This post was most recently updated on April 9th, 2019

There is a hundred and one reasons why you would want to share your decoder’s signal. Like I once stated on this site, we have some satellite accessories that are useful for extended use of a satellite decoder. As you are already here, you will have the privilege to learn of Ways to extend your decoder’s signals. By this, I mean how you can extend the signal from one decoder to another. Basically, we have some accessories that can aid your curse and these include: splitters, DiSEqC, dual LNB, coaxial cable, f-connectors and so on

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Why should you Share/Extend your Decoder’s Signal?

We have the urge to share our decoder’s signal for various reasons. Some of this reasons include but not limited to the followings:

• For extended view purpose: In some occasions, you want to share the program you are viewing from the same decoder to another TV in the building. Most importantly, you don’t want to buy another Dish and decoder.
• Secondly, you want an extra-view setting: This is mostly associated with a Pay-TV subscription. To pull this off, you need two decoders, One subscription and either a special LNB or an extender. Read more here for how you can perform this feat with DStv decoders.
• Furthermore, you may want to use the same signal from a single Dish on two decoders.
• Finally, you may want to use a satellite signal from One dish on two or more receivers.

Types of Decoders Signal extension/sharing

We have two major types of sharing a decoder’s signal. This is:

1. Decoder signal sharing on a Pay-TV/company branded decoders. There are different names given to this type or re-sharing. You can call it extended play or extra-view.As I said, you can use this only with a decoder that has an official subscription by a pay-tv company. This will not work fine with decoders using IKS accounts.
2. Satellite Signal TV sharing on FTA decoders.

Overview of Ways to extend your decoder’s signals

1. First off, you can share your signal from one dish to as much as 8 decoders. For a 90CM dish, you can only share your signal with 4 decoders. On a 3-Meters dish, you can go as high as 8 decoders. All of this requires Multi-ways LNBfs. Note; you need a LNB holder for 3 or more LNB pins)
2. Secondly, you can share your signal between decoders via a splitter(splitters has limitations)
3. In addition, you can loop your satellite signal. The looping features come standard in virtually all decoders including company-branded decoders like DStv.
4. Also, you can connect two televisions via RF connections. This method is popular in hotels and hostels.
5. Finally, Via a piece of advanced equipment that can enable simultaneous views where you can both change the channels independently(This is not a subject of discussion for now)

Ways to extend your decoder’s signals Explained in detail

How to connect your decoder’s signal to two or more televisions using the RF port/Signal

To begin with, the RF signal extended connection is applicable to both Pay-TV decoders as well as FTA standalone decoders. By paytv decoders, I mean decoders that are produced by registered satellite TV companies. For example, we have DStv, KWESE, IN SUB-SAHARA. We have sky, beIN in Europe and MENA. Locating the RF out on any decoder is pretty easy. Just look out for the “RF OUT” label on the back of any decoder.

Unfortunately, this function is limited but luckily effective. Also, you might not get the highest picture quality from the other TV using this method. For you to establish a successful RF to RF connection you need to connect one end of the cable to the RF OUT and the other end to the TV’s |RF IN.

Next, From the TV set, search through as if you are searching for terrestrial TV signal/channels(remember the good old UHF/VHF channels days) and you should get the reception. This is an alternative to HDMI and RF wire connection which is very much common to us, you can as well split the signals to two or more Television sets.
The downside of RF signal connection is that you can only watch what the main TV is watching. In other words, you don’t have the liberty of changing channels from the TV except the decoder does this. This is different from the dual view feature where you can change channels from the other decoders.

Ways to extend your decoder’s signals using Multiple-Ways LNBf

8-Ways LNB for sharing satellite Signals

With at least a 2-ways LNBf, you can share our signal from a single dish to various decoders ranging from one pin to eight pins. With either of the above-listed variants of LNBfs, you can simply share your lnb signals to other decoders from a single dish. You can use an octa LNBf(octa lnb means eight ways lnb). i.e from one dish/antenna to eight decoders.

When you use a multi-pin LNBf, none of the signals transferred to any of the decoders will be distorted/disrupted. This means, all the decoders can work and serve the same purpose. None of the decoders will alternate as they will work independently of one another. They will all give the same output. In this case, every decoder and users are at liberty to watch any frequency or channels anytime without affecting the signal of the other.

Ways to Extend your Decoder’s Signals by looping the Signal

It is not surprising that just like the RF, most decoders come with this function. To get to this port, check the back of your decoder. The LNB loop in/out is usually position beside the RF IN/OUT. Other times, you can see this at the back of your decoder immediately next to the LNB IN. Just like the picture above, should see a \Similar port with the label “Loop Out Or LNB out”.

How does LNB looping works?

Looping is almost similar to using a splitter. With looping, you are restricted to one frequency. which I will explain later under Splitter.

How do I Loop a Decoder’s Signal?

Looping a decoder is a kind of master and slave connection. You need to connect one end of the coaxial/LNB cable to the LNB and the other end to the LNB input at the back of the decoder. The decoder that has this direct connection from the dish becomes the primary decoder. It is noteworthy that you get your main signal from the primary decoder.

Next, use a coaxial cable from the Primary decoder and perform a connection from the “LNB Out / LOOP OUT” of the pry decoder to the other decoder’s LNB IN. Congratulations, you have just looped the signal.

However, like I earlier said, looping is similar to using a splitter. For things to work well, both decoders must carry the same frequency and on the same satellite. Additionally, the second decoder will not work except the primary decoder is powered on.

The primary decoder serves as the signal translator. you can loop to as many decoders as possible, to add more decoders, simply carry out this simple steps; From the second decoder which you looped you should loop out from it just as you did with the primary decoder you loop out and connect to the LNB in of the 3rd decoder. The chain continues. For example, to add more you loop from the 3rd to the 4th and so on.

Note: All the decoders must be powered on and must carry the same frequency and satellite like the one in the main primary decoder.

How to SetUp a Splitter in Order to Share your Signal between two Television

The last but not the least Another Ways to extend your decoder’s signals is to share our cable TV signal from the LNB to two or more decoders via a device called [splitter]. A signal splitter is less expensive and cheaper than buying a double pin LNB. However, it has its comparative limitations as listed below:

First off, when you use a splitter you are limited to use only one frequency for both receivers. What this means is that you can not use two or more frequency when using a splitter. For example, if you are to track multi tv @ 28.2East, we have about four Frequency on this satellite. The major frequencies on 28E are; 12525 V 27000, 11565 v 30000, 11675V30000, and 11093 V 30000.

Let’s assume you use a double pin LNB for the two decoders, you will be able to watch all the channels on all frequency hitch-free. But when you use a splitter you are only to use one frequency at a time for both decoders. If you choose 12525 V 27000 on one decoder, the other decoder must also use same frequency 12525 V 27000.

Also, if at any time you change the frequency of any of the decoders, the other one will suffer. If you must enjoy all channels you must make sure you are using the same frequency simultaneously for both decoders. Suffice to say decoder 1 shouldn’t be on 12525 V 27000 and the other decoder on frequency 11093 V 30000. If this happens one will lose signal connection.

Fortunately, if one of the decoders is turned off, you can watch any frequency at any time. On the contrary, once the other connected decoder is powered on, you must stick to the rule of one same frequency. This is the main difference between splitting and looping.