Newbie - a pointer in the right direction?

[twister]

Hey guys,

New to all things cable, so forgive me if my questions seem simple. Right, let me just jump in with the questions at hand. I am going to buy a Eurovox EX5000 PVR from LincSat, but thought I should ask precisely what other equipment I should buy from him in order to get this thing up and running.

From Virgin (ex-telewest), I am currently getting cable TV and broadband. The white box is placed in my property near the front door. From this box, there is a small (5-6 inch) wire which goes into what looks like a 2-way splitter, and from this splitter, two wires are taking the signal to my Pace box (living room) and to my modem (in my bedroom).

Now, I want to put the Eurovox in the bedroom, so I am presuming I need another splitter. And I presume I will also need another wire. Now, would I need to buy:

- a 3-way splitter (to replace the 2-way splitter near my white box) and another long wire to go from the white box to my bedroom straight into the Eurovox, with one other wire going to my living room (pace box) and another wire also going to my bedroom for the modem OR

- a two-way splitter, placed in my bedroom, which would split my broadband connection (which itself, would already be in the 2-way splitter near my white box), with two smaller wires which can go into my modem and Eurovox.

I hope you guys understand what I am trying to get at, and hopefully I haven't made a fool out of myself.

Thanks in advance,
Twister.

[danny2324]

Either would work. Both would have the same loss. You might find it much easier to just have another 2 way splitter in your bedroom save trailing an extra wire all the way there!

[twister]

Originally Posted by danny2324

Either would work. Both would have the same loss. You might find it much easier to just have another 2 way splitter in your bedroom save trailing an extra wire all the way there!

Thanks. Yeah, that is what I was hoping to do but wasn't sure, what with there being two 2-way splitters in that option.

Right, think I can place my order tomorrow.

Cheers, mate.

[danny2324]

Sorry welcome to the forums!

Insertion loss on a 3 way splitter is usually around 6.2dB, on 2 2-way splitters would be around 7dB.

lincsat will sell you a quality splitter and cable. You will need to take the cable out your modem and put that into the splitter, than you will need 2 cables from the splitter (1 to the modem, and 1 to the eurovox).

[Kurdt Kobain]

Personally I'd go for one 3 way splitter rather than two 2 way splitters. You could also cancel the Pace box / tv package with VM and buy another EX 5000 as the broadband signal alone is enough to bring the tv channels into your home, you don't need to incur the extra cost of the Pace box and the money saved could easily pay for a second Eurovox.

[danny2324]

Another thing to do is check your Downstream Receive Power Level on your modem, before and after you install the splitter. Ideally, you want as close to 0.0dBmV as possible but anything between -3dBmV and +3dBmV is good. Vermin Media only recognise a fault if it is out of the -8dBmV - +8dBmV range

Point your broswer to http://192.168.100.1/
Login in top left using Username: root Password: root
Click Downstream on left navigator thing
Downstream Power Level should be second to last in the list.

[Kurdt Kobain]

Originally Posted by danny2324

Another thing to do is check your Downstream Receive Power Level on your modem, before and after you install the splitter. Ideally, you want as close to 0.0dBmV as possible but anything between -3dBmV and +3dBmV is good. Vermin Media only recognise a fault if it is out of the -8dBmV - +8dBmV range

Point your broswer to http://192.168.100.1/
Login in top left using Username: root Password: root
Click Downstream on left navigator thing
Downstream Power Level should be second to last in the list.

Just checked ours and it states -3.2dBmV We pay for broadband ONLY but have a slitter running to a single EX 5000 aswell.

[twister]

Originally Posted by danny2324

Another thing to do is check your Downstream Receive Power Level on your modem, before and after you install the splitter. Ideally, you want as close to 0.0dBmV as possible but anything between -3dBmV and +3dBmV is good. Vermin Media only recognise a fault if it is out of the -8dBmV - +8dBmV range

Point your broswer to
Login in top left using Username: root Password: root
Click Downstream on left navigator thing
Downstream Power Level should be second to last in the list.

I have a Surfboard SB5100, so the navigation was slightly different to that, but found the signal page. The downstream power level reading currently reads at 10dB, so installing that second 2-way splitter should bring my power level closer to 0dB, and more within the -8 - +8dBmV acceptable range?

Which, I gather is beneficial.

Thank you for the welcome, and the help. I guess if first impressions are anything to go by, I'm glad to be posting here.

[danny2324]

Sorry should have explained it a bit more - to be fair it was dinner time! That was for an Ambit modem on QAM64 (thinking of myself here).

In the list you should see Downstream Modulation. If you are on QAM64 then 10dBV is quite high, however if you are on QAM256 then it should be ok, however you'd want around +4.5dBmV. Either way, the extra splitter would reduce this.

[twister]

Originally Posted by danny2324

Sorry should have explained it a bit more - to be fair it was dinner time! That was for an Ambit modem on QAM64 (thinking of myself here).

In the list you should see Downstream Modulation. If you are on QAM64 then 10dBV is quite high, however if you are on QAM256 then it should be ok, however you'd want around +4.5dBmV. Either way, the extra splitter would reduce this.

I think I read somewhere that I was on QAM256, unfortunately my modem doesn't list the Downstream Modulation. Either way, as you said the extra splitter will bring me down in an acceptable range so I am not too worried.

Placed my order just now, hopefully it will be a doddle to set-up.