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can I connect another tv to an existing digital box

 
Dan - Master Tech's Avatar
  • Answered by:Dan - Master Tech
  • Master Electronic Technician
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Customer Question

I have a tv connected to a comcast cable digital box.
I want to know if I can use a 3 way splitter and connect another tv to the cable??
and if so-do i do it before or after the digital box???
also will i get limited channels on the 2nd tv without another digital box???

Submitted: 1470 days and 2 hours ago.
Category: TV
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED
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Expert:  Dan - Master Tech replied 1470 days and 2 hours ago.

GreetingsCustomer if you connect TV's using the following procedure, each TV will work the same as the other and all will receive the same channel at the same time.

  • Incoming cable TV line to Comcast Cable box input.
  • RF out (or TV Out) to input of splitter.
  • Outputs of splitter to TV RF In of each TV
  • Tune each TV to the same channel (3 or 4 or other if different)
  • Selecting channel on Comcast box will show the same channel on each TV
If you place the splitter before the Comcast box and run one output to the box and the other one to the second TV, the only channels the second TV will receive will be the basic tier. It will also depend on how new the 2nd TV is and whether it has a digital cable tuner built in. If your cable system is entirely digital and you have an analog tuner in your second TV, then it will not work. To know for sure I would have to know the brand and model of the second TV as well as how your particular Comcast Cable system broadcasts its channels on the cable system.

Dan

Customer replied 1470 days and 1 hours ago.

the tv we are hooking up is a new hannspree 10" novelty baseball tv - it has a screw in cable on the back of it but i'm not sure if it is a digital tuner equipped tv? on the box it says it has a 4 in 1 A/V cable if that means anything. what other info should i look for for you to advise the correct way to hookup??? i bought it on ebay and the guy said it had everything to hookup to cable???
Model name:Hannsbaseball.champions 2005
Product Number:St09-10U1-100
Serial Number:551BSTO9100C0110
i'm leaving now and won't be back online till morning...i appreciate you help. thanks-looking forward to your reply...

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Expert:  Dan - Master Tech replied 1469 days and 17 hours ago.

Morning here now and just reviewed information on the Hannsbaseball TV. It has an analog tuner which means it will not receive any digital channels without a converter. While it may have a threaded cable connector, it will only receive those channels that are analog only whether it is cable or antenna. Since Comcast has different channel setups on each of their systems around the country, you can either check with your local Comcast office or just connect it directly to the incoming cable line to see if it works.

If you need any further information or clarification please let me know.
Dan

Customer replied 1469 days and 14 hours ago.

Bummer... so if i go buy a converter, is the hookup the same as you said in your first answer??? thank you for the quick responds...

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Expert:  Dan - Master Tech replied 1469 days and 14 hours ago.

Yes, you would need to buy a converter or rent one depending on how the cable company has the tiers set up as far as scrambling and whether they are digital or analog. Since digital cable is different than over-the-air (antenna) digital reception, you cannot use any digital converters being sold for the digital changeover affecting antenna reception. Once you have the second converter, you would place the 2-way splitter ahead of the first cable box and send the signal to the first one and the second one. That will give you independent channel selection at each location since each TV would have its own cable box.

DanDan - Master Tech39907.6447770023

Customer replied 1467 days and 15 hours ago.

Sorry, something unexpected came up yesterday...
I appreciate your answers, but I'm still very confused with the way to hookup...
I don't understand why I need a converter box...
I have other older tv's hooked up directly to the provided coax cable and the tv's work good...
I assumed the new baseball tv would too and I just needed to know if I should hook it up before or after the cable digital box...
And if I do it after will it get the same channels as the other tv and if I do it before will it be just regular cable tv? which would be ok...
I guess after all this I will need to do a trial and error...
If you have anything you can add to this, I'd appreciate it,please let me know~otherwise I'll accept your next answer for payment because of my agreement not because I have a direct answer to my question...

Accepted Answer

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Expert:  Dan - Master Tech replied 1467 days and 13 hours ago.

I would prefer to be able to answer your question as directly as possible. The answer to your question has already been answered but I will try to clarify.

  • Since there was no mention of other "older" tv's earlier, I had no way of knowing if your cable system is completely digital or contained analog programming. That was why I suggested calling Comcast to find out.
  • My earlier suggestion of installing the splitter before the cable converter still stands. Running one leg to the "baseball" TV and the other to the current cable box. This will enable the cable converter to work on your existing TV and the "baseball" TV to receive any analog programming that is available. The only thing you will need to do is make sure the menu setting is for cable and not antenna.
  • You asked if you would "get limited channels on the 2nd tv without another digital box" which prompted my other suggestion of a second converter since I have no idea if you subscribe to any digital tiers or programming. If the only way to receive certain channels is by way of a digital cable box, then yes, you would need one. Otherwise, connect direct (through the splitter of course) to the TV for any analog signals.
I hope this clears up any confusion. Since much of this is basic to me I sometimes lose my perspective from a customer's point of view.

Certainly, if you need any further information or clarification, please do not hesitate to ask.
Dan

Expert TypeMaster Electronic Technician
Category: TV
Pos. Feedback: 97.5 %
Accepts: 1115
Answered: 4/6/2009

Experience: Nearly 4 decades of installing and repairing TV's of all types.

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Customer replied 1467 days and 13 hours ago.

Thanks you so very much, I thoroughly understand now...
I appreciate you rewording it for me to get it...

 
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