What's a splitter?
A splitter is a wiring device that can send a signal from your antenna into both your converter box and your TV set. With a splitter your TV set can receive analog signals directly from the antenna, while your converter box receives the digital signals from the antenna. Splitters can be purchased at many consumer electronic retail stores, including Radio Shack.
Viewers who purchase converter boxes without "analog pass-through" will need a splitter device to easily interchange between analog and digital programming.
The antenna is connected to the input of the antenna splitter and the two outputs of the splitter are connected to the antenna inputs on the converter box and on the TV set. The converter box output is then connected to the TV using the "line" or "video and audio" connections.
What if I have a much older set with only one input?
If you have a TV set with only one input for antenna or cable, you will need an A/B switch in addition to a splitter.
Connect the antenna to the input of the splitter. Connect one of the splitter outputs to the converter box antenna input. Connect the other output of the splitter to the A input of the A/B switch. Connect the B input of the A/B switch to the antenna output of the converter box. Connect the output of the A/B switch to the antenna input on the TV set. The TV is set to "antenna" for its source. To view low-power analog stations, put the A/B switch in the A position and use the tuner in the TV set. To watch digital stations, tune the TV to channel 3 or 4, put the A/B switch in the B position, and use the converter box to tune the digital channels.
