How Does Sky Plus Setup Work

[Fordy81]

Just moved into a new house and would eventually like to get Sky+.

Currently there is a dish on the back of the house, with wires run down the side of the house and through the wall just above the skirting board.

Now, there are three wires, one black/brown, and a double white one which I assume is the + part?

What I'd like to do is have these wires coming in higher up (easily done) but then connected to a face plate (ideally some type of chrome to match the sockets). At the moment I can only seem to find the sockets that have one sky connecter, and one coaxial connector.

I guess what I'm asking is, is what I want possible, and also what exactly do I need?

Thanks for reading

 

[SimonH2]

Colours don't mean anything !
From the description, it sounds like you have a single cable, plus a twin "shotgun" cable (WF65 or equivalent) - do these all come from the dish or does one of them go somewhere else ?

For Sky+ you just need two cables from the dish - one for each tuner in the box. If there are three cables from the dish then one will be unused unless you have another sat capable (such as some TVs) to connect it to.

What you want is a DEEP backbox, a faceplate with two off F barrel connectors, two screw on connectors to suit the cable coming in (probably the two cables in the "shotgun" twin), and two good quality flyleads from the faceplate to your box. Alternatively, there are some sockets where the cable goes directly into the back of the socket - so you don't need the barrel connectors or connectors for the outside cable. If you are using the black cable as well, then you can terminate this on another F barrel connector (whether it's from the dish or from a TV aerial, it will work for either)

Examples of wall plates :
http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/wall_plates.htm (see "Double F socket" and "Quad F socket")
http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page15b.htm (see the various options for F sockets)
I haven't bought from this outfit myself, but from his monthly ramblings he clearly knows his stuff and isn't afraid to say what he means

 

[Fordy81]

That's great, thanks Simon.

Yeah they do all come from the dish and only one of the white cables does come through to the lounge. I'll have to find out where the other one is, presumably in the main bedroom where I found a second coaxial, no sign of the sky one though.

That's excellent. Thanks a lot

 

[Sam Gangee]

You can probably buy a "chrome" blank wall plate and drill two holes to take F barrel couplers with nuts.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page7.htm#barrel

 

[Sureitsoff?]

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CM3017BC.html

drill some holes and fit these


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pack-Of-4...?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item4858b738e5

 

[Sam Gangee]

Do check the length of any F barrel couplers before purchase. Some aren't long enough to take the plate thickness, the nut thickness AND make a reliable connection to the plug.

 

[SimonH2]

And some plates have thick ribs on the back just where you need it flat.

I can just about remember <cough> years ago doing something similar in our lounge. Used white plates, drilled holes and fitted sockets - with the coax soldered to the back (it was before I knew better). Had to use an end cutter to make flat spots on the back of the plate before the nuts would reach the threads on the back of the sockets.

 

[Sam Gangee]

Yes, been there, done that. In those days there were no (or very few) "forums" were you could get professional advice.

In fact I started off on Compuserve. I was able to get good business advice there (initially it seemed to be populated by rich people). Hmm, I'm wandering again...

 

[Fordy81]

Well I was wrong, all 3 cables do come through to the lounge. The brown one and the double white one.