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-   -   Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it? (https://www.cableforum.uk/board/showthread.php?t=33678185)

iso3103 30-05-2011 15:23

Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Hello Everyone, I'm a 'noob' here but this looked like the best forum for this question.

Just moved into a new flat in Islington, London. Weirdly, there are no phone sockets anywhere, but there is what looks like an old cable-tv wall unit:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2011/05/6.jpg
bigger pic: http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...elewestBox.jpg

I guess my questions are:
- is this a cable TV box?
- whats the bit coming off the side - could they be phone wires? (the white wires have been cut so it just ends with bare wire at the mo, no connectors)
- how do I find out which companies' cable service is going into this box?

I assume that the previous inhabitants of the flat were using this for internet, tv and maybe phone (because I can't see anything else they could have used) - so although it looks old I'm hoping its still working.

So if I figure out which company was operating this thing, I'm hoping to get some services set up without getting new boxes installed etc ...

Thanks in advance for any help

edit: smaller image

Kymmy 30-05-2011 15:37

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Moved to correct thread and oversized pic reduced to link

Virgin media was formed by a merger of NTL and Telewest.. The box is from an old cable install. If you want cable then please you need to go to the VM site.

Chris 30-05-2011 16:21

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Virgin Media will be able supply cable services to you through that box.

The stuff on the right looks like two telephone extension cables. My guess would be that they were once tacked to the wall and ran to two different locations. If you wanted to take Virgin Media phone services, they would most likely remove all that and run a fresh cable to a telephone wall socket.

Virgin no longer supplies FM Radio service via its cable so you won't be able to get that (assuming you wanted it) even though one of the terminals on the main box is labelled 'FM'.

iso3103 30-05-2011 20:21

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Thanks Kymmy and Chris, thats very helpful.

Guess we'll talk to Virgin then.

One other thing I'm wondering about: We only want internet really, and possibly a phone, but we dont watch tv so wont want to pay for cable tv services.

Are they likely to offer an internet-through-cable-without-cable-tv service or will asking for that confuse the hell out of the callcentre guys?

Chris 30-05-2011 20:26

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
They will want to try to sell you a bundle with internet and TV and possibly phone as well, but ultimately they will sell you whatever combination of services you want.

Kymmy 30-05-2011 20:28

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
I originally had just internet and phone when I first joined, if you take a phone line then BB costs are reduced... These days I'm still with VM but throught their business services

carbon60 30-05-2011 21:52

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
I have the same Telewest box in my home. Is it possible to use the 'FM' socket for a set top box? The thing on the inside is a TV/FM isolator which suggests not. However I have seen the second output used on my brother's house to power a STB so I'm confused - maybe they changed it for a splitter?

carlwaring 30-05-2011 23:06

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Oh my. Haven't seen one of those in ages. The memories come flooding back :)

Peter_ 31-05-2011 07:59

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by carbon60 (Post 35248335)
I have the same Telewest box in my home. Is it possible to use the 'FM' socket for a set top box? The thing on the inside is a TV/FM isolator which suggests not. However I have seen the second output used on my brother's house to power a STB so I'm confused - maybe they changed it for a splitter?

FM is defunct and has been for a few years, in the old days you could connect it to a stereo and play certain channels soundtracks through your speakers well before all these home cinema systems existed.

carbon60 31-05-2011 12:26

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Masque (Post 35248455)
FM is defunct and has been for a few years, in the old days you could connect it to a stereo and play certain channels soundtracks through your speakers well before all these home cinema systems existed.

I understand that :)

I just thought it was strange that at my brother's house the 'FM' output is connected to a STB upstairs. I think now the logical conclusion is that they changed the isolator inside the wall box.

Peter_ 31-05-2011 12:31

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by carbon60 (Post 35248540)
I understand that :)

I just thought it was strange that at my brother's house the 'FM' output is connected to a STB upstairs. I think now the logical conclusion is that they changed the isolator inside the wall box.

That will be it as they do that if possible with the older boxes, mine had the that done years ago.

JayJay 31-05-2011 20:34

Re: Old Telewest wall unit in new flat - what is it?
 
The box on the left is an isolator box, *may* contain a splitter instead of an isolator which means the 'fm' point may actually be a general point. The little box on the right is what we call a 77a, basically splits the outside telephone cable into internal cable. Id imagine that there was two phone lines coming off.

It looks like the cable has been cut under the TV point on the isolater point. With those brass connectors looks like it hasnt been used in a while, either that, or they used old cable!


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