TV aerial distribution

[garyslater]

Not sure where to put this - please move if there is somewhere more appropriate.
In the near future I am planning to upgrade my TV aerial and plan to have an aerial in the roof, distributed through the house via the loft to various points on the house. One point would be in the kitchen. The problem is I have just redone the kitchen and am ready to start tiling. I am 'under pressure' to get the tiling completed so can't wait for the aerial to be sorted before tiling. I plan to add a backbox and blanking plate onto an external wall so that the tiles don't have to be disturbed for the aerial point. My question: is it possible / acceptable for the aerial cable to come directly through an external wall straight into the backbox? If so what depth backbox is suitable for aerials?
Thanks for your help

 

[stem]

That is how most aerial/satellite installers work. by running a cable down the outside of the wall and then through into the house, although they would normally go directly to the TV satellite box without an additional connection. Make a loop in the cable at the bottom of the outside run to stop water running along the cable into the house. (if you're not sure what I mean by this, look at professionally installed aerial and telephone cables where they enter buildings)

As analogue transmissions will be switched off soon, I assume this is for a digital system so you'll be using co-axial cable suitable for digital. (not the old cheap brown stuff)

Regarding the box, use a standard 25mm single socket back, you can get away with a 16mm box used for lighting, but it's better not to bend the cable too sharply, as the characteristics of co-ax cable can be compromised if the air-core plastic dielectric is crushed.

I have two other suggestions for you.

1) If you've yet to tile, I would consider burying a conduit or length of trunking in the wall ready to add the TV aerial cable later.

2) I would also consider not terminating the cable in a back box/wallplate, but run it directly to the TV and use a blanking plate with a hole in (or a flex outlet) for a neat finish. The plate could then be fixed directly on the tiles as there is no electrical connection inside, it's just a cover. An extra advantage here is that you will have less connections. With aerial signals the less connections the better the signal.