TV Distribution

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  • jpdw
    Automated Home Guru
    • Oct 2007
    • 169

    TV Distribution

    HI, Need to sort out first fix requirments for our kitchen/living area extension thing over the next couple of days. So need to figure our TV distribution requirements.

    Currently we distribute TV round the house only by Coax RF (sky 2nd output style) - but then all our TVs till now are CRTs which I anticipate we'll "migrate" to something newer in the next 6 months/year, so want to provide for that now. Also I'm going to have a central cupboard for gadgets (mini node zero) so possibly a sky box or the topfield etc could go in there. Any cabling could go back there, though if taking a direct sat feed to the TV then probably that should go direct?

    I know pretty much where we might want TVs, question is what do I need to "run" to these locations?

    Would the following be a reasonable combination (to each location) that should cover all bases?
    - decent quality coax (I have a reel of the foam 'filled' variety)
    - 1 or 2 ? i.e satellite direct and/or freeview?
    - twin cat5 data (why run just 1 anywhere?)
    Jon
  • TimH
    Automated Home Legend
    • Feb 2004
    • 509

    #2
    I ran a single coax to most, if not all locations where there was also Cat5. I likely places for a TV I ran three coax (anticipating aerial feed and LNB feed to the decoder and coax distribution from it).

    I've now got my satellite boxes centrally located so really only need a single coax to run TV to, and IR control back over. If you don't want to use TVs with built-in Freesat then a single cable may be enough for Freeview & IR control. Are there any Freesat+ TVs yet? in which case you may want to allow 2x coax to each location.

    How do you anticipate getting the signal from the decoder to the TV? Most HDMI-over-Cat5 solutions use 2 cables but there are some that can use one cable only. Similarly if you use an Ethernet solution (e.g. http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...ngle-CAT5.html or http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...an-Launch.html) one cable should be enough for that.

    How many more cables you run sort of depends on many locations you're running to in each room. One pair of Cat5 per room doesn't sound enough, even for the smallest of rooms, one pair per corner could be ok.

    I wouldn't bother with "TV" grade coax - get some decent satellite cable (e.g. CT-100) and use that for all coax duties. It can run both satellite and freeview (albeit independently).

    Estimate the cable run lengths and make sure you have enough cable before you start. There's nothing more infuriating than having to stop the job to go and get more bits! (one reel of coax doesn't sound enough).
    Label everything and remember that you don't have to terminate it all immediately, just what you want to use. It can stay coiled in backboxes until you're ready.

    HTH,

    Tim.
    My Flickr Photos

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    • jpdw
      Automated Home Guru
      • Oct 2007
      • 169

      #3
      So as this is only 1 (largish) room, with kitchen units down one side, there's only one likely location which will have a TV. I've asked the builders to put a single coax in there, routing back to the cupboard which an existing coax will terminate in. I'm not sure whether I'd put a freeset/sky/freeview box in the cupboard or by the tv (other ends of the same room). But I want the flexibility.
      The TV point has a 2 data run to it and also back to the same cupboard.


      Originally posted by TimH View Post
      How many more cables you run sort of depends on many locations you're running to in each room. One pair of Cat5 per room doesn't sound enough, even for the smallest of rooms, one pair per corner could be ok.
      I'll have 3 pairs run to a wall about 5m long. Should cover things!

      Originally posted by TimH View Post
      I wouldn't bother with "TV" grade coax - get some decent satellite cable (e.g. CT-100) and use that for all coax duties. It can run both satellite and freeview (albeit independently).
      My thoughts exactly. Unfortunately I've come home today to find the electrician working for our builder has interpreted my request for "good quality coax" to mean "that thin stuff like the free cable you get to connect a video to a TV". Unfortunately my reel of CT-100 is in the storage lockup and they'll be closing up the floor tomorrow.... Grrr.

      Originally posted by TimH View Post
      How do you anticipate getting the signal from the decoder to the TV? Most HDMI-over-Cat5 solutions use 2 cables but there are some that can use one cable only. Similarly if you use an Ethernet solution (e.g. http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...ngle-CAT5.html or http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...an-Launch.html) one cable should be enough for that.
      This was what I'd not figured out yet... Hopefully the number of data cables will cover things.
      Jon

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