satellite prewiring and modular plates

[halofantrene]

Hi guys,

I am an absolute novice in this field hence need some advice. I am planning to pre-wire for Sky+ and another sat reciever (to tune into Hot bird satellite) in my home. I understand that I need to run two cables (satellite FT100) for the Sky+ box and another cable separate for the 2nd reciever. I hope this is correct. Also, I was looking at the modular face plates to fit on the wall; esp the quadruple ones with Sat1, Sat2, TV, DAB and Tel socket. But in the modular plate connections at the back, can I connect the two cables from LNB for SKY and what are the TV and DAB connectors in the plate for. advice.
halofantrene

 

[Stephen Neal]

TV and DAB will be for a TV Aerial (for Freeview or analogue TV) and a digital radio aerial (for DAB)

(UK DAB is in Band III, which requires its own aerial for decent reception - though this band is used for TV in mainland Europe)

 

[halofantrene]

Hi Thanks mate,
But does that mean that I can connect a separate line from the TV antenna to the back of the modular face plate in addition to the sat line??

 

[JimNoble]

The Quad/Quint plates are for use with an RF distribution system (usually using a "loftbox").

Simple ones use a single CT100 and allow you to send Sat, TV and radio down the one cable. (They use a "triple" wallplate with Sat, TV, and Radio outputs)

With two CT100 cables you can send 2 satellite signals (for sky+) down on the two cables, and merge TV, DAB, and FM onto the first one, and the RF2 output and IR link signals onto the second one (although some systems use a 3rd cable for the RF uplink and remote signals).

Jim

 

[Ross85]

So how easy is it to move this plate, say to the opposite corner of the room? Is it a case of simply extending the cables using barrel couplings? Or better to run new cables out of the plate outputs and over to the other corner (where AV equipment stand is).

Cheers

 

[JimNoble]

Well neither is ideal. No chance of running fresh cables down from the loft I guess?

Probably best to extend the 2 cables from behind the wall plate, and move the wall plate near to where you want it. Otherwise you may end up with 4 or 5 cables trailing around the room. Use CT100 cable with f-connectors and couplers.

Jim

 

[Ross85]

Unfortunately not mate as it's a block of flats with communal satellite and terrestrial aerial.

Floor isn't laid yet so think my best option is to have new cables run from the wallplate (don't want to add more joins) over to the other corner (probably under the floor). Am I correct in saying for Sky+, maybe HD later on, I need:

- WF100 coax cable and F connectors for the two SAT cables

- Suitable telephone cable (??) and plugs and probably crimping tool

- Terrestrial coax cable, probably WF100 again, as it's better quality. This to have terrestrial channels should the Sky box fail.

Also, as I want to make this as neat as possible, do you know of a suitable grommet type device that i can put in the floor for all the cables to appear from?

Much appreciated mate

Ross

 

[JimNoble]

If you don't want to have to lift your nice new floor again, it's worth trying to anticipate future possible needs.

A few extra runs of cable is cheap compared to having to rip up and re-lay your floor. Running a generously sized bit of conduit might allow you to run extra cables later though.

CT100 is good for anything from line level audio up to Satellite. Use cat5 for the telephone, and put in few spare runs as well. There's no end of things you can shove down cat5 (telephone, video, audio, ethernet; you name it, there probably a connector or adapter for sending it down a cat5 cable or two).

If there's any chance you may want speakers back over the other side of the room, shove a few 79-strand speaker wires down there as well.

You could use a commercial style floor box, eg:
Britmac Cavity Floor Box 3-Comp - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys
which would allow you to terminate extra cables later on without having to lift the floor. (Just connect up what you need now, and leave the extra runs coiled up inside).

Bit ugly though, unless you can hide it underneath a sofa or cabinet or something.

If you're pulling the wall plate off to get to the cables behind, it probably wouldn't be too big a job to route the new cables down the wall behind the skirting board, if you have one.

Same at the other end - sink a wall box close to floor level and hide the cables away completely. Modular wall plates can be had with most A/V and comms socket types. Use a nice deep back box and you can probably coil up a couple of extra cable ends at the back for future use.

You probably only want to do this once, so either cover a lot of bases in one go, or make sure you can add more later without having to rip everything up again...

HTH,

Jim

 

[Ross85]

Appreciate the reply mate. I haven't moved in yet so as you can imagine i want to get everything right first time...a kind of blank canvas if you like. Finding these forums has been a god-send, superb website, superb members.

Just to let you know here is what I plan to do:

Make hatches in the chipboard floor and run the required cables down from the existing wallplate and over to the opposite corner under the floor - probably through a conduit (depending on the way the joists run) and I'll throw in a couple of Cat 5s with string on the ends for pulling in the future. Have the required cables coming out of the floor (will eventually have laminate aswell) in the corner where the AV equipment will sit.

Run speaker cables for a 5.1 system around the perimeter, in the expansion gap for the laminate, to each speaker location - from the same corner (where AV receiver will be).

Now the fun bit...
Chase power cable, 2 x HDMI (1 from reciever, 1 for future) and terrestrial coax down the wall where my (hopefully) sony 46w4500 will be mounted. Also speaker cable for centre which will sit on floating shelf under the tv. Run these cables neatly down the back of the wall and create yet another hatch in the floor then run the cables under the floor to the magic corner.

Mount the tv, connect everything up and test. All going well, take tv back down, patch up hole(s)in the wall with plaster and then paint.

Replace hatches in floor, ensure solid then lay laminate floor. Fit beading, putting notches in where the speaker cables will come through.

Connect everything up and all going well I will have a decent system. Heres hoping...


Cheers again

Ross