Advice Needed Where are the satellite cables located in my home

Niaomi

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Hello all,

I'm new to this forum, but I have a burning question. I've recently moved house and the Freeview reception is absolutely terrible. At the moment it's only able to pick up BBC channels. I checked the Freeview coverage site and it says we should pick up 20 channels. Even if we actually did, it's still terrible :(

Anyway, I've noticed a satellite dish at the side of the house. It has 2 white cables connected to it. They lead to the front of the house and enter through a brick wall by the front door. I've check the wall on the inside of the house but the wires don't come through there. For the life of me I can't find the connectors anywhere in the house. The only thing I see on that wall is a fuse switch and a box that says Legrand on it.

There's a 3 way splitter in one of the upstairs bedroom, but I checked the connection outside and it looks like it's leading to the roof where the aerial is and not the white cables from the satellite dish.

Can anyone help me? Pretty please. Where are the wires likely to be? Would I need to pay for installation? I have a freesat box from my previous address and would prefer to plug and tune. If I understood the setup, I'd be able to do it.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.
 

rolfw

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The satellite cables have probably been cut and the hole filled and decorated over prior to house sale. Try gently pulling them from outside, they'll probably come out and you'll need to run a rod through and join/extend the cable. If not, then they may go in through the wall and under the floor.

With regard to the TV aerial, if it's a poor signal area and there's a splitter inline, then that isn't helping. Have a look at the aerial and see if there's a little box on the mast, there may be a masthead amplifier which requires a power supply, it's common practice for people to take these with them when they move, thninking it's an amplifier, then the TVs no longer work as the masthead amplifier won't pass any signal without being powered.

Why not take some photos of the aerial and the splitter and upload them.
 
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RimaNTSS

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Ni Niaomi! Welcome to the forum.
I personally think that you need help from specialist who deals with SAT issues daily. Of course his visit will cost some money.
 

Niaomi

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Thanks for your help. You're actually right.. I pulled the cable out at the front and they've been cut! I also think I found the hole in the living room that's been plastered but I dug it a bit. Quite disappointed to be honest. I'm actually renting but it looks like I will now have to pay for installation.

Do you think it's something worth looking into myself? Is it simple enough or would it be better to get a professional? I have connectors and extension cable at my old address.
 
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RimaNTSS

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As I've said before, professional would do the job fast enough and properly. Of course, some money should be spent to pay for his work. That is IMHO.
It is also possible to do this job yourself , but that depends on your skills. For example: Can you manage to screw F-connector on the end of the cable? Do you have cable and F-connectors at your home? Etc, etc.
 

Analoguesat

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If you are confident AND have completely safe access to the dish its easy enough to sort the issue. If you have a Sky+/Freesat+ box you will have two tuners so get some shotgun satellite cable and a couple of f-connectors and run the cable from the dish along the wall, removing the old cable as you go. Be careful not to knock the dish and terminate the cable using f-connectors - instructions are in the dish installation section of the forum. Carefully poke the cable through the hole in the wall trying not to damage the plaster obviously. and run the cable to the back of the satellite box. Make the terminations up with two more f-connectors and screw them to the back of the receiver. Plug it in and with any luck away you go. Tack the cable to the wall using suitable cable clips to stop them swinging around and breaking the single core

If you are using older single tuner box then you just need a single cable, but either way seal the holes with some silicone sealant and put a drip loop in - you dont want water dribbling along the cable and into the inside of the house!.

If you arent confident about your abilities get someone in to do it - falling off a ladder is a superb way to ruin the start of 2016!
 
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Niaomi

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I wouldn't hesitate to pay normally but being Christmas week, I have lots of other things I'd like to buy. I can attach the connectors to the cable no problem. I have all this stuff from my old address. My only concern is running it through the house. The cable is cut short and if I attach the connector to it as it is, it won't reach all the way through. I also don't think it will fit through the hole if I add anything to it. How do I extend the cable?

I certainly can't create a new connection. That's too much for me lol. I'm not getting on a ladder.
 

Analoguesat

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Ok fair enough - in that case you need barrel connectors (aka F-connector couplers)

coupler.jpg

One for each cable installed outside the building.

And a suitable length of cable to run from the join through the hole & round to the tv. You should find them in the local B&Q type place. You will need to waterproof the connection, usually done with self amalgam tape. (Duct tape will do at a stretch to get you started but its not properly waterproof and will come off in time so if you use duct tape make sure its redone fairly soon. Even a plastic bag well wrapped round & taped up will keep the water out to begin with but again it must be redone properly asap - bags arent uv stable & break down)
 

rolfw

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I would still investigate the TV aerial situation, possibly easier to fix for a lay person, pictures would help us to help you.

Regarding getting somone in, possibly difficult anyway with only three working days to Christmas.
 

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Also, it might be worth checking if the satellite dish is actually pointing at 28.2E - Imagine you go through all the work of replacing cabling only to start receiving German channels! If you can, have a look at the dishes of your neighbours, if they are pointing in the same direction then it is most probably correct or there's quite a few Android/iPhone apps that let you point your phones camera to the direction of the dish and it will give you a rough idea of which satellite it is receiving.

I'm about 80% sure it probably is pointing to Astra 28.2 (the satellite for Freesat/Sky) but you can never be too sure, especially if the previous occupants were expats.
 

Niaomi

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I'm not sure what size cable to get. Would 25m be OK? I also think it's too close to Christmas to get someone out but I was looking at currys service.

I'm not sure what you mean by the aerial.. I can't take a picture of it, it's on the roof.
 

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You need to measure how much you need, approximately, to run from your old cable, to where you want to place your receiver.
I would also add extra, in case the cable, from the dish, to the house, is damaged, or rotten, and needs to be replaced.
 

rolfw

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I'm not sure what size cable to get. Would 25m be OK? I also think it's too close to Christmas to get someone out but I was looking at currys service.

I'm not sure what you mean by the aerial.. I can't take a picture of it, it's on the roof.
Was thinking more of the splitter you mentioned, would help to see what it is and perhaps just for you to look at the roof aerial and see if there is a little box on the mast, or perhaps in the loft, as these may require a power supply like this one.
Code:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/slx-masthead-power-supply-unit-l26bb
 
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