TV on the Wall

[danny7299]

I have been to look at a job tonight where the customer would like me to hang a tv on there wall, and chase the cables in...

i was just wondering if any one has done this before, i was thinking of putting in some kinda of drain pipe so the any cables could be added at a later date.?

any advice would be helpful

 

[Lurch]

I've done loads, every one different!

I tend to make my own custom cables on site so just drop a few lengths of something in the wall and stick ends on to suit. If you're not up to that then I'd just get a few cables to match the ports on the TV, and possibly add a couple of additional ones for future use. e.g. co-ax, SCART and an additional HDMI for if the TV is upgraded or something along those lines.

I have seen people using drain pipes in walls for TV's, can be handy if you can get it in. Depends on the job really, but I've never felt the need.

 

[killswitch]

..other than the socket feed, check which cables will be needed for tv , ie: hdmi, cat 5/6 , audio etc. then slot em down flexi conduit or 2 if needed, remember segregation from 230v.

 

[spinlondon]

I think that if you use a single drain pipe for containment, you would be placing LV and ELV in the same containment.

This may fall foul of the Regs. and might lead to interference if arial, sky, HD etc. cables are not well screened.

 

[danny7299]

sorry for got to say ,,, i am not running power with it , socket coming down the wall. AV cable coming up.

 

[Lurch]

I think that if you use a single drain pipe for containment, you would be placing LV and ELV in the same containment.This may fall foul of the Regs. and might lead to interference if arial, sky, HD etc. cables are not well screened.

That would be a problem with BS7671 to some extent, but for a short run in a wall to a TV you'd be unlikely to see any adverse affects. It's the same as running mains cables in cable tidies with TV\phone\data cabling etc behind TV's and under desks etc...

The mains wouldn't need to go in a drain pipe anyway regardless, mains power will never exceed 13A so just run a spur t the TV as a fixed cable of some sort outside of the containment. Again, I tend to run the mains in as a length of 1.5 flex and then stick an IEC socket on the end. Most TV's nowadays will have an IEC inlet or if not just stick an IEC plug on the lead and you're good to go.

 

[batty]

Good idea to get cables in before its plastered. I did one recently used a piece of 100 x 50mm trunking thinking this would be large enough to get cables in but after it had been plastered could not get scart cable in due to cable angle. I have managed to get one with detachable end so this should solve problem. remember though most walls are only 4 1/2 inch so be careful how much you cut out.

Batty

 

[Bez]

I did remember though most walls are only 4 1/2 inch so be careful how much you cut out.Batty

Building regs say max 1 third of the wall thickness for vertical chases, 1 sixth for horizontal chase.

 

[Andy™]

reminds me of a job a few years back - had to put up a large TV on a plasterboard wall. managed to get fixings into a joist in the centre, but added loads of riva's to support the rest of it. probably 5/6 on top, same on bottom. got TV all fitted to wall, customer walks in,

'oh, i dont like it there. can you take it down and hang this picture there instead.'

 

[tom1]

can u put just one scart and hdmi and get one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joytech-HDMI-Tri-Link-Switcher-PS3/dp/B000NJZRSI

 

[Lurch]

can u put just one scart and hdmi and get one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joytech-HDMI-Tri-Link-Switcher-PS3/dp/B000NJZRSI

I wouldn't, unless you had no extra inputs. Some of the cheap switchers are hopeless. Some work fine, but last resort really.

 

[tom1]

put in all cables you think you might need and plaster over,

http://listings.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=220595 put this in so theres accsess

some sort of trunking buried so cables can be pulled through http://www.screwfix.com/prods/14118/Heating-and-Ventilation/Ducting/Flat-Channel-Ducting-110mm

the maplin ones are overpaintable but i have seen ones that have a finish the same as the tv frame

i have done it befor but it was in a stud wall

 

[Robojin]

I get to do a lot of these, so...

I use 50x25 trunking so only need to chase in around 30mm+, this is big enough to get a SCART though if vertical, although I usually put the SCART in before I cap and plaster. However mostly now I just put in 2xHDMI, 2 Coax, and 1x CAT5e and can be done after plaster has been finished (so cables keep clean)

I top and tail with a 35mm back box cut to take the trunking, and use a data grid plate on the top neat but hidden anyway

An example of one I did a while back

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu178/robojin/Wallwithtrunking.jpg

I agree with the comments on 230v by Lurch, if customer is happy to pay I'll chase in a single socket (as per BRB, with RCD etc) and some large sets are hard wired Philips,Toshiba come to mind, otherwise just an extra long IEC lead or figure 8 style

Also handy to have a few right angle HDMI connectors and RA Coax, useful for those customers who must have the TV flat against the wall an you only have 30mm clearance

Found a SCART to HDMI (Upscaleing, with audio over SCART) if you ever need one e.g. you put HDMI in only to have the customer decide that they do want SCART after you have installed trunking with 3 turns headbang , but does cost

 

[ianmacd]

I just run a (long and expensive) HDMI cable to my TV when I did it (along with power down the other side). All my sources have HDMI out anyway but most hdmi amps will scale any input signals and pass them via HDMI to a display these days.

Ian.

 

[ianmacd]

Just had a thought, run a load of cat5e into the back of the tv as they can be used to run other singals over (hdmi converters, scart converters, svideo, component etc....) in the future.

Ian.

 

[ProDave]

I do this regularly. But thankfully 90% of houses up here are timber framed, or even if built of masonry have plasterboarded walls on battens, so pulling cables is easy.

I'd hate to go back to the south where most houses are plastered straight onto the brick or blockwork.

 

[Lurch]

I do this regularly. But thankfully 90% of houses up here are timber framed, or even if built of masonry have plasterboarded walls on battens, so pulling cables is easy.I'd hate to go back to the south where most houses are plastered straight onto the brick or blockwork.

You clearly don't have enough power tools!

Forgot about cat5's, I tend to drop them in everywhere. Just about anything except water can be run over cat5, ideal multipurpose cable for any occasion.

 

[ianmacd]

Sorry Stuart, I have to disagree with you there. I have some old cat5 going out to my garage (that I havent used for a few years) that has icicles on it so clearly water does run over it too .

 

[Lurch]

Sorry Stuart, I have to disagree with you there. I have some old cat5 going out to my garage (that I havent used for a few years) that has icicles on it so clearly water does run over it too .

There you go then, it truly is the most multipurpose cable going!

 

[Andy™]

Cat 5...

...even admin runs his motorised shed from the stuff!