Question Questions about splitting SMA antennas to increase multi-room bluetooth range.

[thevisi0nary]

Firstly I apologize if this isn't appropriate for this subforum, it is such a niche question that I am unsure where to post.

I have been working on building upon my crazy multi-room PS5 set up, which involves routing it to three different displays in three different rooms on the same floor. (I know some people have misgivings about this but it is what makes me happy).

I don't like to use wired controllers, right now this isn't an issue for two of the rooms, but the third room is further away and has the furnace + a metal pipe between it (unfortunately this is the only place it can go to most balance the three room setup).

I have been planning on modding the PS5 and replacing the internal antenna to create two external SMA connectors for use with external and more powerful antennas.

My question is: Would I be able to split the two SMA outs into three pairs or even two pairs of antennas that could go in each room? If this is possible, what would be the best way to accomplish this?

This is only in regards to the bluetooth controller as it's connected to the router via ethernet.

I understand that this is a very unconventional setup but I am determined to at least try to get all three rooms to work with the wireless controller before giving up and going wired.

This is a pic of the setup I am trying to accomplish: https://freeimage.host/i/Hzm9aoP

Thank you very much for any help.

 

[bill001g]

So you plan to run antenna cables rather than run ethernet to each room

Antenna you can likely hook up as many as you like to 1 cable. The problem is you are also increasing the amount on noise traffic the more antenna you use. It is a extremely complex topic if you try the math approach to figuring it out. In general it will mostly work.

The key problem is going to be the cost. First bluetooth is very low power so loss due to the cables is even more important. You have to be careful that you do not lose more signal in the cable than you add with the antenna. Bluetooth functions in the same microwave radio band as wifi.
The higher the frequencies the more loss you get per foot of cable so you need much better cable. You likely need to look at cable called LMR-600. You also will want to get it custom made or buy premade lengths. It takes a lot of skill to make solder connections that will not cause signal loss.

I suspect it will be cheaper to run ethernet and then find some kind of bluetooth over ethernet device. A 50ft lmr600 cable cost about $200.

 

[thevisi0nary]

So you plan to run antenna cables rather than run ethernet to each room

Antenna you can likely hook up as many as you like to 1 cable. The problem is you are also increasing the amount on noise traffic the more antenna you use. It is a extremely complex topic if you try the math approach to figuring it out. In general it will mostly work.

The key problem is going to be the cost. First bluetooth is very low power so loss due to the cables is even more important. You have to be careful that you do not lose more signal in the cable than you add with the antenna. Bluetooth functions in the same microwave radio band as wifi.
The higher the frequencies the more loss you get per foot of cable so you need much better cable. You likely need to look at cable called LMR-600. You also will want to get it custom made or buy premade lengths. It takes a lot of skill to make solder connections that will not cause signal loss.

I suspect it will be cheaper to run ethernet and then find some kind of bluetooth over ethernet device. A 50ft lmr600 cable cost about $200.

Interesting, thank you very much.

This is a pic of what I'm trying to do: https://freeimage.host/i/Hzm9aoP

Basically Tv 2 and Tv 3 are fine, Tv 1 is only about 25 feet away but there is a bunch of stuff between Tv1 and the PS5 and I can't move anything. My idea was to split a pair of antennas via sma so that one pair remains where the PS5 is and one is on the outer wall in the living room where Tv 1 is, beyond where the fridge, microwave, etc is.

 

[bill001g]

I am now confused.

I though you were talking about bluetooth. That would be say to run a keyboard or maybe a game controller.
I am not sure how a tv is involved. How do you plan to get the video signal from the ps5 to the tv. I have not used games consoles in a long time but I don't think they send the video over bluetooth.

If you plan to just run short antenna cables through the wall behind the ps5 that might work. Pretty easy to test the theory move the ps5 temporairly to the other room and see if it function correctly if you place it in a similar location to where you are going to run the antenna.

You still need to keep the antenna cables as short as you can and do not buy the cheapest cable you can find. You are going to take some loss just by inserting something like a splitter to add the second antenna.

 

[thevisi0nary]

I am now confused.

I though you were talking about bluetooth. That would be say to run a keyboard or maybe a game controller.
I am not sure how a tv is involved. How do you plan to get the video signal from the ps5 to the tv. I have not used games consoles in a long time but I don't think they send the video over bluetooth.

If you plan to just run short antenna cables through the wall behind the ps5 that might work. Pretty easy to test the theory move the ps5 temporairly to the other room and see if it function correctly if you place it in a similar location to where you are going to run the antenna.

You still need to keep the antenna cables as short as you can and do not buy the cheapest cable you can find. You are going to take some loss just by inserting something like a splitter to add the second antenna.

I have a 1x4 HDMI splitter that feeds all the different displays. The PS5 controller works in the bottom two rooms where Tv2 and Tv3 are when the PS5 is where it is in the picture. However, it does not work very well when playing in the living room on Tv 1, likely because there is a bunch of metal between and not because of distance because it's only about 20 ft.

I am going to do the antenna mod on the PS5 so that I have two external SMA connectors to connect an external & more powerful antenna/pair of antennas. My question is instead of having a single pair, could I use an SMA splitter to create TWO pairs of antennas, leave one where the PS5 is now, and route the other pair into the living room where Tv1 is.

 

[bill001g]

Yes you can use a three way connector( ie splitter) and connect the game console and 2 antenna for each of the antenna on the ps5. Again just be aware every splitter and every foot of cable you insert cut the signal level and bluetooth is very weak to start with.

I am surprise hdmi works at those distances. In some ways this would be easier if you had also run a ethernet cable. They make boxes that convert bluetooth to ethernet and then back to bluetooth on the other end.

 

[thevisi0nary]

I am surprise hdmi works at those distances. In some ways this would be easier if you had also run a ethernet cable. They make boxes that convert bluetooth to ethernet and then back to bluetooth on the other end.

Whoa what is the name of that type of device? I've searched several different things like "bluetooth repeater" or "sma repeater" and have found nothing.

For the HDMI splitter im using fiber HDMI cables.

 

[bill001g]

I must have been imagining things. I know I though I saw it when I was looking for KVM devices....maybe it was only keyboards it did. I find plenty of the reverse but nothing that lets you carry bluetooth over another medium.

Your plan is likely the best. I would still take the console and sit it near where you plan to run the antenna through the wall. If it doesn't work well directly like that then the added loss from messing with the antenna.
There are multiple level of bluetooth and I don't know for sure what a console uses. Many pc only have 8db of transmit power to start with so it does not take much to eat it...which is why wall do such a good job. Just check the specs and look at the db loss at 2400khz..ie 2.4ghz for stuff you buy.