Getting Virgin Media, but i've not got a clue

[rtidrtid]

yup, a first poster who doesn't have a clue i'm afraid. Just want to know if someone can help clear a few things up for me please?

I'm thinking of getting Virgin 3 for £30 deal - when the installers come around, how many wires do they install? If i'm getting broadband, TV and phone, will they all work off the 1 wire then a splitter for each service? of will i have 3 new wires coming into my house?

I want to have things prepared before i purchase so i know where i'll put everything.

Also, if i want to watch cable in different rooms, i presume i just extend a wire using a splitter from the Virgin TV Box?

Lastly, my mate has some Sky TV wire which i he can give me, is Sky TV wire and cable TV wire the same?

[Rob]

to Cable Forum

Effectively it is one cable that runs in from the street, albeit that the phone wires are actually separate from the co-axial that servers the TV and Broadband.

Normally there will be a small termination box on the outside of the house. From there the phone line wire is run to a master socket. You can then run your extensions to that. Also from the termination box, the coaxial wire(s) are run to the locations that you want your TV and broadband. Depending on the layout of your house, and where you want the kit, they may run one wire to an internal junction box / isolator and split it from there, or alternatively separate wires to the separate locations.

Wires run internally can pass through walls, and are usually surface clipped to skirtings. Virgin Media installers will not enter roofspaces or drill holes in ceilings, not will they start lifting floorboards. Safety issues, and difficulty in knowing what they might be drilling into. Offering tea or coffee usually gets more co-operation and friendliness However if your garden is a bit muddy, don't be surprised if the installer accidentially tramples a bit of this inside.

Don't rely on sky cable being of the same quality as that for Virgin Media. The wrong cable resistance or sheilding, together with poor electromechanical joints will degrade your service.

As for watching in different rooms, you either need to subscribe to a cable Set Top Box in each room, or look at some arrangement to distribute the outputted signal from you single STB to the other rooms. You can do that using ordinary aerial co-axial connected tot he STB's output RF, or there are alternative scart based video senders (you need to ensure the model you get will work with the cable STB, many are not always compatible).

[Jonnymeg]

Originally Posted by Rob

some arrangement to distribute the outputted signal from you single STB to the other rooms. You can do that using ordinary aerial co-axial connected tot he STB's output RF, or there are alternative scart based video senders (you need to ensure the model you get will work with the cable STB, many are not always compatible).

A point to note is that the VM installers will NOT assist you in doing this.

[rtidrtid]

thanks for that. Where do people normally keep their broadband? i am thinking of keeping it under the stairs as thats where my Cat5 cables terminate.

also, what is the difference between Sky wire and Cable wire? I went to Maplin and they said they are the same?

[Jonnymeg]

Originally Posted by rtidrtid

thanks for that. Where do people normally keep their broadband? i am thinking of keeping it under the stairs as thats where my Cat5 cables terminate.

also, what is the difference between Sky wire and Cable wire? I went to Maplin and they said they are the same?

If all you cat5 terminates under the stairs then that is where you will need your modem.

Re:sky/cable wire.

Essentially coax is all the same but there are different grades of cable. Some have thicker cores, braids and jackets and some have different dielectrics.
I have found in practice that the cable Sky use (having installed both) is fine for cable over the kind of distances a normal home needs.
If you wish to go ahead and install it yourself i would do it BUT be prepared to have to remove it should the installer find any issues.

[rtidrtid]

thanks again for everyones help.

What i'm trying to find out now is where is the split from the broadband and the TV? Is it just 1 cable from the street coming into the house into a box. Then from that box it splits into 2 wires (one for TV and the other for broadband?). Presuming this is the case, is it the same type of wire used for both?

Hope this makes sense!

[chickendippers]

It can be anywhere.

My study is next to the lounge, so they split the broadband just after the internal junction box and I ran a cat5 cable into the study. But my girlfriend's computer is miles away from the TV, so they just installed two different internal junction boxes.

[Rob]

There can in fact be more than one split, depending on the needs of your service.

The single street incoming cable on my house splits in the external wall box. One wire goes from this external box splitter to the living room where it is split after an isolator to server the V+ box and the modem. A second wire runs from the external box splitter to a first floor bedroom to an isolator and V box.

[jungleguy]

it maybe easier if you arrange a visit from a field sales rep. If there is one in your area. He'll be able to talk you through everything.