Repurposing internal TV wiring

[Dave2002]

I'm repurposing the TV wiring in our house. It has previously been wired up with a video distribution point in the loft - an 8 way video amplifier. I have now successfully got the 4 output LNB from the satellite dish linked up to the smart TV, and now I want to link another couple of wires in to the back of our Humax Freesat box. As it happens there is only one wire down in the room with the other TV, but an adjacent room also has a wire on a wall backing on to that, so it should be easy enough to pull the wire through - though I'll have to extend it first. That should give me two inputs to the tuners on the Freesat box.

What I want to know is - "are there any neat plates which just have holes, to poke appropriate sized coax cable through?" - or do I have to resort to something like this - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twin-Satell.../dp/B008NX5C22 - a twin F connector outlet plate. I could do either, but ideally I suppose it would be better to just get the cable through, to minimise any losses at junctions. There will be losses up in the loft too, as I'll have to split and rejoin different cables, but the evidence so far is that it will all work. I really don't want to just make holes in the wall, and plaster over them, though I've done that before.

Originally I thought I'd have to drop cable down through the wall, but that might be trickier than I'd thought - even though I bought some extra cable for that purpose, due to access in the loft, and also the way the cables have been routed, so repurposing the already installed cable seems the best way to go. If I were starting from scratch I'd use new cable, as I'd choose cable with higher specification, but from where we are at the present ....

[Quarky]

"are there any neat plates which just have holes, to poke appropriate sized coax cable through?"

Can't you cut an Al sheet to size, and drill some holes through? (Don't really understand your issue).

[Sir Velo]

I'm repurposing the TV wiring in our house. It has previously been wired up with a video distribution point in the loft - an 8 way video amplifier. I have now successfully got the 4 output LNB from the satellite dish linked up to the smart TV, and now I want to link another couple of wires in to the back of our Humax Freesat box. As it happens there is only one wire down in the room with the other TV, but an adjacent room also has a wire on a wall backing on to that, so it should be easy enough to pull the wire through - though I'll have to extend it first. That should give me two inputs to the tuners on the Freesat box.

What I want to know is - "are there any neat plates which just have holes, to poke appropriate sized coax cable through?" - or do I have to resort to something like this - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twin-Satell.../dp/B008NX5C22 - a twin F connector outlet plate. I could do either, but ideally I suppose it would be better to just get the cable through, to minimise any losses at junctions. There will be losses up in the loft too, as I'll have to split and rejoin different cables, but the evidence so far is that it will all work. I really don't want to just make holes in the wall, and plaster over them, though I've done that before.

Originally I thought I'd have to drop cable down through the wall, but that might be trickier than I'd thought - even though I bought some extra cable for that purpose, due to access in the loft, and also the way the cables have been routed, so repurposing the already installed cable seems the best way to go. If I were starting from scratch I'd use new cable, as I'd choose cable with higher specification, but from where we are at the present ....

Have you heard of electricians?

[Dave2002]

Have you heard of electricians?

Good ones hard to find, and some are useless and some are very expensive.

Many of the people who “do” things - electricians, heating “engineers", plumbers are able to fix things within their skill range, but some are limited and have a very limited understanding of what they're doing. Some are brilliant, but hard to find. Some do bodge jobs which are perhaps considerably worse than what I can do myself, and this is only apparent years later. Also, in fairness, some have to compromise because of previous work by others - as I am trying to do here.

Re the drill holes in aluminium suggestion - yes that would work. I could even use plastic, though I'd like something that didn't look too home made.

It may be that the possible signal losses/noise issues at each connection aren't going to be a problem, but if I could minimise the joins in the cables that would be a good thing, I think. Hence rather than run cable to the F connector plates inside the wall, and then have additional cables to the PVR, if I could join new cable to run all the way to the PVR that should save (perhaps) a few dBs and reduce the connection count by one.

This page has a few suggestions - http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/extend_cable.htm

I looked to see if there is real evidence that extra lengths of cable and extra joints could be detrimental, and there are some reported experiences of poor picture quality due to poor cables and joints, though some people get away with those, or at least find them acceptable enough. If I could get new cable down through the walls I'd probably do that, but that's much easier said than done. With TVs which are capable of giving very/rather good picture quality, it makes sense to aspire to give them the best chance. Previous experience - though admittedly with FreeView rather than FreeSat - suggests that getting a good strong clean signal to a set can make a very significant difference to the picture quality. I would expect the same with satellite installations - though it can depend on how marginal the state of affairs is.

[MrGongGong]

Not sure where you have been looking for things
but these are where I would go first

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/

https://www.canford.co.uk

https://www.studiospares.com

[Dave2002]

Thanks. This is close to the kind of thing I was looking for - though I’d prefer white or cream plastic. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/aerial-sockets/8863297/

If there’s anything similar which would fit over a square box that’d be good. I’ll look through the catalogues.

That’s very helpful.

[johnb]

Dave,

Do a google for "Flex Outlet Plates".

These usually have only one hole.

If you want a plate with two holes you might have to get a "Blanking Plate" and drill two suitable holes in it. Taking *great* care to round and smooth any sharp edges after drilling.

For what it's worth, I understand you concern about losses but a conventional outlet plate is a better and more versatile solution IMO.

