How can I use just one indoor antenna for both my tv AND satellite box, when tv only has one coax input?

[Mellie815]

I have a Sony tube tv with one coax port. I have a direct tv off air antenna box AND the direct tv tuner. The antenna box only finds channels with an antenna hooked into it.

Now, in bad weather, my satellite loses all signal. When this happens, I want to be able to see OTA on the tv through my antenna, but the antenna is hooked into the off air antenna box. There's only one coax on my tv, so if the satellite goes down, I have to unhook the antenna from the off air box, unhook the direct tv coax in, and then him the antenna to the tv via coax. Which is a massive pain. I can't get a single channel on my tv without the OTA indoor antenna. How can I leave the antenna hooked to the direct tv and 'split' the coax on the tv?

 

[kanewolf]

You can get an A/B coax switch -- http/www.cablestogo.com/product/41015/high-isolation-ab-switch . It would allow you to switch the coax input between the Direct TV and OTA. You might also be able to use yellow/red/white RCA connections from your direct TV box rather than coax (depending on the TV and the direct TV box).

 

[Mellie815]

OK, but the indoor antenna only has one coax cable from it and it's plugged into the direct tv antenna box. So, don't I need to split the antenna AND use the box you suggest? Otherwise, I still have to get behind the direct tv box to unscrew the antenna to screw it into your solution.

 

[kanewolf]

If you watch OTA through the direct TV box, then you would also have to have a splitter.
There are A/B switches with remotes. You could just ALWAYS watch the OTA directly and switch via remote control between the two signal sources.
If you can do the yellow/red/white RCA connections from your direct TV box, that will give you a slightly better picture. You would then change TV inputs with your TV remote to switch between the OTA tuner and the direct TV.

 

[Mellie815]

Thank you in advance for your help! You seem vey knowledgeable. I can only use the indoor antenna with the off air DTV box if I want my channels to show up in the guide and be recordable/pauseable. So I wouldn't ever want to just use OTA unless the DTV is down. The option you just suggested is a little over my head. I didn't follow it all. I think I understand that I need two things. One, something to split the indoor antenna's single coax so it can go to two places: one is the DTV off air box, and two is to the tv, where I would need a second gizmo to split the single tv coax. Is that correct?
Can you tell I'm not very tech savvy on tv stuff?

 

[kanewolf]

Lets see if I can draw a word picture ....
Splitter -- https/www.amazon.com/Valley-2-Way-Cable-Splitter-Video/dp/B001X3MGFU
A/B Switch -- https/www.amazon.com/C2G-Cables-41015-Isolation-Switch/dp/B0002J2P2A

Antenna -> splitter (IN)
splitter output 1 -> A/B switch (port A)
splitter output 2 -> direct TV box -> A/B switch (port B)
A/B switch (middle port) -> to TV

When the A/B switch is on "A" you get antenna. When it is on "B" you get direct TV + antennna.

 

[americanaudiophile]

I think what is not clear is that your DTV box has a ova antenna input but when the sat signal goes offline the DTV receiver won't let you access the ova antenna. If that's correct then the best solution has been mentioned above.
Connect the DTV box to the TV with AV cables. You will get a better picture that way and free up the RF connection on the TV for the antenna. If you only use the antenna when the DTV signal is offline then you don't need to split that. If you do want to access those channels through the DTV box then you need to split the antenna lead and connect it to both the TV RF input and the ova antenna input on the DTV box.
If you TV doesn't have an AV input then you will need an AB switch too.