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Topic
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A couple of people in the block are having TV difficulties. Antenna or splitter/amplifier problem. My concern is what the tradies are trying to sell us to fix it. There’s talk of replacing all the wiring throughout the 1970s building! Seems an expensive way of fixing this but the argument being put is ‘we have old wiring and to future proof and for new TV technology we should have the new cabling’ (which Ive been told is ’round’ not flat like the old one). But my HD TV works fine with the old wiring! Are people mixing up NBN with free to air TV?
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Replies
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Speaking as an electronic engineer with an interest in radio and to.
1) NBN and tv cabling are two separate things. For a limited time, NBN will cable your building and each unit for free. However there may be some cases where the OC gets the building cabled for NBN by their own contractor.
2) If your building to cable is the old flat cable, then yes you need to replace it as modern TV sets will not receive signals on it effectively.
Modern TV sets need good quality coax cabling. It has less losses which means less drop outs in the signal on the tv.
A good installer will measure the tv signal at your building and then design splitters and amplifiers so that sufficient signal gets to each unit. If the installer can’t do the design then they’re not for you.
In a 70s block the biggest cost will be the running of the cabling, not the amplifiers and splitters.
As to future proofing. Yeah do the tradies can predict the future? Get what works today and no better.
Good luck