View Full Version : How Do I Install a TV Aerial in a New Build House?
yeoldgreat1
12-10-2011, 20:12
I have recently bought a TV aerial for our new build house. We have been into the loft to see how to connect it and we have only found a roll of black cable (see here (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/yeoldgreat1/IMAG0164.jpg)) with no connectors on. The aerial we have bought has a normal TV aerial connector that we need to connect to. How would we go about this? Does each cable go to each TV socket in the house separately? Is it possible to use a single aerial that feeds all of the sockets together?
Thanks for the help.
raging bull
12-10-2011, 21:31
Depending on the area you live in, the aerial could be installed with an amplifier (to suit number of tv sockets available).
So lead from aerial goes into input terminal, putting plugs onto leads (as in picture) output on amp.
Only problem with that is a power supply required for amplifier.
Does the number of cables in your picture match up with sockets through the house?
If so, you may be best to follow raging bull's advice and install an amplifier. I've done that here with a roof aerial feeding a powered amp which in turn splits off to feed each room. That will give the best result.
Of course, if you just want one socket active you'll need to find which one is the right cable and you could just attach the aeriel direct to that.
yeoldgreat1
13-10-2011, 08:40
Thanks, so I'll buy a number of TV aerial connectors from the hardware shop near me. There seem to be 6 cables and 5 TV points in the house (3 bedrooms, 2 in the living room). I suppose working out which cable goes to which socket will be a bit of a pain. The only other problem is that if I did want to use an amplifier, there is no power in the loft so I'd have to try and run a wire up there.
Thanks, so I'll buy a number of TV aerial connectors from the hardware shop near me. There seem to be 6 cables and 5 TV points in the house (3 bedrooms, 2 in the living room). I suppose working out which cable goes to which socket will be a bit of a pain. The only other problem is that if I did want to use an amplifier, there is no power in the loft so I'd have to try and run a wire up there.
1. Finding which socket is which: connect a battery to each socket in turn then up in the loft, check for voltage on each cable - best with a multimeter. Alternative, connect the output from a radio or amplifier speaker to each socket in turn and check with earphones on the cables
2. Power in loft: modern houses generally use dry lined walls which means there is an air gap between the wall and the plasterboard; if you have a bedroom socket below a handy place in the loft, get a length of curtain wire and push it down from the loft between plasterboard and wall - it's not usually too difficult with the socket eased away from the wall to then catch it and pull a drawstring through (you might have to take the socket box off the wall first) then install a spur socket in the loft.
The power taken by an amplifier is pretty small. You could tie in to a lighting circuit if there's one available in your loft.
The power taken by an amplifier is pretty small. You could tie in to a lighting circuit if there's one available in your loft.
Unlikely to have light in loft in a new build house
yeoldgreat1
13-10-2011, 12:37
Unlikely to have light in loft in a new build house
If I lift up the loft insulation there are a number of grey wires that go to the light fittings in the rooms on the top floor. Would that be worth investigating? I suppose trying to work out where a hollow wall reaches the loft will be a bit tricky. It'll be the biggest job I've done since moving in. The most I've done is puttingup shelves, mirrors, blinds, etc. :D
The wiring that goes directly to the ceiling light fittings comes via light switches on the walls and is only live when the switch is on. If you can identify a power feed to the switches, that's where to hook in to. But of course it may come up from the floor below.
Is there a large round distribution box with a number of cables coming out of it?
The wiring that goes directly to the ceiling light fittings comes via light switches on the walls and is only live when the switch is on. If you can identify a power feed to the switches, that's where to hook in to. But of course it may come up from the floor below.
Is there a large round distribution box with a number of cables coming out of it?
Good point about the lighting circuit Paul. Most new builds have a permanent live feeding into the loft which goes down to all switches; there will be a neutral and earth available at every ceiling light position so you should be able to tap into the lighting circuit. Just wire a fused spur into this, fused at probably only 1 amp needed for a TV distribution amp. You can get a distribution amp from Maplin or Amazon for about £10
yeoldgreat1
13-10-2011, 16:34
Thanks for the help, it's really appreciated. I just have a couple more questions.
