Right chaps - Today I have had a company (SKYFORCE LTD) to come out and quote.

Spec is as follows -

1 x 'DMX10' antenna.
Feeding 3 points.
1 x masthead amp & power unit.
Cable is CT100 with foam dialeteric.
Price - £259.68

I have to supply & fit the backboxes and supply the front outlets.


Also, can anyone give me some info on outlet plates?
I was in my wholesalers yesterday, and he was talking about 'insulated' and 'non-insulated' types - what applies to what here?
I want to fit MK LOGIC white plates to match the socket outlets.

Comments please?

Ta

TT

That spec looks ok to me. The DMX10 is a 52 element aerial. Should look like this..



Ask how they are driving the three seperate faceplates from one aerial? They should be using a masthead amp with three seperate outputs rather than passive splitters (T joints).

If the mast head amp they bring has four outputs perhaps ask the fitter if it would be possible for him to run a wire from the un-used output into the loft and leave a few meters coiled up. Might come in handy later.

I could suggest other things to do if you are ever likely to want to distribute Sky to multiple rooms but perhaps not complicate things.

Na - the signal is still passed, but there is a tiny loss.  The isolated outlets litterally simply protect the amp from short circuit type faults.

Amps have built in protection to shut down on a fault on an output.  In flats etc, it would be a pain if everyone lost TV because someone was trying to use a dodgy fly lead to connect the TV.

In saying this, many amps these days have 'isolated outputs', where only the output thats faulty shuts down.  However, there are still many that will shut down completely, or simply be unable to work with a shorted output.

Go for non-isolated.  That is what all domestic installs use.

An amp with four outputs will be far superior to an amp with a splitter in the loft, unless the splitter is powered.  Ask if the masthead amp has a single or four outputs.

The masthead amps, and many loft amps fitted by aerial guys, run on 12v DC which is derived from one of the coax downleads (outputs).  This is usually from the main TV location, and the powersupply that sends this 12v up the coax is placed in line with the coax at this point.  This is far easier for aerial guys, as they do not need to mess with lecky in the loft.  It can however be a pain when you move house - most people take the powers supply with them, thinking it is the booster.  Then the next folk in the house have no TV reception!  In away, I wish the aerial guys would fix the power supply to the wall or skirting atleast!

Quote:



But he is talking about a downlead from an aerial, not an uplink to an additional TV from the sky box.  Agreed though, the isolated plate would block the 9v required for the eye.

However, TT, you must make sure that which ever location is going to have the power supply does not use an isolated outlet plate, as this would block the 12 to the booster.

MK have non-isolated TV outlets in the Logic series...

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK3520.html
and
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/MK/TelephoneSkts.pdf

Looks like the part you want is K3520 WHI = TV/FM Co-axial socket(single).  These have a socket similar to the aerial connector on the back of your TV.

Aside: Personally I have a slight preference for threaded "F" connectors as found on the back of Sky boxes. MK also do those Part number K3525.

http://www.fastlec.co.uk/images/mk/k3525whi.jpg

The F connector is slightly better quality than a regular aerial socket connector but if you go for face plates with F connectors you need special leads with an F plug on one end and an TV aerial connector at the other. Maplin carry them but perhaps not many other highstreet stores.

Gents -

Further to my previous queries!

I have now reached a point in my house renovation whereby I need to route some CT100 cable in quickly before the plasterer buries everything!

So, Am thinking the following -

Get some kind of distribution box put up in the loft and run cable down from there to outlet in room to be plastered.

At a future date, get aerial man to come and fit aerial, masthead amp etc, and downlead from aerial to loft. I can run a dedicated 240V supply to the loft to be specifically used for powering any TV stuff up there.

I can then run from the loft to each room as I move through the house doing the renovations.

What is the best type/brand  of distribution box to get?
Am most likely looking at something with 4 or 6 outlets.


TT

You dont need a loft box if you are not installing sky TT.

Just get a digital ready distribution amp.

For distributing TV around the house yes it should be fine.

I note that it's designed for situations where there is no power in the loft - its sends power from the power supply unit up the coax to the distribution amp in the loft. If you have a power up there it might be neater to put the power unit in the loft or get one with a built in power supply and mains plug

Did your aerial install work out ok? Did they need to install a mast head amplifier or similar? If so the way that's powered might cause complications. Some mast head amps are powered up the cable as well and you might need a distribution amp that provides that (this one doesn't).

Finally got this bugger sorted out once and for all!

Plumped for a Freesat dish with 4 way lmb thing, 4 lots of cable into loft with one presently feeding a Grundig Freesat box.

Oh boy, there ain't half some shitt on satellite telly!

Now I know why I feel that I haven't missed anything great for the last 10 years or so!

TT