Looking to Add More TV Points in Your Home? Read This
In this modern technological era, it’s common to have multiple TVs in your home. In fact, it’s unusual to come across a home in Australia that doesn’t have two or more TV outlets.
So if you’re looking for quick and efficient TV point installation services, look no further. This guide will tell you everything you need to know before you organise your installation.
What Is TV Point Installation and Why Do You Need It?
A TV point installation service involves adding new TV antenna wall sockets. These are the holes in the wall where you plug your TV antenna cable in, so you can get digital TV reception. They look a little bit like electrical outlets where you can plug in appliances, but instead of 3 small rectangular holes, a TV point has one round hole in the middle of the outlet.
You need TV points installed anywhere in your house that you need to be able to connect to free-to-air TV stations.
As Many Points As You Want, Anywhere You Want
One benefit of installing TV points means you get more options for watching TV in your home, which means more options to rearrange your furniture and layout your home. So, if you get a new couch that doesn’t fit in the usual spot, or the sun gets a bit too glary in your lounge during summer, you can easily shift your TV room around.
Multiple TV points also means you can watch different shows at the same time within your house. So, if the kids want to watch their cartoons and you want to watch your cooking show (or sporting event), you can tune in on different TVs in different rooms. Just think of all the feuds this could solve! No more TV hogging!
Plus, if you want to watch a show that’s not so family friendly, you don’t have to watch it in the main area of the house. Instead of putting your M+ rated movie on in the lounge where the kids might watch the wrong thing at the wrong time, you can easily watch it in your bedroom.
On top of that, watching TV in your bedroom is one of the best ways to relax after a long day!
Whatever your reason, getting TV point installed in multiple areas of your house will give you more options and flexibility now, and as your family grows.
Where to Put Your TV Points
Aside from your designated TV room, some places you might want to install extra TV points are:
- The opposite side of your lounge or TV room (in case you want to change the room around)
- Your bedroom
- Your kids’ bedrooms
- Your spare bedroom or guest suite
- The rumpus room
- The garage
- The shed
- The mancave
- Out near the BBQ
Anywhere you like to entertain yourself (and others) or spend time relaxing is a great place for a TV!
Are There Certain Walls That Are Better For TV Outlets?
You can install a TV point nearly anywhere, but some walls are easier and more ideally suited than others. Here are the factors our technicians consider when recommending what walls you should choose for your TV point installation:
- The best location for your TV – you want your TV point as close as possible to where you’ll position your TV to minimise cords
- Wall cavity – because we’ll need to run a cable through the wall cavity from your digital antenna to your TV outlet, it’s important to consider anything else that might be inside your wall
- Wall materials – if your walls are made of brick, concrete, or timber (rather than gyprock or plasterboard), we’ll need to run the cable over the top and cover it with a protector, rather than inside the wall
Can You Have An Electrical Outlet and a TV Point Installed Next to Each Other?
Yes! It’s really common to put your TV point installation next to an electrical outlet because your TV needs power to run, as well as the antenna connection to get digital TV reception. And from a design perspective, it makes sense to put your outlets together in a location that’s likely to be hidden by furniture and/or a TV. That way, it’s easy to hide away any loose cords.
How Will Extra TV Points Affect My Reception?
Every time you add another TV point in your home that’s connected to your digital antenna, you’re essentially splitting your signal strength. In some situations, depending on how strong your signal was to start with, you may need an amplifier to boost the signal and ensure you get good reception on all your TVs.
Why You Shouldn’t Install TV Points By Yourself
Some homeowners try to DIY their TV point installation to save money. But unless you’re a qualified and experience digital/antenna technician, it’s not a good idea. Here’s why you should leave it up to the professionals:
- It’s risky – any time you cut into your wall, you run the risk of coming up against pipes or other cords (including electricals)
- Antenna cables can have electrical currents – there’s also sometimes an electrical current that runs up your existing antenna cable, which is something you definitely don’t want to get surprised by!
- You probably don’t have the right equipment – you’ll need the right equipment to get the job done properly, which can be expensive
- It takes time – we’re willing to bet there are other things you’d rather do with your weekend!
- Complex problems can come up – the job might not be as simple as it looks because when you install signal splitters to run cable to your new TV points, it may cause you to lose reception at your current TV points
- DIY does not mean you’ll pay less – if you mess it up, it’ll cost you a LOT more to fix it
What’s the Process To Install a New TV Outlet?
When you know you need a new TV point installed, the first step is to call a professional. They’ll ask you some basic questions to determine what you need and how long the job might take. Then you can book a technician to visit your home and give you a cost estimate. They’ll give you an exact quote and inspect your home to help choose the best location for your new TV outlet(s). They’ll check a bunch of different factors, including:
- Wall types
- Wall studs
- Internal wall electricals and plumbing
- TV locations
- Cable length
- Signal strength
- Other potential issues that might impact your installation and signal
Then they’ll start the installation. They’ll normally take the signal from the main cable that’s connected to your TV antenna and split it with a splitter or tap, then run another cable from this to where you want your new TV points installed. If your walls are gyprock or plasterboard, they’ll run the cable through the internal wall and cut a hole in the wall at the outlet. They’ll use a connector to screw the cable into the TV outlet on your wall. This is where you’ll plug your TV’s antenna cable in to get a signal.
If your walls are made of a solid material, like timber, concrete, or brick, (and your walls don’t have a cavity) this process will be a little different – instead of running the cable through an internal wall, they’ll conceal it inside a discrete cover that sits on the surface of your wall.
Finally, your technician will clean up any mess from the installation, pack up, and make sure your TV is connected properly and the signal is working. If there are any signal issues, they may run additional tests to see if it’s an issue with the cable, your antenna, or the TV itself.