New house - how can I connect these wires to my to?

CarPark2

We got the keys for our house this weekend. It is secobd hand.
The TV set up seems a bit strange. See attached photos - in the places where there were televisions when we viewed the house, there is now just a bunch of wires coming out of the wall.
Any advice on how we can connect these to a tv would be gratefully received.
Thanks [HTML][/HTML]

johnny_adidas

CarPark2 wrote: »

We got the keys for our house this weekend. It is secobd hand.
The TV set up seems a bit strange. See attached photos - in the places where there were televisions when we viewed the house, there is now just a bunch of wires coming out of the wall.
Any advice on how we can connect these to a tv would be gratefully received.
Thanks [HTML][/HTML]

Depending on the input on your TV, or your set top box of choice, you'll need either coax or f connectors to terminate the black coax cables. These are probably brought to the attic or utility and from there to satellite dish or aerial. Prob worth a call to previous owner if not obvious. (btw it looks like they just cut/yanked the previous connectors when leaving)

The two grey multicore cables appear to be network (cat5 or cat6) and the white might be speaker cable but can't see the cores from the pic

The Cush

Looks like there was nothing attached to those cables previously. Where is that second picture located?

Is there a satellite dish or TV aerial attached to the house, roof/gable end/etc.?

the_syco

I'm thinking that they fit into a dish with a satellite that has an octo LNB on one end, and the house was setup to receive 3 HD feeds?

emaherx

the_syco wrote: »

I'm thinking that they fit into a dish with a satellite that has an octo LNB on one end, and the house was setup to receive 3 HD feeds?

If they have an octo LNB they can receive 8 feeds (clue is in the name). HD Is irrelevant as nothing to do with cabling dish or any other antenna.

But the OP has not mentioned finding any type of dish still attached to the house.

The good news is the OP's new house is well cabled with lots of options for connections.

What kind of TV receivers do you have already Carpark2? Satellite? Terrestrial? Or you planning on getting subscription TV such as Sky?

the_syco

emaherx wrote: »

If they have an octo LNB they can receive 8 feeds (clue is in the name). HD Is irrelevant as nothing to do with cabling dish or any other antenna.

Sorry, I forgot to say that it was Sky+HD that needed two feeds from dish to box (the plus being what needs the extra cable), and that this may have been what was done.

CarPark2

johnny_adidas wrote: »

Depending on the input on your TV, or your set top box of choice, you'll need either coax or f connectors to terminate the black coax cables. These are probably brought to the attic or utility and from there to satellite dish or aerial. Prob worth a call to previous owner if not obvious. (btw it looks like they just cut/yanked the previous connectors when leaving)

The two grey multicore cables appear to be network (cat5 or cat6) and the white might be speaker cable but can't see the cores from the pic

Thanks. What is the advantage or reason for two network cables (as opposed to one)? Yes, I don't understand why they were just left hanging out of the wall. It does look like they were just cut.

CarPark2

The Cush wrote: »

Looks like there was nothing attached to those cables previously. Where is that second picture located?

Is there a satellite dish or TV aerial attached to the house, roof/gable end/etc.?

Second picture is from a games room. No aerial. I think I remember a satellite, but I'll have to check again (not moved in yet).

CarPark2

emaherx wrote: »

If they have an octo LNB they can receive 8 feeds (clue is in the name). HD Is irrelevant as nothing to do with cabling dish or any other antenna.

But the OP has not mentioned finding any type of dish still attached to the house.

The good news is the OP's new house is well cabled with lots of options for connections.

What kind of TV receivers do you have already Carpark2? Satellite? Terrestrial? Or you planning on getting subscription TV such as Sky?

I would like to get satellite (for freesat) and terrestrial. There is no aerial there at the moment. I think I remember a satellite, but I'll have to double check. I guess it would be cheaper/easier if i can find the name of the person who fitted it originally as they would be most familiar with the set up???

The Cush

If there is a satellite dish the cabling to the main room may already be in place to the dish. All that may be required is the necessary F-connectors to connect to the satellite receiver.

