T.V aerial installation

AJshep said:

My insurance with Hiscox is quite specific and doesn't insure me to go onto roof to install an aerial.

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If you tie helium balloons to yourself, then technically, you are not on the roof...

never tried one myself, but a little tempted to buy one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-SL...&qid=1558256732&s=gateway&sr=8-12-spons&psc=1

Never tried one myself, but have been tempted to buy one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-SL...&qid=1558256732&s=gateway&sr=8-12-spons&psc=1

Parker27 said:

Never tried one myself, but have been tempted to buy one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-SL...&qid=1558256732&s=gateway&sr=8-12-spons&psc=1

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Don't. It' s crap aerial. Aerials need to be directional so they don't pick up interference from elsewhere.

AJshep said:

For small jobs like this I generally fit an aerial in the loft. My insurance with Hiscox is quite specific and doesn't insure me to go onto roof to install an aerial.

This app is pretty good ( for Android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.crazyhatter.aerialalign

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Aerial installation is a specialist job and at the minimum requires a digital signal strength meter costing three figures. Lofts are often bad places for aerials especially if they have foil in the roof lining.

Leave it to the professionals but by all means run the coax. Don't use the cheap brown stuff, use type 100 satellite grade cable.

Spoon said:

If you tie helium balloons to yourself, then technically, you are not on the roof...

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It’s one of the few stipulations on mine too.
Must be considered quite risky for people to not insure you for it.

Although a relatively straightforward job. like AJ's post below, our insurance does not cover that aspect of the work.

AJshep said:

My insurance with Hiscox is quite specific and doesn't insure me to go onto roof to install an aerial.

Click to expand...

GeorgeCooke said:

Leave it to the professionals but by all means run the coax. Don't use the cheap brown stuff, use type 100 satellite grade cable.

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And before you start, make sure it has a solid copper core, a copper foil, and a copper braid - there's plenty of stuff sold as "satellite" cable that I wouldn't use to hang the washing on.
Satellite, Television, FM, DAB, Aerial, Coaxial Cable, Plugs, Sockets, Connectors & Leads - https://aerialsandtv.com/cableandleads.html#3maincabletypes
The cost difference between a copper foil cable and something inferior is minimal in the grand scheme of things - it really isn't worth the saving.

This is just a suggestion. It may go beyond your immediate requirements but I have installed a TV distribution system in my home that allows for an number of further options. It does require two (or three to support satellite) coaxial cables to be installed to the main TV location.

We bought a house which already had Coaxial cables wired to each room but the main room was wired to a satellite dish. These cables were nit connected anywhere,

I had a Freeview TV aerial installed by a professional installation company (we are in a fringe area and needed a very good aerial)

I installed a video distribution system as shown in the diagram. This requires at least 2 coaxial cables to the main TV location. the optional third cable is for a second satellite feed. This enables me to play programmes stored on the PVR in any room with full use of the PVR remote control in each room.

The TV signal goes into the PVR (Humax) and then via the HDMI cable to a FreeView encoder that adds a new Freeview channel (800) that is added to the broadcast signal and which goes via the uplink cable to the video distribution amplifier. Each of the TVs has a "magic eye" that takes the Infra Red signal from the PVR remote and sends it back to the PVR via the "return channel" where it replicates the IR signal to the PVR. It does need a video diplexor to feed the main TV.

The encoder model shown is the only one I found that worked properly. There is an Edimax equivalent but the encoding delay was unacceptably long and this made the remote control unusable in the other rooms.

I have had this working perfectly since early January.

If you install the additional coaxial cable(s) now and choose a video amplifier with a return path then you can add the extra features later. The expensive item is the encoder. The other items add little to the cost.

I watch TV in my living room.
Sometimes, if I am lazy, I watch it in my bedroom.
Mind you, I only watch BabeStation, so 1 channel is all I need.
It's not that difficult, unless you want to be able to watch/record/rewind everything.
It's why I don't understand why anyone would want to control their lighting from a phone...just get off your ar*e and use the wall switch...

jcs8215248 said:

This is just a suggestion. It may go beyond your immediate requirements but I have installed a TV distribution system in my home that allows for an number of further options. It does require two (or three to support satellite) coaxial cables to be installed to the main TV location.

We bought a house which already had Coaxial cables wired to each room but the main room was wired to a satellite dish. These cables were nit connected anywhere,

I had a Freeview TV aerial installed by a professional installation company (we are in a fringe area and needed a very good aerial)

I installed a video distribution system as shown in the diagram. This requires at least 2 coaxial cables to the main TV location. the optional third cable is for a second satellite feed. This enables me to play programmes stored on the PVR in any room with full use of the PVR remote control in each room.

The TV signal goes into the PVR (Humax) and then via the HDMI cable to a FreeView encoder that adds a new Freeview channel (800) that is added to the broadcast signal and which goes via the uplink cable to the video distribution amplifier. Each of the TVs has a "magic eye" that takes the Infra Red signal from the PVR remote and sends it back to the PVR via the "return channel" where it replicates the IR signal to the PVR. It does need a video diplexor to feed the main TV.

The encoder model shown is the only one I found that worked properly. There is an Edimax equivalent but the encoding delay was unacceptably long and this made the remote control unusable in the other rooms.

I have had this working perfectly since early January.

If you install the additional coaxial cable(s) now and choose a video amplifier with a return path then you can add the extra features later. The expensive item is the encoder. The other items add little to the cost.

View attachment 49555

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I agree, you certainly need at least 2 uhf aerial connections/cables from each point where there is a receiver, to a central point (loft?) -one in, one out, (if lucky enough to have a uhf output or with your technomate), but I'd add that to future-proof further, cat6 between receiver and other viewing points that don't have a sat receiver, but where you may want to view and control HD other than Freeview HD, would enable an HDMI to cat5/6 to HDMI (plus IR) at a later stage.

That way you distribute the uhf for any TV's that have built in DVB2 (freeview HD), but you could distribute for example HD HDMI from+IR to a Sat box with only one Sat box needed.
I wish I'd done it when I fitted my aerial cables but HDMI hadn't been invented....

Also and not really related to above, cat5/6 points for smart devices is a cheaper and more reliable solution in the long run than relying on wifi or "homeplug" network distribution.

My point is that if you're making the mess to put aerial/sat cables in you may as well put network cables in at the same time.

Better still than trying to second guess what you'll need in future ...
Put a decent size conduit (I normally use the 38mm? wjite oval) in ans :

• Make sure the end of the conduit is in the box. You'll need to open out a hole for this since the larger sizes wont fit in the holes.
• Make sure you can get to the other end. It's worth making the effort to have a run direct from downstairs rooms to the attic - but that's not always practical and creates the issue of it not being in a safe zone in the upstairs room.you can get 4off WF100 coaxes down the widest white oval - or 2off plus some Cat5e/6 cables - or ...

To be fair, it's not the end of the world if a couple of cat6's aren't in safe zones!

mattg4321 said:

To be fair, it's not the end of the world if a couple of cat6's aren't in safe zones!

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WHAT! Crazy talk

mattg4321 said:

To be fair, it's not the end of the world if a couple of cat6's aren't in safe zones!

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I agree - but the BBB says otherwise.