[Discuss] Extra splitter (OT)

[blu at nedharvey.com (Edward Ned Harvey)]

> From: discuss-bounces+blu=nedharvey.com at blu.org [mailto:discuss-
> bounces+blu=nedharvey.com at blu.org] On Behalf Of Matt Shields
> 
> > With the technological advances made since then, is this extra two-way
> > splitter still required today, or could everything now go into one
splitter?
> 
> No because comcast no longer supports analog cable.  

That's actually not relevant.  Regardless of whether it's digital or analog,
going into an n-way splitter will still reduce the signal by a factor of n,
which decreases the signal to noise ratio.  You've still got one driver, but
now you've got n-times more cable and sinks that need to be driven.

Think of digital Ethernet, driving a 300-ft cat5e cable, versus Ethernet
driving 5 cables that are all 300ft.  To really drive this point home,
remember that Ethernet doesn't have to be delivered on RJ45 twisted pair.
It can also be delivered on coax, and there are loads of related specs
determining the maximum cable length, cable type, and types of termination,
etc.

If you don't have a good enough SNR on the analog line, you get glitches.
If you don't have a good enough SNR on the digital, you get glitches.

As edwardp suggested, there may be more advanced technology (smarter
transmitter, better cables) that eliminate the need for the extra splitter.
But the conversion from analog to digital isn't relevant.  Either way it's
still the same amount of bandwidth going through the same medium.