1. My living room has one of these faceplates (http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/35074.jpg). Why are there 2 SAT connections? I don't have Sky but will it use both connections?
2. What is the Return port used for?
There are two sat sockets because if you have a PVR (recorder) it needs both of them so that you can watch one channel and record another.
I suspect the return socket allows you to feed the output from a satellite set-top box back up to an amp in your loft so it can be shared to all the other faceplates in the house.
I suspect the return socket allows you to feed the output from a satellite set-top box back up to an amp in your loft so it can be shared to all the other faceplates in the house.If that's the case, should the OP get an amplifier/splitter with two inputs?
Not necessary - a simple combiner/splitter should do. They cost a couple of quid.
Additional thought - the 'return' socket on the living room faceplate is the most likely reason why there are six trailing leads in the loft but only five faceplates.
yeoldgreat1
14-10-2011, 22:21
Thanks for all your help. I've started working on putting the aerial connectors on the cables in the loft. There are 9 cables, not 6 as I thought before. That tallies up with one in each of the 3 bedrooms and the 6 others going to 2 faceplates in the living room (both are the same as the picture I posted in post #11.
I've been using a homemade loopback that I've been plugging into each socket and then using a multimeter on each cable in the loft to work out which goes to which socket. So far I've found the cables for the sockets in the 3 bedrooms and the cables for the return connectors. My next step is finding the cables that go to the TV and FM/DAB connectors.
I've noticed that one cable seems to have a short between the two parts of the coax cable on it all the time. Is this something that I'll need to get looked at? Also, I can't see extra cables for the SAT1 and SAT2 connectors. Are they usually installed or left until needed?
The sat cables will need a higher grade of coax than is necessary for terrestrial tv so your builder may well have saved himself a few bob by not installing them. Also, a sat cable should ideally go in one single run all the way from the dish to the faceplate with no extra joins in the loft, which would be another good reason for not installing any cable at all until you decide you want a dish.
You could just unscrew the plate and see what's behind it though ...
yeoldgreat1
15-10-2011, 15:43
I've taken the faceplate off and there is a Labgear PSW241 box that has a Triplexed input and a SAT2 input.
How does the Triplexed input work? I know it means that a single cable feeds the TV, FM/DAB and SAT outputs but does anyone know how it's wired internally? I'm asking because I've used a multimeter to check where the inputs go to and I can only find a short between the input and the SAT output. I can't work out if the links to the FM and TV outputs are working. How would I go about testing this?
Do you have a handy terrestrial aerial you could attach to the relevant coax in the loft? If so, do that, then attach a tv to the tv socket downstairs and see if it picks anything up. If you have an FM receiver with a coax input then do likewise with the FM socket. The same TV aerial in the loft will be adequate for this.
Also, I can't see extra cables for the SAT1 and SAT2 connectors. Are they usually installed or left until needed?
Left until needed, SKY installers, like VM won't go into a loft. If you want SKY and don't want them drilling through your wall, get them to push the cables into the loft and connect up to your existing cables.
Hi I have been reading your replies to installing TV Aerials in a new house.......
I would like to ask a question I f I can
I have just moved to a 1960's house with one tv aerial socket in the living room.I would like to put tv 's in the 3 bedrooms for the children but have no sockets...
Can I tap into the one cable coming in which is in the loft......
Do I also have to have Aerial sockets in the walls. Can I have the cables just coming through the floorboards in the corners where I want the tv's.......or should I just get a man who knows what he is doing,,
Shellyo
Hi Shellyo and welcome to the cable forum.
You will get best results by adding a booster amplifier in the loft which will enable a separate output for each TV required. Basically you run the cable from the aerial into the amplifier then take a separate cable to each room from there. They don't have to go to sockets but can run as you say from under the floorboards to the TVs.
You just have to make sure you buy an amplfier with enough output sockets.
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