Rewiring media wires

If it is not too late with the builders's work, you can make an incision behind the TV, out of the way of the mount and run wires behind. Affix the following at the top/bottom for you to run your wires Labgear Single Brushed White Flatplate | Screwfix.com. The only problem running wires behind is the horizontal supports that get in the way. Cutting a notch and sticking a big conduit between the two openings for cables is an option.

Don't forget your fused spur too.

Yes as above, chase the cables in and get the decorators to patch it up, no need for trunking when you have done a tidy job already.

Instead of running 8 cables from the dish you should of went with a quattro lnb and had 4 cables going to multiswitch and have as many as you want going from the multiswitch to your rooms. I am sure Triax do a 5 in and 12 out multiswitch that would have taken care of your freeview as well. Then its just a matter with terminating with either triplex and quad modules in the rooms.

Abu Baniaz said:

If it is not too late with the builders's work, you can make an incision behind the TV, out of the way of the mount and run wires behind. Affix the following at the top/bottom for you to run your wires Labgear Single Brushed White Flatplate | Screwfix.com. The only problem running wires behind is the horizontal supports that get in the way. Cutting a notch and sticking a big conduit between the two openings for cables is an option.

Don't forget your fused spur too.

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Being careful to maintain separation between mains and ELV (coax, Catx, HDMI etc) circuits....

Bally12345 said:

Instead of running 8 cables from the dish you should of went with a quattro lnb and had 4 cables going to multiswitch and have as many as you want going from the multiswitch to your rooms. I am sure Triax do a 5 in and 12 out multiswitch that would have taken care of your freeview as well. Then its just a matter with terminating with either triplex and quad modules in the rooms.

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I would be shocked to find a home with more than 4 sky boxes mate, for me a multiswitch would only be used in commercial or multi flats.

I personally have installed quite a few multiswitches and they have all failed over a period of time... from TRIAX, LABGEAR, Vision, etc.

And they are not newbie friendly to setup with attenuators needed etc.

I avoid them like the plague, unless the project is multi tenants.

Him Her said:

Being careful to maintain separation between mains and ELV (coax, Catx, HDMI etc) circuits....

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well 50mm is regs - you can cross over them but not run parallel, but 300mm is very nice indeed and something to always aim for.

Mick

Mick said:

And they are not newbie friendly to setup with attenuators needed etc

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i do a lot of new build places, and renovations, for the majority of the builders etc in the valley where i live, and most of them now ask for multiswitch installs, a 5x8 switch will ensure that 3 bedrooms and the living room are all sky+ / freesat+ / freeview+ compaitble. if you attenuate the input, especially for freeview, and especially if btvision boxes are going to be used, then there shouldnt be any problems

new black btvsion boxes will fall over with signals over 65dB

a bit off topic, lol, but a (new) firm approached me about 18 months ago to ask about a known awkward area where they were planning on building 15 houses, i said that the ONLY way would be with a single dish in one corner of the plannes build, and fibre optics through underground ducts to each house, then either a virtual quad / quattro and normal wiring from there per property. they decided to not bother with anything, and i have been to the street numerous times where there is very limited freeview coverage, as long as its dry, NO satellite coverage, and the builders have now put up a 12' scaffold pole, with wires running everywhere, which wobbles like hell, to try and please people

i could still get every house a signal, using fibre-optics and the BT ducts, but itd now cost them a LOT more, but this is going to be the only way for reliable reception

moral of the story, get in as much wiring BEFORE hand as possible, even if you dont need it right now

Mick said:

I would be shocked to find a home with more than 4 sky boxes mate, for me a multiswitch would only be used in commercial or multi flats.

I personally have installed quite a few multiswitches and they have all failed over a period of time... from TRIAX, LABGEAR, Vision, etc.

And they are not newbie friendly to setup with attenuators needed etc.

I avoid them like the plague, unless the project is multi tenants.

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I actually have a triax multiswitch and has been working flawlessly, what it means now is that I can litterally go to any room in the house and have freeview, freesat, sky box or linux box. Had to cables going to each room and terminated with either triplex or quad modules. Best thing I done, I only wish I added extra cable for RF return.

Mick said:

well 50mm is regs - you can cross over them but not run parallel, but 300mm is very nice indeed and something to always aim for. Mick

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There are some exceptions allowed - and I'm assuming that mains pickup is not a problem - if you can't achieve 50mm it's acceptable to insert a non-conductive barrier. Or, to interpret (as you always seem to have to with the regs!), chased in the wall - use plastic capping/trunking to separate mains and signal. Surface-mounted - use two separate trunking runs (or a divided single trunk). Where cables cross, a short length of plastic trunk or tube at the cross-over point is acceptable. Source: IEE Wiring Regulations, 17th Edition, Reg. 528.

Since one of the key objectives is to avoid 240v whacking down your HDMI cable and your shiny new telly (or your arm) bursting into flames, it's probably a good reg

Him Her said:

Since one of the key objectives is to avoid 240v whacking down your HDMI cable and your shiny new telly (or your arm) bursting into flames, it's probably a good reg

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For interference it's a fantastic regulation , I am not sure if a electrician gives a fook about extra low voltage cables though, especially if it was not run by them!

