A splitter and a multiplexer are both electronic devices used in networking and telecommunications, but they serve opposite purposes.
A splitter, also known as a signal splitter or power splitter, is a device that takes an input signal and splits it into multiple output signals. The purpose of a splitter is to distribute the signal to multiple devices or destinations. It is commonly used in applications like cable television (CATV) systems, where a single incoming signal needs to be distributed to multiple TVs or set-top boxes. Splitters typically have one input port and multiple output ports, and they divide the signal power equally among the outputs.
On the other hand, a multiplexer, often referred to as a mux, is a device that performs the opposite function. It takes multiple input signals and combines them into a single output signal. The purpose of a multiplexer is to conserve bandwidth or transmission resources by transmitting multiple signals over a shared medium. Multiplexers are commonly used in applications such as digital communication systems and data networks. They typically have multiple input ports and one output port.
To summarize, a splitter splits a single input signal into multiple outputs, while a multiplexer combines multiple input signals into a single output.
