Assume that an entire house is wired for cable tv and there are 8 cable drops in various rooms. Does the signal strength change if only 2 of the drops are actually connected to tvs versus if all of the drops are connected to tvs? Does it matter if the tv is on or not?
The main thing that affects your signal strength is the number of times the signal is split. If the incoming signal is split 8 ways, then each drop will have 1/8 of the signal strength of the original. Whether or not TVs are connected or turned on makes no difference.
Not true. Each tuner attenuates the signal a bit, too. Cheap CATV splitters don’t isolate.
Theoretically, each drop should come from a splitter or distribution amplifier, and be terminated with a 75 ohm load, either a receiver or a terminator. Then the signal levels would be constant on each drop.