Help for TV/satellite cabling

[Osprey]

I haven't used screened facplates - too expensive and can't see the need. What I did was simply buy blank faceplates, drill a hole and fit an F-Type Bulkhead connector ... this maintains screen continuity - no exposed core at all ... unlike some face plates with screw terminals for the cable (arrrgh !) Bulk head connectors SECON2 ... =A32.63 for 10 !

these on standard blanking plates (=A32 or so) and a quailty and very cheap outlet.

Screening the faceplate would make zero difference when using these

[Ian Bethell]

Is it wise to have a screened faceplate that contains both Satellite and / or Terrestrial and / or cable signals? I've heard of interference on the screen from one source affecting the other...

can you get opto-isolators for Co-Ax signals of all types?

[Inquisitive]

I am considering a Sky+ box but am not enamoured with the idea of shelling out a tenner a month in subscription costs. Also, don't you lose all content on the box if you stop subscribing? Still, I've heard quite a few good things about them from those that have one...

[Dave Liquorice]

I believe Sky+ is free above a certain subscription level. It's only the= basic subs that have an extra tenner added.

You could go for a "poor mans Sky+" with Freesat and a HDD or DVD recorder that has GuidePlus+. I fairly sure a feature of GuidePlus+ is the abilty to control an external cable to sat box. Dedicate a Sky box t= o the recorder and have another to watch and with the free EPG on the GuidePlus+ system you pretty much have Sky+ for the free stuff. Most mai= n stream channels are free to air now (all BBC and ITV offerings). Channel=

4 and five are free to view thus need a card but not a sky sub.

You can get a Sky box from ebay for about =A340, =A330 for a dish, cable= and connectors kit, =A320 for a quad LNB and =A320 (one off) to Sky for a Fr= eesat card. With only one card one must remember to move it to the recorders box when you want to record Ch4 or five.

[Jon]

[e-mail] declared for all the world to hear...

Only if your channel packages is sub-£30. Add movies or sports and you at least get some value, rather than just paying £10 to have the recording feature enabled.

No idea.

Sky+ is awesome, it will make your VCR and DVD recorder virtually redundant.

[Jomtien]

I always use the best quality sat cable for everything.

Never use cheap rubbish.

[Jomtien]

Yes. I use F-connectors for all coax connections. Only for the final connection to a TV would I use a TV coax connector.

I only use the twist-on type and have done so for years. I find them to be completely reliable and easy to re-use should the connection need to be remade for whatever reason.

[John Rumm]

Yup, same here

[Spack]

Inquisitive wrote on 4 Jan 2007 13:56:43 -0800:

If you have Movies or Sports, the + sub is free. If you stop subscribing you can't watch the recorded programmes when your card is updated, but they don't get "lost" - they remain on the disk until you delete them or you sub to + again. As I have Movies I pay nothing extra for +, and I've been very happy with it.

Dan

[Doctor D]

I understand their trade counters carry stock, or deliver it free the next day (or so I was told!)

Screwfix co-ax plugs are not good, they work okay if you solder them on though.

[Mark Carver]

If you are in Freeview (aka DTT) served area, go with a DTT PVR. No on going fee, but the same, if not exceeding, functionality of Sky +

Humax 9200 and Topfield 5800 are arguably the best two models.

[Jane T]

Maplins have FT-100 cable at half price. This means 100m is £64, which means normally it would cost £128.

screwfix WF100 comes out at £44 for 100m.

Anyone care to say one is better. Is Maplin cable grossly overpriced?

[Charles Ellson]

Wickes satellite cable is about 28 squid for a 100m drum. I've had no bother with it but I've never used it on a long run.

[robert]

Or even:

lots of advice on this site. Robert

[Bill Wright]

You can walk into a small electrical wholesaler anywhere and get CT100-type cable for £27 per 100 (+VAT). Having said that, I do know of one such place that simply doesn't sell anything better than the horrible cheap stuff.

Bill

[BJ]

look here

depends what you want to pay but ive always found ct100 at £17/100m to be ok

[Geoff Winkless]

Cheapest ct100 I could find online was toolstation.com at ~£23 per 100m. Is your £17/100m online or just local stores?

Cheers

Geoff

[BJ]

local store but with vat not much in it if its a very long run a lower loss cable would be better

[Jane T]

> it depends what you want to pay but ive always found ct100 at £17/100m to > be ok

Ok, without wanting to sound like Alan Davies and hearing the siren.

Just used your search at CPC and found the following 2 cables

?SKU=CBBR0125?SKU=CBCT100-100BLKIs the first or second cable CT-100?

If like you suggested the first is CT-100, then why is the price four times greater on the second? and why does the first cable not say CT-100.

FWIW, I want to split the signal to 6 TV's so looking to minimise loss.

[Dave Liquorice]

You don't really want to split to 6 TV's unless you have a fairly hefty head amp and a good signal to feed that.

What you need is a distribution amplifier with (more) outlets than you currently require. Using CT100 is still a good idea though, even if you are only going to distribute normal Band iV and V TV at this moment in time. Some point in the future you might want to distribute a satellite signal which would require CT100.