You can connect two TVs to one GOtv decoder without buying a second decoder or paying a second subscription. A few cheap cables from any electronics shop are enough. There is one catch: both TVs always show the same channel.
That is because a GOtv decoder has one tuner, so it can only play one channel at a time. No cable or gadget changes that. If you need two different channels, see the last section.
Two Ways to Connect Two TVs to One GOtv Decoder
Use an HDMI splitter if your decoder has an HDMI socket. It gives the sharpest picture. Use coaxial cable from the RF OUT socket if the second TV is far away or has no spare HDMI input.
- HDMI splitter: sharp picture, easy setup, best for TVs within a few metres.
- Coaxial cable: cheap and works over long runs, but the picture is softer.
Method 1: Connect Two TVs to One Decoder With an HDMI Splitter
Plug the decoder’s HDMI cable into the splitter’s input. Then run an HDMI cable from each splitter output to each TV, and set both TVs to the right HDMI input.
- Buy a powered HDMI splitter with at least two outputs.
- Connect the decoder’s HDMI out to the splitter’s input.
- Run one HDMI cable from each output to each TV.
- Plug in the splitter’s power, then switch everything on.
- On each TV, press Source or Input and choose the HDMI socket you used.
HDMI cables lose signal over long runs. For a TV in another room, use an HDMI extender, which sends the picture over a network cable instead.
Method 2: Connect a Second TV With Coaxial Cable
What you need
- Coaxial cable long enough to reach the second TV.
- Two F connectors, one for each end.
- An F female to TV PAL male adapter for the TV end.
- A splitter, only if you are connecting three or more TVs.
- A signal booster, only for cable runs over about 30 metres.
How to connect it
- Fit an F connector to each end of the cable, and add the PAL adapter to the TV end.
- Switch off the decoder.
- Connect one end of the cable to the socket marked RF OUT on the back of the decoder.
- Plug the other end into the second TV’s aerial socket.
- Switch both on, then run a channel scan on the second TV with its own remote.
- Save the channel it finds. That channel shows whatever the decoder is playing.
If the scan finds nothing, your decoder’s RF OUT socket may only pass the antenna signal through rather than the decoder’s picture. In that case, use the HDMI method or the decoder’s AV output instead.
Connecting Three or More TVs
Run one cable from the decoder into a splitter, then one cable from each splitter output to each TV. Scan for the channel on every TV.
Each split weakens the signal a little, so watch the picture as you add TVs. On a very long cable run, a booster on that cable keeps the picture clear.
Changing the Channel From Another Room
The GOtv remote must point at the decoder, so someone in the bedroom cannot change the channel. A remote extender, sometimes called a remote blaster, fixes that. It picks up your remote near the second TV and passes the signal back to the decoder.
Remember that it only moves the remote. Whatever channel you pick still plays on every TV, including the one in the living room. For more on the remote itself, see our GOtv remote control guide.
If Two TVs on One GOtv Decoder Need Different Channels
One GOtv decoder cannot show two channels at once. For different channels in each room, you need a second decoder with its own subscription.
DStv has a way around this, called XtraView, which links extra decoders to one account for a monthly fee. GOtv does not offer anything similar. If two channels matter more than the cost, a second GOtv decoder is the only option. Our guide on connecting DStv to multiple TVs explains XtraView if you are thinking of switching.
Common Questions
Can I watch different channels on two TVs with one GOtv decoder?
No. Every TV connected to one GOtv decoder shows the same channel, because the decoder has one tuner.
Do I pay extra to connect a second TV?
No. Connecting a second TV to the same decoder needs no extra subscription, only the cables.
One Decoder, Two Screens
To connect two TVs to one GOtv decoder, use an HDMI splitter for the best picture, or coaxial cable for a distant room. Both TVs share one channel, and a remote extender lets you change it from the second room. If the picture is weak on every TV, our guide to fixing a GOtv antenna covers the signal.
For decoder models and accessories in your country, check the official GOtv Africa website.
Frenzy valentine is a passionate blogger, developer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and author of myfreshgists.com.