Split the Cable, Split the Packets

I installed my little PixelView BT848 card into my server, so I needed a cable connection to it. I found a random cable splitter, and went to work inserting the splitter into the line before my cablemodem.

Apparently, this is not one of the splitters approved for broadband, because I had been on and off dropping 40% packets just trying to get anywhere past my cablemodem (say, other Comcast subscribers). When I finally realized this, I tried other cables and such, to find out it was definitely the splitter.

I'll have to go find a better splitter before I can get into exploring MythTV or some other DVR package. I did have xawtv working, though. Hopefully the better splitter will get me a better signal there too.