For Saorview an aerial will be required, as there are only 2 cables the terrestrial signal can be piggy-backed down one of the satellite cables, combined at the dish end and split again at the TV end with basic satellite/terrestrial diplexers.

Easy job for any installer.

The Cush

CarPark2 wrote: »

Yes, I don't understand why they were just left hanging out of the wall. It does look like they were just cut.

I assume they were just left like that by the electrician when the house was built, probably never used.

johnny_adidas

CarPark2 wrote: »

johnny_adidas wrote: »

Depending on the input on your TV, or your set top box of choice, you'll need either coax or f connectors to terminate the black coax cables. These are probably brought to the attic or utility and from there to satellite dish or aerial. Prob worth a call to previous owner if not obvious. (btw it looks like they just cut/yanked the previous connectors when leaving)

The two grey multicore cables appear to be network (cat5 or cat6) and the white might be speaker cable but can't see the cores from the pic

Thanks. What is the advantage or reason for two network cables (as opposed to one)? Yes, I don't understand why they were just left hanging out of the wall. It does look like they were just cut.

In the past one would have been used for phone connection to digibox (unlikely to be required these days) and the other as spare for network connection. It's about as easy to pull two cables as one.
Probably not installed these days with improvements in WiFi networking and power network adapters but always handy to have wired connection for best speeds to media servers and smart tvs

johnny_adidas

CarPark2 wrote: »

johnny_adidas wrote: »

Depending on the input on your TV, or your set top box of choice, you'll need either coax or f connectors to terminate the black coax cables. These are probably brought to the attic or utility and from there to satellite dish or aerial. Prob worth a call to previous owner if not obvious. (btw it looks like they just cut/yanked the previous connectors when leaving)

The two grey multicore cables appear to be network (cat5 or cat6) and the white might be speaker cable but can't see the cores from the pic

Thanks. What is the advantage or reason for two network cables (as opposed to one)? Yes, I don't understand why they were just left hanging out of the wall. It does look like they were just cut.

In the past one would have been used for phone connection to digibox (unlikely to be required these days) and the other as spare for network connection. It's about as easy to pull two cables as one.
Probably not installed nowadays with improvements in WiFi networking and power network adapters but always handy to have wired connection for best speeds to media servers and smart tvs

Thurston?

CarPark2 wrote: »

What is the advantage or reason for two network cables (as opposed to one)?

Does HDMI over cat. whatever work better (or cheaper) with 2 cables? I think ...

Johnboy1951

CarPark2 wrote: »

Thanks. What is the advantage or reason for two network cables (as opposed to one)? ...

I fitted two cables in each run I made recently.
Quite simply the cable is cheap and once fitted there is no way to run a new cable without ripping the house apart.
So, should anything go wrong with a connection due to damaged cable I have a replacement without any effort.

In addition, if nothing goes wrong I have a spare cable at each location for use in the future should something arise that requires it.

Cost-wise it is a 'no-brainer' IMO.

CarPark2

Thanks for the responses.
There is a satellite but no aerial.
In the games room there are nine cables coming out of the wall.
Four are black Cables with a central copper wire and surrounded by what look like copper pubes (img_0336.jpg attached)
Two are black cables with a central copper wire and surrounded by white plastic (also img_0336.jpg attached)
Two are grey cables surrounding multiple mini-cables (although the composition of the two grey cables seems different). (img_0337.jpg attached)
One is a double white cable (also img_0337.jpg attached)

In the living room, there are two identical black cables
(img_0342.jpg attached)

In various other rooms there are three cables together (img_0357.jpg attached) or a socket with three heads (img_0361.jpg attached) which I presume are the same thing, but one with socket and one without.

Any ideas what is going on?

The Cush

Most of them are co-ax cables for satellite/terrestrial TV - the black ones with a central copper core, plastic dielectric insulator and outer braiding. They all probably go back to a central location in the attic or other location. Two of them probably go from there to the satellite dish.

