Not HE related but I figured this is a great community to get some advice.
Many years ago I started out with a DirecTV sat dish which over time was upgraded with a triple LNB dish. A had put up a HD OTA antenna in order to get OTA signals as well. Over time, after being “held hostage” by DirecTV with ever increasing monthly fees, I switched over to Cable, which gave me the local channels. So not wanting to take down the DirecTV dish (in the event I ever wanted to go back after trying Cable) I left the dish and HD OTA and ended up out of laziness never taking it down. In the last couple of years, I ended up upgrading to Fiber internet, and so dropped cable and have gone to streaming over the internet. Unfortunately, I can’t get the local channels in my area without a hefty increase in my monthly fees. (I know, long intro but here is my question):
If I use a diplexer on the combined old RG6 that carries both the old sat DirecTV and OTA signal, but I no longer have a DirecTV box which is powering the LNBs, will the OTA signal still propagate through the RG6 so that I can get local OTA channels using my old HD antenna? I cannot seem to get this to work. II originally tried to just hook up the RG6 thinking that since the LNBs were no longer powered that only the OTA signal would come through, but it did not seem to work.
Anyway, sorry if this is off HE topic but I figured someone here might have some experience with this and could advice me. Thanks for any help!
Connect the RG6 directly to the antenna (or through matching transformer) .
Every connection, splitter, ground block, wallplate, etc will degrade the OTA signal possibly to the point of an unusable signal, so eliminate everything not necessary.
Also make sure you scan (or rescan) for DTV channels on your tv as the FCC has been having broadcasters move to different frequencies to free up valuable spectrum so they can auction it off.
I just cut the cord and just finished up an new antenna install today. Picking up 50+ OTA channels from up to 50 miles. Also installed a DIY whole home DVR that integrates local OTA, PlutoTV, Philo & Stirr and streams to any device. All told 500+ channels to choose from.
Yes, I know, that is the obvious solution. However, as I get older (much older), I just wanted to prevent having to climb up on my three story home to change the connections at the OTA on the roof and was hoping to do this in my utility/network closet end. I rarely use the local channels but there are some football games on this weekend that happen to be carried on some local channels that are not part of my streaming package.
Reminds me of my brother-in-law who is an EE who holds many patents and designed cable set-top boxes (come to think of it I should ask him what a “lazy” work around is) for the major suppliers to the cable and satellite industry (he has since retired). Long before it became a popular saying, he used to say his job was to design boxes that could handle 500 channels that nobody wanted to watch. This morphed into “500 channels and nothing worth watching”, LOL.
Leaving the LNB connected will be a serious source of signal degradation as it will be a big source of impedance and without any amplification probably won't work. I agree with @kuzenkohome and you should connect the RG6 directly to the antenna removing any splitters possible. There's about a 2db loss for every connection and splitters can cut it in half or worse. OTA signal is much weaker than an amplified signal.
Thanks @lewis.heidrick for the reconfirmation. I was afraid I would have to get the ladder out and hope my health and life insurance policies are up to date, LOL!
Yeah, I know. Just a dyed in the wool hardcore DIYer. My wife’s common refrain is “you’re not going up on the roof/attic/other hazardous place again, are you?”
BTW, thank you @lewis.heidrick for all the HE related help/advice you have given me over the years!
