with bell satellite cus it was the best Technology at the time. I owned my receivers, and one of them has a coax output port which you can distribute up to 2 different channels thru your home coax network. it worked pretty cool, plus the remotes were uhf so the PVR boxes were out of sight and still worked. yes it was only SD but the quality was still great and in widescreen too no pillar bars. this is possibly the best solution no extra costs, but since u have to change companies it might be a bit tricky or difficult to find such receivers as they do not sell this model new anymore. all the new ones are hdmi out no more coax out

i could see the same channel on up to 3 tvs but since it had 2 tuners i usually had a seperate tuner on my bedroom tv. but the pvr was shared and could watch my recordings anywhere it was kick ass. i loved this setup, everyone who came to my house was jealous of it too, they always asked why there is no satellite box in my kitchen. i told them its in the basement. they asked how they can do that with their rogers and I told them it was very difficult to do with rogers and they were so upset.
 
#43 ·
It is possible with other providers but a little more involved. HDMI to composite modulated RF converters are available. (A HDMI to composite adapter plus an RF modulator would also work.) IR remote repeaters and universal RF remotes with slave IR emitters are available. Dish/Bell made it easy with their 9200 PVRs but it's not impossible with today's equipment.
 
#44 ·
So, I ordered a 1x4 splitter from Amazon and a 75' redmere hdmi cable. Had things hooked up for a day or so to test before permanently installing. All is working good. I think I will order another cable and hook up the bar TV too.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. In the end I wound up with a pretty easy and cheap solution.

fyi, so glad I installed cable pulls when we remodelled. Made running cables pretty easy.
 
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