Sensing/estimating number of tuners ?

[Externet]

Good day.
Television broadcasters cannot count how many receivers are tuned to their programming, or can they have an idea ?
For cable distribution instead of over the air, wondering if measuring signal levels could work... somewhat.

Today, I had marginal reception on a given over-the-air channel in both home televisions. Not viewable on any. Video interrupted every few seconds, pixelated, muted, constantly annoying. By atmospheric conditions or whatever. Both televisions onto a single roof mounted antenna with signal splitter.
Changed channel tuning in one TV; the other improved reception . Turned off that one TV, reception improved on the other even more to the point of normal reception.
Does it mean the signal level on one TV improved when the other was not tuned to the same channel ? And turning off that TV resulted in signal level improved even more ?

Makes sense --- loading the signal decreases levels --- more noticeable when marginal.
Has anyone explored measuring levels for a cable broadcaster to estimate customers in real time by reading signal levels at every booster stage ? Or am peeing out of the can ?

 

[barry]

Wait. So you think turning off your one of thousands, maybe MILLIONS, of tv's improved the reception on the other tv because of the reduced load on the broadcast antenna?

 

[vfone]

I don't know where in mideast you live, but here is a link where you can find the reception levels of the free TV channels for most important cities in US by state.
Gives you an idea where you stand. You may need a higher gain antenna, or/and a low noise amplifier:

Free TV Channels By State - Find Local TV Channels By Zip

View a list of Free TV Channels by State. Find local tv channels by zip code to determine signal strength and antenna selection.

www.channelmaster.com

 

[ge]

1) It sounds like a tv is putting noise on the line. If so, you can put something (a 6dB attenuator or low power preamp) between the splitter and tv, that will isolation the tv putting noise on the line. Unfortunately you will lose 6dB of signal. Maybe people make amplified splitters?

2) Also, if you can put can put a preamp on the line between the antenna and splitter, that will help reception.
Prior to the splitter amplifies the signal and not the 6dB loss of the splitter.

 

[FvM]

Cable TV as well as multi user antenna networks use distribution amplifiers, directional couplers and attenuators, isolating indivudual receivers against each other.

--- Updated Dec 11, 2022 ---

If you connect two TV receivers to an antenna jack with simple T-connector instead of isolating splitter, there may be some interaction.