The grey Ethernet also probably go back to this point.

Difficult to say more without seeing the setup in the house.

The picture of the socket shows connections for satellite dish (screw-on F-connector), aerial (push-in Belling-Lee co-ax), RJ45 Ethernet, again, I assume all wired back to a central location. Can you have a search in the attic/hot press/cupboard/etc.?

CarPark2

The Cush wrote: »

Most of them are co-ax cables for satellite/terrestrial TV - the black ones with a central copper core, plastic dielectric insulator and outer braiding. They all probably go back to a central location in the attic or other location. Two of them probably go from there to the satellite dish.

The grey Ethernet also probably go back to this point.

Difficult to say more without seeing the setup in the house.

The picture of the socket shows connections for satellite dish (screw-on F-connector), aerial (push-in Belling-Lee co-ax), RJ45 Ethernet, again, I assume all wired back to a central location. Can you have a search in the attic/hot press/cupboard/etc.?

Thanks.
So I would like to set up television in the living room.
In that room, we have two aerial wires and a Cat5 wire (see attached SL_LR_TVSocket). Both of the aerial wires are the same (see attached SL_LR_TVCable).

We have a satellite, but no aerial.
I would like to get Saorview and the FreeSat from the UK.
I will get somebody to fit an aerial.

Presumably one of the current wires is attached to the satellite.

Questions:
1. Do the wires look like they are exclusively for a satellite, or would one of them also fit an aerial?
2. I have a saorview enabled TV. Is it possible to add a recorder to this set up for saorview? If so, would I have to run it through a saorview box, and thereby need an extra remote control to manage saorview?
3. Any advice on the box I should get for Freesat? Do the recording ones work well? It would be nice to be able to record, but it is not a "must-have".


Thanks very much in advance. I know almost nothing about this, and it is great to get advice here and be able to choose the products myself rather than just taking whatever the aerial fitter gives me.

steveon

The tv cable in your pic can be used for either Saorview or satellite or could be diplexed as in bring both down one cable should you need to....

The Cush

CarPark2 wrote: »

Presumably one of the current wires is attached to the satellite.

Questions:
1. Do the wires look like they are exclusively for a satellite, or would one of them also fit an aerial?
2. I have a saorview enabled TV. Is it possible to add a recorder to this set up for saorview? If so, would I have to run it through a saorview box, and thereby need an extra remote control to manage saorview?
3. Any advice on the box I should get for Freesat? Do the recording ones work well? It would be nice to be able to record, but it is not a "must-have".

One or both co-ax cables could be connected to the dish.

As steveon posts, both cables are capable of carrying Saorview and satellite or both combined/diplexed. For multiroom Saorview/satellite viewing a multiswitch between the dish/aerial and TV points might be a consideration.

Yes, you can add Saorview recording to this setup by simply looping the aerial feed through the recorder and back out to the TV. Only 1 Saorview recorder available at the moment - https://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP6500 to watch 1/record 1 or record 2/watch recording.

Use the Saorview coverage checker to determine which transmitter is recommended for your location and which grouped aerial will be required - https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

The only Freesat boxes on the market at the moment are from Humax, highly regarded by all - https://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/all-boxes, with epg, series link and a recording facility.

CarPark2

The Cush wrote: »

One or both co-ax cables could be connected to the dish.

As steveon posts, both cables are capable of carrying Saorview and satellite or both combined/diplexed. For multiroom Saorview/satellite viewing a multiswitch between the dish/aerial and TV points might be a consideration.

Yes, you can add Saorview recording to this setup by simply looping the aerial feed through the recorder and back out to the TV. Only 1 Saorview recorder available at the moment - https://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP6500 to watch 1/record 1 or record 2/watch recording.

Use the Saorview coverage checker to determine which transmitter is recommended for your location and which grouped aerial will be required - https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

The only Freesat boxes on the market at the moment are from Humax, highly regarded by all - https://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/all-boxes, with epg, series link and a recording facility.

Thanks very much.