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) 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.

Dai · 12-10-2011, 22:50

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.

progers · 13-10-2011, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by yeoldgreat1

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.

Pauls9 · 13-10-2011, 09:27

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.

progers · 13-10-2011, 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pauls9

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by progers

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.

Pauls9 · 13-10-2011, 12:53

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?

progers · 13-10-2011, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pauls9

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. 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?

**Chris** · 13-10-2011, 17:06

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.

Pauls9 · 14-10-2011, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

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?

**Chris** · 14-10-2011, 10:43

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?