TV Cable into a Duetto

Hi there,

On the site we are at they provide cable TV for UK, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish channels.

At the moment I have run the cable up through the front skylight; letting it hang outside down the side of the van on the drivers side (opposite the sliding door).

It looks tacky as it is; but as I see this system being adopted on other sites in the future (especially here in Spain where you need an enormous dish to get UK programmes) I wondered if anyone had fitted an aerial cable inlet point on a Duetto that wasn't up on the roof?

If so, "Where?" and "How?" and "Why there?"

Best regards,

Autosleepers fit an external tv socket on some of their current vans. You can get one for around 10 quid.

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Roly

Roly,

Thanks for that.

Now the problem is "Where do I fit it so that it is convenient for the internal configuration?" and, as this is in the wrong Section of the Forum it may take a time to find out!!




Best regards,

If you have the tv in the normal Duetto location next to the wardrobe the ideal location would be next to the wardrobe. But the sliding door would probably hit it. Even if it didn't, opening the door would snag the cable. So I would imagine it is a bit difficult top find a position on the nearside.

In our previous Duetto I had a Sky Digibox fitted inside the wardrobe ajacent to the tv shelf. I then routed the cable behind the trim panel over the sliding door, across the front locker then down the offside behind the high level cupboards, with the cable terminating in a socket fixed to the panel in front of the rear door. By the time I had finished I had a good understanding how the Duetto was put together, as I had most of it in bits!

Roly

Roly,

As suspected, the TV is bolted to the wardrobe, the sat receiver we already have (and the sat dish auto controls) is inside the wardrobe; and I am starting to lose the will to live at the thought of what will have to be done to fit the socket!!

The dangling length of flex is looking better every time I see it!! Maybe if I straightened it out a bit and painted it like a twig . . . . .

Many thanks and best regards,



Ian

Here's a couple of pics. I had a similar dillema to yourself and I decided to position the socket at the back of the van. But I would question whether it was worth all the trouble!

That there cable is looking a lot, lot better than it did yesterday!!

Thanks for the pics.

Best regards,

Dutto wrote:The dangling length of flex is looking better every time I see it!! Maybe if I straightened it out a bit and painted it like a twig . .

Dual purpose? - Washing line?

On my Duetto 1998 model I have done away with the flying saucer thingy on the roof. Reception was garbage. I drilled a hole directly into the cupboard above the door. Outside I fitted a top hinged vision plus external connector. You can put a coax and a sat socket inside the connector if you so wish. I have just the one with a couple of adaptors it can take any connection. Normally I have a short mast and an aerial that I fit to the bike rack. Only problem is if you go out the rear door you lose the picture. The only other problem I had was taking the lining out from inside the cupboard

Pete
Certa Cito

Peter,

I think that just about hits the spot perfectly. Many thanks.

Also, many thanks to all the other suggestions (I did consider the "dual use" one but The Boss knocked it on the head!).

I will let you know how it goes. (We get home in March so don't hold your breath!)

Many thanks and best regards,

Dutto

Another option, I'm sure I read it on one of these forums, was to bring the cable in through the cassette toilet ouside door and then feed it between the outside and the washroom into the cupboard. Maybe you could have a look at it if you can tear yourself away from sunbathing!!! They used a file on the edge of the door frame to bring the cable through

Pete

Certa Cito

Peter,

HA!! I never want to go near that door again!

A month ago the catch wouldn't catch so I decided to dismantle it to see what adjustment was available.

"Sprrroing!" went the internals as the last screw came loose and they scattered themselves cross the pitch.

Luckily I managed to find all the bits in the gravel and, after an hour or so of experimentation, managed to get everything back together and reinstated.

Oh, "Adjustment available?" = NIL! In the end I shaved about 1mm of plastic off the door pillar with my trusty Opinel knife and "Bingo!" it works again.

Apart from the door, the thought of what would have to be stripped out and replaced to get the cable out of the toilet, through the wardrobe and into the back of the TV makes me shudder!

No. The last idea seems to be the easiest (if not the neatest) and it beats the heck out of a dangly bit of co-ax!

Best regards,

Hi All
I have just purchased a Duetto and my wife has found the "washing line" in the wardrobe. On my Harmony the tv shelf was on the os with a socket on the outside and adjacent - no probs.
Found all the answers very interesting and will shortly try to find my own solution, I will report back as soon as the boss lets me tear things apart.
Felix of Rochester

You absolute swine!!!

I went looking for a washing line in the wardrobe and then realised what you meant!

Ah, well! More proof that I am now a certifiable idiot!

Let me know how you get on. At the moment "Through the high-roof into the wardrobe." is favourite for me.

Best regards,

As promised I now report back.
Remove panel at rear of toilet compartment.
Remove shelf from cupboard above wardrobe and back panel.
This gives access to a void behind the panelling and the tv cable can be threaded through.
As an ex electrician i used a length of mini trunking lid to use as a pull through.
I am mounting my external weatherproof socket just above the gutter on the rear quarter.
Whilst the rear panel is removed I am building a recess into the two inch gap between panel and toilet compartment to hold my cassette hose reel.
My rear shelf is also completed following the recent photos I have used hinge supports from O'Leary, very good service.
Next thing to do get ouit and use it.