[RFI] tv cable splitters

[Jim Jarvis]

This isn't RFI...but guys with the answer may reside
on here.

I recently ran into a situation where my cable modem 
stopped working due to low signal.  Part of the problem
was traced to the cable provider.  However, in the course
of this, a 1x2 splitter which had been measured as having
3.5dB insertion loss, went bad.

I replaced it with a 1GHz rated splitter, and things came
back to normal.  In the course of this, I was treated to
a lecture from a radio shack staffer on how these passives
"burn out" from trying to pass wide bandwith signals.
(The one I pulled was only rated to UHF.)

Pure nonsense, of course.  But there IS the question of
what happened.  Anyone have a clue?

Jim Jarvis
410 439 1073 office
443 618 5560 cell
jimjarvis at ieee.org