I think the regulation should be 200mm


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A multiswitch for a house on the basis it can carry satellite and freeview signals, for me does not even come close to a single point AV installation. who wants sky boxes in there rooms??? they take up space!

And also what is the point when you are probably going to have no more than 2 sky boxes in most homes anyway.

@pimped get some more cat6 in mate

Mick

Mick said:

For interference it's a fantastic regulation , I am not sure if a electrician gives a fook about extra low voltage cables though, especially if it was not run by them!

I think the regulation should be 200mm Mick

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pmsl - even if it was, they'd give a fook?

Very true lol, i guess the regulation would be better suited for an enthusiast or on the off chance one might give a fook.

digidude said:

i do a lot of new build places, and renovations, for the majority of the builders etc in the valley where i live, and most of them now ask for multiswitch installs, a 5x8 switch will ensure that 3 bedrooms and the living room are all sky+ / freesat+ / freeview+ compaitble. if you attenuate the input, especially for freeview, and especially if btvision boxes are going to be used, then there shouldnt be any problems

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This is my point digi, for a builder who wants to rent it out or sell a property, then a multiswitch is perfect as you offer a potential client OPTIONS

However for the AV enthusiast (PIMPED) lol... a multiswitch could be a mistake, pimped wants to have his home future proofed and have a little bit of magic in his install and options for later High Definition improvements.

If you really want to improve your home with AV then the first step is removing as much boxes, computers, drives, as possible and centrally locating as much as possible, and at the same time removing as much from view as possible... nobody wants a a triplex socket on view they are ugly.

A brushed box behind the TV with the cables installed in braid and all cables hidden out of site is a much neater install than having a triplex socket feeding a sky box then feeding the TV... if you can remove the majority of them items, make it all work (RTI, HARMONY, IR/RF BUGS), then you have achieved a AV installation.

And it does not have to be expensive either, you could easily do all this with basic, sky magic eyes, and a decent (£30/£40) HDMI cable from a cupboard.


Breakdown costing for an reasonable AV cupboard install (basic sky/virgin install):

27u Server rack (cheap option) --- £330 --- (rackcabinets.co.uk - value range) I would personally use Middle Atlantic but we wont go there lol as the costs are maybe 10 times this.
6 x rack shelfs (£12 each £72)
48 cat5e/cat6 RJ45 Patch Panel --- £30 --- (ebay)
1 x Digital TV booster (woolsey 12 way with sky pass) --- £35 --- (any sat shop/ebay/amazon etc)
4 x magic eyes (£15)
2 - 4 x sky/virgin hdmi boxes (you already have these )
MISC BITS AND PEICES £20 - £50 (there will be a misc lol)


TOTAL £502

Cheaper than a TV (your labour however - priceless!)

Cable costing for your install:

250 meters of Sat cable double screened WF100 --- £119 --- (aerial shack)
610 meters of Cat6 decent grade cable --- £196.72 --- (scan computers)
4 x 15 meter HDMI (you can push here for 20m however not recommended) --- £120 --- (various shop around but buy 24/22awg if poss)

TOTAL £435.72

TOTAL MATERIALS COST £937.72


Labour is different as its your time, you install it or have someone do it

Install 4 cat6 to behind each TV, with 2 coax, 1 hdmi cable - this uses one backbox with a brushed cover all cables are then tied into a braided cable cover.
Install 9 coax to the roof, 8 for four sky boxes, 1 for digital freeview aerial (if your running 9 lol then one more wont hurt for DAB ).
Install 2 data points to each room (telephone/network/etc) next to a socket somewhere.
Place strategic wifi points for whole house coverage (depends on house size of course).
Try and leave 6-10 meters of tails in the cupbaord to be able to pull your rack out and work on it

This setup above will central locate an AV cupbaord, it will also provide freeview around the house (future proof a sale )
It will provide a magic eye with the freeview (sky pass wolsey booster) so you can control sky
It will provide HDMI from each sky/virgin box to your TV's
Use existing sky/virgin remotes
Have a backup of cat6 to each tv for later future updates (EVEN higher definition lol)
All your nas drives, mini pc's, storage drives can all be put in here out of the way
No boxes in rooms just a TV (and magic eye)
Network back end that is easily expandible from the cupbaord
All in one place and maintenance is just a pull out of the rack!
Adding equipment is as easy as adding a shelf.


NOTE* using virgin (or even dreamboxes etc) for this setup will will need to use 2 cables from a cat6 and a IR BUG system (very easy) add £50 to costs

Network switch and routers (i am guessing you already have these things) this will add extra money but will also depend on whatever you want to acheive on your network

Lol that went on a bit pmsl

I am quite serious about AV, sorry if this post comes across funny its not meant that way its just if you are going to do something which involves labour intensive process of drilling joists, running cables, chasing walls, don't **** it up, do it proper and once!

Mick