preparing for installation

[opentoideas]

I already have VM phone and broadband but have just added TV.

I am hoping to do as much as I can to make the installation as easy as I can for the installer as hopefully I will be able to blag a bit of a favour from him.

the main V+ box should be simple enough as the wall point is in the same room and its just a cable run around 2 walls - ideally I would like this left loose as when I renovate the room I will put the cable under the floor.

the second box for the upstairs bedroom is a bit more of a problem. I understand that normally putting a box in the attic is not covered as a standard installation. do you think if I have everything prepped with the cable route planned, holes ready and string to pull the cable and offer to pull the cable myself while he does the main box I have any chance of getting him to agree?

this would only leave the ends to terminate which I am hoping will save him enough time that he will be amenable. also the route I have planned is by far the simplest way to get the cable upstairs

the other thing , which may be pushing my luck, is I would like to move the modem. this will need about a 10m cable but if he would terminate me a cable I would happily run it myself.

in essence I am happy to run all the cables just leaving the termination to the installer. (and could do so in about 30 min or less) I realise that it will all depend on the installer that I get on the day but could any of you comment on whether you would do this?

any tips as to how best to sell this to the installer? other than coffee and biscuits :)

[Kymmy]

He can't terminate a cable and leave you too it as a longer cable run as well as adding the two boxes ordered is gonna attenuate the signal strength down to a point where it's going to need to be increased at the cabinet.. Also because different cable runs will attenuate differently a sprinkling of in-line attenuators might be needed as well...

In other words it's not something as simple as laying out the cables and it works first time all the time ;)

[mr,m]

I live in a flat,when I had cable installed ,8 years ago,the cable runs were somewhat long to say the least.They also had to be tidy as needed to pass other peoples flats to get to mine.Anyway I used to work in a brewery and had lots of free beer on show,on purpose!
I appologised for the amount of work needed and casually told him he can have a couple of cases of beer for his efforts.He did a great job for me and got a couple of cases for his troubles,other than that,how about a decent tip!

[opentoideas]

the longest run would be less than 20m with the route I have planned so I would hope that would be well within the capabilities. there must be properties that would require much longer I would have thought.

worst case I can ask for it to be installed in the back bedroom which would give me more than enough cable to reroute it myself later but my proposed route would be much easier.

I fully intend to tip the installer if he is kind enough to do the installation I propose and certainly the installers I have had in the past from Telewest and Sky have been more than helpful so with any luck all should be well.

I suppose I am most concerned with any rules they are forced to obey like not leaving the cable runs loose - I could understand this as I can imagine someone asking for this as I am then claiming it was a poor installation if they then damage the cable at a later date

[Kymmy]

The internal cables (from the little white box) they can leave loose..

Even though at 20M the attenuation rates of the co-ax is quite pronounced hence my comment about having to alter power levels and hence the fact he can't leave any open/non-connected cables on-site for you to install yourself later..

[opentoideas]

The internal cables (from the little white box) they can leave loose..

Even though at 20M the attenuation rates of the co-ax is quite pronounced hence my comment about having to alter power levels and hence the fact he can't leave any open/non-connected cables on-site for you to install yourself later..

fair enough, if he is willing to do me the extra cable to move the modem then I can hook it up in a couple of minutes and he can test it all while still on site. I have already drilled all the holes needed to get the cables to where I need them so although not most standard of installations it should be quick enough to do.

hopefully he will be in a good mood :)

[Kymmy]

I think it'll all depend on the time he has available

[Jonnymeg]

I already have VM phone and broadband but have just added TV.

I am hoping to do as much as I can to make the installation as easy as I can for the installer as hopefully I will be able to blag a bit of a favour from him.

the main V+ box should be simple enough as the wall point is in the same room and its just a cable run around 2 walls - ideally I would like this left loose as when I renovate the room I will put the cable under the floor.

the second box for the upstairs bedroom is a bit more of a problem. I understand that normally putting a box in the attic is not covered as a standard installation. do you think if I have everything prepped with the cable route planned, holes ready and string to pull the cable and offer to pull the cable myself while he does the main box I have any chance of getting him to agree?

this would only leave the ends to terminate which I am hoping will save him enough time that he will be amenable. also the route I have planned is by far the simplest way to get the cable upstairs

the other thing , which may be pushing my luck, is I would like to move the modem. this will need about a 10m cable but if he would terminate me a cable I would happily run it myself.

in essence I am happy to run all the cables just leaving the termination to the installer. (and could do so in about 30 min or less) I realise that it will all depend on the installer that I get on the day but could any of you comment on whether you would do this?

any tips as to how best to sell this to the installer? other than coffee and biscuits :)


I don't see any problem with any of your needs. If it were me i would be more than happy.

[opentoideas]

I don't see any problem with any of your needs. If it were me i would be more than happy.

good to hear :) I am hoping that leaving the cables loose rather than having to mess around clipping and tidying them away will more than compensate for the small additions that I am after.

time wise I should hope that what I want will be far quicker than a normal install so we should both end up happy.

thanks to you all for your advice

[cablecrazy]

When I had an engineer at my home, he was very rood.

[opentoideas]

to be fair, I expect most are. you only ever hear about the problems and not the thousands of installs that are carried out to the customers satisfaction

[Jonnymeg]

to be fair, I expect most are. you only ever hear about the problems and not the thousands of installs that are carried out to the customers satisfaction

True,

Do as much as possible to help and make it easy.

the only possible problem would be leaving loose cables as this is a H&S issue. Can you not prepare a pull through under the floor?

[opentoideas]

Can you not prepare a pull through under the floor?

unfortunately not as I have no access under the floor until I get to the living room to renovate and then I will be replacing the floor anyway so will move the cables.

in the meantime there isn't really any H&S issue as the cable run is behind the sofa and behind a fish tank. it does not have to cross any openings or I could understand the worry. at the end of the day it can be pinned in place if the installer prefers, just tryiing to save him some work.

[Gollom]

Not sure of this helps - I have an install going ahead soon but just decorating. I waylaid a passing Virgin install van and asked him what cable they use so I could run it myself before the install - he said RG6 which I went to CPC for (10m for about £4)

So he should just need to termnate and connnect I hope!

[opentoideas]

well the installation was done and the installer was more than happy to go with my ideas.

i showed him what i wanted then explained that i was more than happy to pull all the cables myself.

after giving the poor chap a cupper - he was having a bad day and already running late - i pulled all the cables and that just left him to terminate and hook up the boxes. all done in under an hour and he was verry gratefull for the first "easy" job of the day :)

[Kymmy]

:tu:

Glad you'e sorted... It really does depend which engineer you get, what his days been like and how the managers are pushing their time slots ;)