What type of aerial socket/connector is this?

[rdck]

Hi folks,

I have just moved into a new property, and there's an aerial coming from outside the house to the inside. I have yet to check where it's coming from (at work right now) but I took a photo of the aerial socket/connector.

I am looking for a standard coaxial connector for my Freeview box, but this is something else.

1. Does anyone know what it is (it states VISION on the side)
2. Can I use this in any way as a standard coaxial aerial?

Many thanks,
R

It's an f-type connector (a.k.a. "an f-plug"), the type used by cable TV and satellite TV. Highly unlikely to be connected to a terrestrial aerial. If it is coming straight through an external wall without any kind of box mounted on the inside or outside of the wall, then it most probably is or was connected to a satellite dish.

[Graham M]

Depends entirely on what's connected to the other end!

[rdck]

Thanks for the reply, Chris. Much appreciated.

At the other side of the livingroom window there is also these two (joined together) coming out. Look similar yeah? I guess there's perhaps no aerial installed and only satellite?

Thanks,
R

That twin cable isn't used for cable TV installs, your house has, or has had, a satellite install at some point. Is there still a dish attached to the outside of the house? If there is, all three cables will almost certainly route back to it.

[nodrogd]

You really need to find what is connected the other end. As the type of connector is no real guide. Many aerial contractors now prefer to use F-type connectors on anything that doesn't connect directly to a piece of reception equipment (splitters etc).

[rdck]

Hi all, many thanks for the help.
Okay, had a look today and it turns out it is connected to a large terrestrial aerial on top of the house. So I went out and bought a coax adapter, stripped it back and added the new end with the single copper wire. However, I'm not getting any signal from it. I tried tuning my freeview humax box and no channels found. Any ideas? Thanks.

Possibly you did a poor job of replacing the aerial plug (make sure none of the braid is touching the solid copper core) or else the cable appears to connect to the terrestrial aerial, but doesn't. How closely have you been able to inspect it?

Which of the three cable ends you posted above have you chopped off and replaced with an aerial plug?

[nodrogd]

Have a close look at that "large" aerial. Is there a box attached to the mast, or close by it? If you are in a poor reception area, large aerials are usually accompanied by masthead amps. These are driven from a base unit down near the TV. It's possible the previous occupant has removed this unit & taken it with him, which may also explain why there is an F-connector on the tail where the TV should sit.

[rdck]

Here's a photo of the aerial on top – I'll try and get a photo of the coax I connected this evening and update you guys.

I connected the coax end to the single cable that runs from the aerial on top of the house. The two cables from the other end run to a satellite dish so didn't bother with that. I managed to get in contact with the previous owner and they said when they moved in there was cables everywhere so they got a guy in and they didn't have any satellite –*only aerial to TV. Weird.

Again, cheers for the help and follow ups!

[rdck]

And also, two images of the cable when I stripped it back and when I added the new coax.

I suspect nodrogd may be right, the presence of an f-plug on the end of that cable may suggest that there is a powered masthead amplifier up there, and if so, the f-plug (which you have now removed) would need to screw in to a power supply unit located in your living room. You would then connect the TV to the PSU's output.

Such a piece of kit might look like this:

[rdck]

@nodrogd Good point. When we first got the keys, we did a bit of gutting out, and attached to the cable (with the f-connector) was a small little box that sat on the ground near where the TV would go. I believe this had a few outputs too (possibly connections for a coax aerial) so maybe this is what I need to get back? (I threw it out thinking it was a old signal booster)...

---------- Post added at 19:31 ---------- Previous post was at 19:29 ----------

@Chris... funnily enough... that VISION text is exactly the same text that existed on the f-connector. I think we may have cracked something here...

Originally Posted by rdck

@nodrogd Good point. When we first got the keys, we did a bit of gutting out, and attached to the cable (with the f-connector) was a small little box that sat on the ground near where the TV would go. I believe this had a few outputs too (possibly connections for a coax aerial) so maybe this is what I need to get back? (I threw it out thinking it was a old signal booster)...

---------- Post added at 19:31 ---------- Previous post was at 19:29 ----------

@Chris... funnily enough... that VISION text is exactly the same text that existed on the f-connector. I think we may have cracked something here...

It was a signal booster, but it wasn't old. It was part of the complete aerial installation the previous occupant paid someone to put in for them.

If you'd shared that little nugget of information right at the outset ...

Now, to get your aerial working properly, you need to get back the amplifier power supply you threw out, and put back the f-plug you cut off. Then you need a length of aerial cable with an f-plug on one end, and a standard aerial connector on the other.

[rdck]

I know... I feel like a tool. I guess a trip to Screwfix in the morning it is then.

I'm guessing something like this would do the job too? http://www.screwfix.com/p/labgear-sc...pply-12v/80459

I have a length of aerial cable here that has two male coax ends. I'll strip one end and add my f connector to it.