Baffled by wiring in new house. Where can I get help?

aidan60657 · 09-08-2009, 9:06 PM

Hi all -

I just moved into a new house and need help to unravel the mystery of all the coax and cat5 running throughout the place!

I have a cupboard with a bunch of coax ends. I used a Sky Eye to try to figure out which cables go where but they all seem dead, except for one.

Meanwhile, in the same cupboard, there is a mess of cat5. A BT engineer used two of them for phone lines, so I obviously know what those ones do.

Meanwhile, throughout the whole house there are blank wall plates. Most have coax and cat5 behind them, but only a few are ends of cables. That is to say, many seem to be cable in the middle of the run... so I'd have to cut into it to get at whatever ether is inside.

Anyway, I've spent quite a lot of time trying to figure this out myself. I need help!

I live in Central London... is there a talented expert who can come unravel this mystery?

Thanks!

PS. Once I have the cable mystery solved, I want two Sky HD boxes going to 2 tvs each spread over on four floors. I'd like to have all boxes (sky, ps3, appletv, amp, bt vision) etc) in the cupboard out of the way. Or really I just want to USE all the wires built into my house as best I can.

vex · 11-08-2009, 10:04 AM

Sounds like your new house has been wired for tv, video, data and audio.

This is one of the things that really baffels me, why integrators do not have an active follow-up procedure for properties they have pre-wired.

It would take us a little more time than a normal install, because we would have to identify all the cable locations, but we can do it with the test equipment most integrators carry.

Happy to have a look over this for you aidan60657 if you would like.

V.

aidan60657 · 11-08-2009, 10:10 PM

Thanks mate. I'll PM you and let's get you over here ASAP. Maybe once you've unraveled the mystery wires you can help me concoct ways to exploit the builders' investment!

LikelyLad · 28-08-2009, 10:54 AM

Hi. New to the Forum, and not very technical minded I'm afraid.
I have similar problem in that I have moved into a house that has cat5 wiring and I have no idea what it is!
I have speaker points throughout my living room and want to wire up my surround speakers to them. The input for the speakers by the TV look like phono plugs but the outputs on my speaker system are for speaker wire. Also the outputs around the living room are for speaker wire.
Any ideas how I can connect my surround system speakers to the phono inputs in the wall?

dj-dulux · 28-08-2009, 11:05 AM

As Vex has said, any decent custom installer will carry cable tracing kits so working out which cable is which is easy, just takes a bit of time. We cover most of the country so get in touch and we should be able to help.

Dupe...

LikelyLad · 28-08-2009, 11:22 AM

Thanks for your quick reply. The speaker inputs by the TV are clearly marked. I was just wondering if there is a way of purchasing speaker wire with phono plugs attached?

vex · 09-09-2009, 3:52 PM

No not really,

If you take the plates off the wall, what cable is behind them? It might be possible to change the plate over to a proper speaker terminal.

V.

BIONIC MAN · 06-10-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vex

No not really,

If you take the plates off the wall, what cable is behind them? It might be possible to change the plate over to a proper speaker terminal.

V.

Hi There

I'am also doing a refurb on a 1930's house and looking to get wired up.

Looking to use cat6 but what else would I need etc, what I'am looking to do is av setup, PS3, Sky HD, internet and maybe music.

Hows the best and cheapest way to sort

Thanks