Pulling new cables through existing routing (stuck cable/mortar)

[MasterMark]

Hello all!

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Audio Visual section, but I guess here makes more sense as I don't need advice on the AV tech itself....

Background: My flat (victorian conversion) was refurbished 4 years ago. They routed an RF/Coax cable from the lounge to the kitchen so I could watch Sky through a TV Link while cooking (same channel in both without delay).

I've just "upgraded" to Sky Q, stupidly not realising this no longer works. So I've bought and HDMI splitter and a 15m HDMI cable - all works fine. BUT I now have to figure out a tidy way to pull the cable through.

I wanted to use the existing routing to remove the current coax and replace with HDMI (or Cat6 Ethernet to do HDMI through that). BUT, at the kitchen end it's been pretty solidly been fixed in with mortar/cement (I think). I've drilled/chiselled away what I can, but still can't get it "free" and am in danger of splitting it (photos attached).

Appreciate I'm sort of asking the impossible, but can anyone think of a way I might be able to loosen it?!

 

[chivers67]

If it's solid plaster I should think you'll have to chisel out a slot I'm afraid.

 

[MasterMark]

Hi Chivers, the recess/plate is actually in a solid brick (external) wall.

 

[flameport]

Hacking at the walls with subsequent replastering and redecoration.

Or pay for a Sky Q Mini box in the kitchen.

 

[MasterMark]

Thanks. Alas, tried the Mini box but hadn't factored in the delay in picture/sound. The rooms are open to each other (just I can't see the tv) but can hear the mismatch between the rooms so doesn't work.

 

[SimonH2]

Alas it's common (time is money, and doing it right costs time) when using conduit to stop the conduit short of the back-box and not even bother lining it up with the hole. So the cable is a) dog-legged into the box and b) fixed in plaster. It might be that hacking out a little bit of plaster will reveal the end of the conduit (if they used it) and you can replace the cable - if not then you are looking at chasing out and making good afterwards.
I think you might struggle to get an HDMI cable through the same conduit. You might be better with an HDMI over Cat5e/Cat6 extender so you can use a couple of Cat5e/6 cables instead of HDMI.
As an alternative (if you can't get the cables in), there are devices that will send an HDMI signal over a single coax cable - but I've never used one so can't comment on how well they might work.

 

[MasterMark]

Alas it's common (time is money, and doing it right costs time) when using conduit to stop the conduit short of the back-box and not even bother lining it up with the hole.

Thanks Simon, that looks to be the case to the letter! I've done some more hacking, no joy. Reluctant to hack around it given I don't really know what I'm doing and no guarantee it will actually result in success.

By coincidence I was actually looking at Cat6 cable today given it's slimmer).

I have another option - the Sky coax cables run hidden from the box to the dish outside, about 5-6m run. The dish is easily accessible from a flat roof, so I could try and use that route to pull a (waterproof) cat6 cable outside and then run it to the kitchen drilling a hole through the existing back-box.

Guess I'd need to tape (the much longer) ethernet to the sky coax, pull them through together from the outside, and then pull the sky coax cables BACK in? If that makes sense!

 

[SimonH2]

You may struggle to pull cables out/in unless it's a straight run. You run the risk of getting part way and finding that you can't get the new ones in or the old ones back in - so are left with the worst of both worlds. This is especially the case when adding cables since you'll be pulling in a new cable and a draw wire to pull the old cable back in - there's a real risk of finding that they don't all fit.

And BTW - it's not ethernet cable. It's Cat5e or Cat6 UTP cable - which is a twisted cable to certain specs. It only becomes "ethernet cable" when actually used to carry an ethernet signal - which it won't be when used as an HDMI extension.

Also, if you did got that route, get the extenders that use 2 cables. To use one cable means stuffing more than one HDMI channel down a pair, and the capability is lower. With two cables, there's enough pairs to carry all the data channels in the HDMI cable and the adapters (if half decent) will support whatever both ends can support.

 

[MasterMark]

Thanks on all counts, Simon. Yeah, my fear is getting them stuck part way. It seems like it should be a fairly straight run, and there's a little excess cable I have pulled and it seems to be moving quite smoothly. Fingers crossed. Is this the sort of draw wire I should be aiming to use?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RUNCCI-YUN...ords=draw+wire+cabling&qid=1629664763&sr=8-13

Thanks for Cat6 clarification! I've got a one cable extender on order. Have taken a quick at dual, quite a lot more expensive. What sort of limitation would a single have? If of any relevance I'm not using 4k, would be standard full 1080 HD.