sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring cable tv at a resort

We have a customer with a big resort/golfcourse with many cabins. All owned by the same person, and all within about 1000-2000'of each other.
We have a partner system with extensions in most cabins, but they have always paid for seperate cable tv, we will be running some fiber and cat 5 underground for some wireless access, within the next few weeks.
Is there any reason I can't 'network' the cable tv??

The only reason might be the cable TV company would want to charge about $11/month per cabin.
Or, you could put your own head end in and pay some number of $$$ for packages. On the whole, a broadband amp and distribution to each building wouldn't be outrageous.

Carl

Is there any reason I can't 'network' the cable tv??

Only reason I could think of is because you have no clue. Now, if the owner were to contract out to a SMATV company to install, maintain and run it that would be a different story. I would think that they have done this a few times and actually know what they are talking about.

-Hal

Thanks Carl. My main concern would be cost per month and any repercussions they might face if we tried to do it without the cable company knowing.
Regardless, we're digging up the course and some RG6 will be installed with the fiber and voice feeders.
As for smatv, they have it in four spots (bar, clubhouses, and a gameroom. Which is taken care of by a direct tv contractor. They don't plan on keeping that service long.

Hal
I'm sure there's a newbie on here that would like you to explain 'taps' or how to install a splitter, I don't need or want your insight.

thanks

Y.E.T:

As easy as CATV appears, there's just so much that goes on "behind the scenes" that needs to be taken into consideration. Local internal coax cable runs are no brainers, but extending a conditioned signal over long distances is quite complex. You have to tune it up here, tune it down there, etc. If it's more than 100 feet, it can get ugly. Rest assured that "herring bones" or other abnormalities showing up on the TV is going to come back to bite you.

Those distances are going to be pushing it with regard to signal quality. You'll probably need to consider running some .500 hard line cable, not RG6. That requires taps, line extenders, power supplies, special supplies, special connectors and most importantly, special tools. If I were you, I would try to befriend someone who works for the cable service provider, or better yet, someone who is a contractor for them to get you pointed in the right direction. Even better, maybe you can sub that part of the job out to them. Just a thought.

I'm not a fan of Direct TV, but the ESPN public viewing is not a bad deal. It's based on average audience, not occupancy, and for a small property that's 50 seats. IIRC it's something like $60/month and believe me, legal public viewing is better than getting caught for illegal public viewing.

I have no first hand knowledge, but I had the beJesus scared out of me with the horror stories of participating in the latter. When someone tells you to pay $50K and name names, I don't want my name mentioned :-)

Carl

My background includes doing these kinds of projects and much larger for many years. I had my own contracting and service company and was also a cable company employee. You insult my intelligence if you think that someone with little or no experience and probably no test equipment can pull something like this off. What rankles me even more is that you are attempting to do this for profit at a customer's expense.

We come down hard on trunk slammers, sparkies and the like who come here wanting us to tell them how to install phone systems. Sorry, but I see no difference here.

-Hal

Hal,
I also have a simlar backround and agree with you 100%. I helped build out an entire town, everything from head end to the cable droped at the customers site.

Like any industry, it aint as simple as it looks.

Walter

While I am still a little bit new to the cable tv industry, I do work directly for a cable company. I can assure you that putting RG6 in the ground is doing nothing more than wasting time and money. As Ed mentioned above, for distances like you are describing, you will need hardline cable along with all of the extra goodies. Without the proper tools and knowledge all you are going to do is upset the customer because it will not work and they will not want to pay for it. I would not risk losing a customer over a project like this personally.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by glacier37:
While I am still a little bit new to the cable tv industry, I do work directly for a cable company. I can assure you that putting RG6 in the ground is doing nothing more than wasting time and money. As Ed mentioned above, for distances like you are describing, you will need hardline cable along with all of the extra goodies. Without the proper tools and knowledge all you are going to do is upset the customer because it will not work and they will not want to pay for it. I would not risk losing a customer over a project like this personally. [/QUOTE

I agree with Ed and Glacier & Hal Cable Tv should be left up to people that know what needs to be done. A wise man once said alway have your job planed out and never bit off more than you can chew. I did cable CATV from time to time and I learned I should leave it up to someone who know a little more than I thought I knew.