Cable Wiring

[TLightning]

In the entertainment center, behind the DVD/CD player, there is a small piece of cable that is plugged into the wall, comes in toward the DVD/CD player, then turns and goes back into the wall about two inches below where it came out of the wall. Total length is about 15." It is just above the input entitled "cable/satillite."

Does anybody know what it is and how it is used?

Thanks.

[Waynem]

It provides a loop back to the bedroom Tv. When I hook up my satellite (DISH Network) I disconnect the bottom feed of that loop and hook the output of the DVR Reciever into that connection. Then I watch satellite in both areas. With Direct TV you would need two receivers, and I'm not sure how they would be connected.

[crandallbradley]

Not to hyjack this thread but when I recived my rig I found that when "The old world craftsmen" put my cable wires togeather they crossed the neg+pos parts of the wire.WHAT A MESS.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by crandallbradley

Not to hyjack this thread but when I recived my rig I found that when "The old world craftsmen" put my cable wires togeather they crossed the neg+pos parts of the wire.WHAT A MESS.

Crossed cable wire? How do you cross neg + pos on coax?

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Yeah! Just how do you cross coax cable lines??
Besides my TV cable, as a CBer I have worked around coax cable for many years and can't imagine this would even be possible.

[Waynem]

Tell a new "craftsman," to hook one wire to the center and the other to the outside, but don't tell him which wire!!!!

[bsmeaton]

Pretty hard to cross polarity on coax, but pretty easy to short across with a sloppy connection.

Here is what that does Tom

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Here is a pic of the end of a piece of Coax..


Using a Coax connector it is pretty darn hard to short out between the Inner conductor and the Foil/Outer conductor. Even a new craftsman would have a tough time screwing that up.

[SlickWillie]

I could understand perhaps shorting the coax out. It does happen; a piece of the braided or foil shield is left to long. But, crossed polarity is another thing. Only way that is gonna happen is with solder connections.

[Waynem]

I would venture a guess that the coax fittings on all of the cables are factory installed and sold to the users in that state. They just pull them through the attic, or wherever, during construction. It is very possible for a factory install to have a short. Machinery does mess up on occasion, although rare.

You could, if you so choose, get an in-line connector (it will accept a male plug on both ends) and using the schematic provided try to isolate a bad cable by just using a 3 foot or any length to connect to the cable testing . If you do find one that is bad, get a connector and crimping tool (Cheap) from your nearest electronics supply store (Shady Old Rack will do) and replace the ends of that cable.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by Waynem

I would venture a guess that the coax fittings on all of the cables are factory installed and sold to the users in that state. They just pull them through the attic, or wherever, during construction. It is very possible for a factory install to have a short. Machinery does mess up on occasion, although rare.

You could, if you so choose, get an in-line connector (it will accept a male plug on both ends) and using the schematic provided try to isolate a bad cable by just using a 3 foot or any length to connect to the cable testing . If you do find one that is bad, get a connector and crimping tool (Cheap) from your nearest electronics supply store (Shady Old Rack will do) and replace the ends of that cable.

Wayne, I don't think the cables are precut and have fittings on them. RV builders are way to cheap to do that. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to pull, strip, and crimp those fittings on coax. Even with the crimp fittings, if they are done right, they are fine. It's just those "old world craftsman" that are making a mess of it. I did notice our RV had three different colors of coax in it. Best I recall, they were green, black, and gray. Even makes it simpler. Pull green here, black there, and gray in that other place. A cave man could do it!

[Waynem]

You need to sell the cave man portion as a commercial!!

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by Waynem

You need to seel the cave man portion as a commercial!!

That was probably a copywrited phrase I used there. Maybe they won't notice it!