To answer your question you need to go back to the system and see what their installation specifications are. And everyone keeps talking about the signal at 0db well that is on the forward channels at the TV. What the heck are you doing to the return path for the modem. It all comes down to system design and both the forward and return path are important. In most 2 way systems you have more than just the modem to consider as well you have cable boxes that communicate on the return path for pay per view and other interactive services.In these systems many MSO’s go with a designed level at the tap that will accommodate there average drop length and up to 4 tv’s. with the build of much larger homes some systems design for as many as 8 outlets. Common practice is to install a 2 way splitter or directional coupler to feed the modem on one side and a splitter for TV outlets on the other. Weather to use a splitter or a DC falls back to system design. Since most MSO’s charge per outlet they want home runs for several resins, 1 to control what outlets are on, 2 to reduce maintenance calls and troubleshooting time, 3 to prevent return path loss. Look at it this way what if you wire a house with a 2 way one dedicated to a modem and the other leg feeding three or four splitters in cascade to feed the tv’s. Sure you may have enough forward signal to feed the tv’s but what if at a later date the customer wants to move the modem to a room that is several splitter deep. The return loss may be too much to maintain proper signal and noise levels causing pour connection speeds or no connection at all. If each outlet were a home run and wired as previously described you would just need to connect the outlet to the modem port of the 2 way or DC and connect the old line back to a tv port.Every system has their own design levels forward and return and their own requirements for splitter installation. Most MSO’S have this as a published document and if you tell me who you are working for I bet I have that document on file somewhere.
This is CABL.com posting #330965. Tiny Link: cabl.co/mbygj
