How to Choose a Wireless Cable TV Extender

Updated January 30, 2012

How to Choose a Wireless Cable TV Extender

If this is your first time reading this article, please realize that it has been updated several times over the years as the technology has changed and new products have come out. You will see below that Wireless Cable Extenders are nearly a product of the past, as they only transmit in standard definition, but they do have a Cable TV decoder built in. There are new wireless extenders which can handle HD signals, but none that have a Cable TV decoder built-in, for good reason as these decoders only work on analog channels, and analog channels are nearly extinct. Regardless, standard definition is still plenty fine for many people, especially for a 2nd TV, as is typically the use case for this type of product. And now, on to the bulk of the article, with some updates:

If you are shopping for a Wireless Cable TV Extender, you are probably trying to send the signal from your Cable TV box to a TV in a room or outside where there is no cable TV currently. A fairly simple solution is to send the signal wirelessly to the other room using a Wireless Cable TV Extender. 

We have several other solutions for sending a TV signal or AV signal to another room if you don’t need the specific Cable TV feature, or if you want to get TV on your computer or send your computer signal to a TV. We also now have a few products which can send HD signals across the room or to a nearby room (less than 40 meters away). See the Home Entertainment section in the left column for Wireless AV / TV Extenders and Wireless PC to TV products.

When it comes down to Wireless Cable TV Extenders, there are only two good solutions, and we don't expect them to be around much longer. Most cable operators are moving or have already moved to 100% digital transmission. If your cable provider advertises 100% digital, this solution is overkill for you as you can't utilize the analog tuner that is built in. You can get by with a standard AV Extender, and we have several to choose from. The downside is that without the built- in tuner you can't watch 2 different channels on 2 TV's. If your cable company still provides some Analog channels, then the Cable TV Extenders will be able to decode that analog signal and give you the ability to watch 2 different channels on 2 TV's.

To restate this another way: note that I mention Wireless CABLE TV extenders, and not just a TV Signal extender, or Wireless TV Signal Transmitter… that is because most solutions simply transmit what is playing on your main TV (source) to your second TV, thereby playing the same program on both TV’s. When you change the channel on one, you change the channel on both. While this is not necessarily bad, there is an option that also gives you the ability to watch 2 different channels on the 2 TV’s, although this feature only applies to ANALOG Cable TV Channels. 

The true wireless cable TV extender products are really 2 products in 1. They are an AV (TV) signal transmitter AND a Cable TV decoder (analog signals only). 

The first part of the product, the AV Transmitter portion, allows you to send the signal from any AV source (Digital Cable, Satellite TV, Camera, DVR, etc…) to another TV. What is being transmitted is what will be shown on the 2nd TV. As we stated before, we have several products that just do this function.

The second part is what makes these CATV products really unique. The product has a built-in Analog Cable TV Tuner in it, therefore it can decode the cable TV signals that are analog (usually the basic channels) and allow you to change the channel on the 2nd TV independent of the source (1st TV). Again, this only works for the Analog channels, so if you don’t have any analog channels, or if you want to watch a digital channel or another AV source, then you switch to Digital mode (using the remote) and you can watch that channel (or source) on both TV’s.

2.4 GHz vs. 5.8 GHz
There are few difference between the Wireless Cable TV Extenders on the market. One of the models (RF-Link) uses the 5.8GHz spectrum to transmit the data, and the other (AITech) uses the 2.4 GHz spectrum. 2.4HGz is fine for close range transmission. My rule of thumb is usually 50-75 feet, depending on how many walls or floors you are trying to transmit through, and what they are made of.

5.8GHz goes the extra distance. You can get up to 300 feet with direct line of sight. I recommend no more than 100 feet within a building. The 5.8GHz version may also be a better option if you live in an apartment, condo or town home community where other residence have wireless phones, wireless internet, baby monitors, etc. You should get less interference with 5.8GHz than 2.4 GHz.

We have been selling models by Angeltrax, AITech and RF-Link for years (with Angeltrax being the main designer and manufacturer of this technology). RF-Link and AITech are the 2 brands still making this product. The functionality of the products is exactly the same. Both current models connect to your cable box and TV via composite cables (red, white, yellow). Both have an IR extender.

High Definition
For customers looking to wirelessly transmit their HD (high definition) signals, there are finally some products which accomplish this. The original HD TV Extenders (circa 2008-2010) were very expensive and didn't work well at all. A new standard was developed to handle the wide bandwidth required to transmit high definition video, and a new crop of products is finally being born.

I was able to get a firsthand look at some of this emerging technology at CES 2012 (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. Interestingly, I also sat with one of the major chip set manufacturers for an unrelated project and was given visibility to a new chip which will allow this type of data transmission through coax, power line or twisted pair (copper) wires. This means that in the near future (say 2013-ish) you will be able to send all your TV signals, even high definition, through existing cables in your house. There will be some real alternatives to wireless. But, for now, what we have are some really good wireless products.

See the WHD-5001 from RF-Link. It operates in the 5.0 GHz bandwidth, connects to your TV and AV source via HDMI, and is very reasonable in price. RF-Link is also a good company to work with. We are confident in their products and service. The WHD-5001 does not have a Cable TV decoder in it, so you will have the same channel on both TV's, but as I explained before, who cares! Analog cable is a thing of the past and who wants to spend money transmitting standard definition to their new awesome HD TV? Standard def is great for a small kitchen TV, one in the den or kids room, but for football, movies, etc... HD is the only way to go. Speaking of HD... I really need to write a separate article about what is coming down the pipe in displays. In a couple years, there will be as big of a leap in TV performance as there was between standard tube TV's and High Definition flat screens.

More products are being set up as they become available. Realize that there are sometimes mutiple technology solutions for any problem.

I will keep searching for new products which will allow users to place their TV's wherever they like and still get the HD signal from their cable, satellite, DVR, DVD player or game station to them. Stay tuned for more.

Ross Minion
PCPOWERZONE

Serving Power Users since 2001

© Copyright 2012 PC Power Zone. All Rights Reserved