If you are intending to drop a cable down inside a conduit (or something) the best thing to do is first drop a string (with a small weight at the end) down. Secure the top end of the string to the cable and then use the string to pull the cable through . Perhaps this is a over the top but it won't hurt: when you tie the string to the cable, I would make a hole through the cable. loop the string through it and tie it at the end of the cable (not the side), wrap a layer of tape round the string and cable so there are no jutting out bits.

[Dave2002]

johnb

Thanks for the suggestions. The problems with dropping cable down from the loft are:

1. Part of the loft is boarded, and the boards would have to be removed and subsequently replaced in order to get the cable to where needed.
2. I think there are cross struts in the wall which would get in the way of any string or cable.

One thing I've tried is to see if the cables move - which would give the option of tying string to them, and then pulling up to the loft, followed by pulling new cable back down through the same route. Unfortunately I think the cables must go through small holes and probably through sideways pieces of wood, so they don't move freely.

I could "solve" the problem by hacking through the plaster board, and then installing the cable, but that would give a significantly bigger redecoration problem for later.

Another solution for the cable holes in the wall is to use bushes/grommets as in this page from SatCure - http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page7.htm#grommet. I have done this before. It isn't perfect, but is hidden behind equipment, and with plaster etc. makes it harder for mice to get through the holes.

You are probably right about the losses being low enough not to worry about, and just using standard connector plates, but I'll try my cable solutions first. It's the old issue of "not starting from here". It may well be that the cables embedded in the wall are not fully up to the ideal standard for satellite TV, but if I can get them working reasonably well that will be a big improvement.

[Dave2002]

This flex plate gives one hole - https://www.screwfix.com/p/crabtree-...et-white/29716 and looks quite neat. Now I just need to see if any firm does one with two holes!

[Quarky]

This flex plate gives one hole - https://www.screwfix.com/p/crabtree-...et-white/29716 and looks quite neat. Now I just need to see if any firm does one with two holes!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Double-Type-Coaxial-Socket-Plate/dp/B007OH4XOG/ref=pd_sbs_504_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B007OH4XOG&pd_rd_r=18ef72ec-0695-11e9-877d-f372ef316dca&pd_rd_w=0urOu&pd_rd_wg=Gcba7&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=F6FXH78NHY6DQKJ3P3K0&psc=1&refRID=F6FXH78NHY6DQKJ3P3K0

Your original suggestion might work. It looks as though the connectors are mounted on a circuit board, which could be unscrewed/ cut out, leaving two holes.

[Dave2002]

Things got a little more complicated. I was hoping that some of the other cables could be repurposed, but a test of one cable showed that it wasn't capable at all. One other "down" cable might work, but it's not easy to find where that goes/comes from in the loft. Anyway, ideally I'd like two cables for the two satellite tuners in our Humax box.

At some point I might have to drop new wires down from the loft - but I'm not relishing the thoughts of that. The loft areas to be reached are not boarded up, so would require at least temporary boards putting down to walk on.

I did, however, find this rather interesting video about dropping wires down - which shows how to overcome some of the potential problems - insulation, cross bars etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cNC4AN_us4

I wonder if the tools shown in that video are available in the UK. Great stuff.

Those drill bits which vibrate and make rectangular holes in plaster board look great - much better than the sort of bodging that I might have had to do in the past.

"Obviously" I could get some other handyman to put the cables in, but sadly my experience of such people in the UK is that they're nothing like as competent as some of the people in the US, and in that video.

[Quarky]

"Obviously" I could get some other handyman to put the cables in, but sadly my experience of such people in the UK is that they're nothing like as competent as some of the people in the US, and in that video.

My personal experience tells me that Electricians, Telecoms engineers are much to be preferred to a DIY job, PROVIDED THAT you can find a competent person.

My own experience in attempting to route a CAT cable down from my loft into a first floor bedroom was fraught with difficulty, principally in aligning holes in the loft floor and bedroom ceiling.

A computer specialist recommended to me an ex-BT engineer to reroute my incoming telephone line into my loft. He had Houdini capabilities and was able to squeeze himself into a narrow gap between external brickwork and internal plasterboard wall to do the job.

A firm of electricians that were also recommended tracked down a faulty electrical cable by taking up floorboards, carpeting, moving furniture, in an extremely quick and professional way.

No way could I have done either task.

However I agree with you that for every good handyman, there are a dozen incompetents - who usually shout their skills the loudest!

[Dave2002]

Big hiccup. The wiring in the house is marginal, but works with some devices. It is going to be necessary to bite the bullet and install new cable.

Another hiccup with this is that my favourite supplier, Satcure, seems to have stopped trading, though there's still lots of useful information on the original website. I now need at least 100 metres of decent low loss satellite cable.

Recommendations on cable, and on supplier welcomed.

PS: Happy Christmas.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Extensive website, helped when I phoned (as long as buying from them - fair enough) :http://www.aerialsandtv.com

[Quarky]

Extensive website, helped when I phoned (as long as buying from them - fair enough) :http://www.aerialsandtv.com

Useful discussion on cable types and signal loss.

I don't have a Satellite system myself, so partly guesswork, but if weak signal strength & signal loss is an issue, there is RG58 ( I use this for routing WiFi signals) and apparently the GoTo cable type is LMR400: https://www.amazon.co.uk/N-Male-LMR-...s=lmr400+cable

Actually,there is no limit to the amount of money that can be paid for low loss cable: https://messi.it/en/home.htm

But if signal strength really an issue, consider a pre-amp next to the satellite dish?