communal system planning for satellite and aerial installations

Where Do we start?

What is required?

Communal systems are completley different in the way that they are planned compared to a domestic aerial or satellite system. It stands to reason that if one aerial is to be able to be used by 10's, 100's or 1000's of people, all with perfect pictures and 'transparent' ie. it acts like your own aerial, then it needs to be matched up, balanced and made safe.

The first thing to think about nowadays when designing an aerial and satellite system is you must build in the abililty to receive digital. It stands to reason that if all tv aerial transmitters are going to be switched over to digital by 2012 (some have already gone digital), tehn you MUST make allowances for that in any design.

You do however have choices:

IRS systems

Do you want to be able to have the facility to have the choice of satellite as well? If so, that will almost certainly mean you would require an IRS system. 

If you are not too fussy about receiving satellite and are happy with freeview only, then this makes things cheaper... however, to switch to an irs system in the future, if not planned for, can be very costly!

IRS systems are the systems that local authorities are installing . They offer far more flexibility should tenants decide they wish to have satellite, or even satellite channels from other countries, not just the sky tv option. They also provide terrestrial analogue tv reception and digitla freeview reception simultaneously.

The beauty of an IRS satellite and aerial system, it that if you do not want Sky, or european channels, then you do not have to have them. If you DO want those channels, then you just plug in your satellite receiver and it reacts like you have your own dish and aerial, completely transparent.

Irs systems can be 5 wire back boned, (for one satellite reception), 9 wire back boned (for 2 satellites reception), the less common 12 wire back bone (for 3 satellite reception). Most systems are either 5 wire back bone or 9 wire.

Indeed most local authorities are installing9 wire back bone IRS satellite and aerial system, with 2 cables per position to allow for Sky + and Sky HD, which allows for simultaneous choice of :

• terrestrial analogue reception
• digital tv reception
• FM radio reception
• DAB digital radio reception
• sky satellite reception
• european satellite reception (or any other choice)

This is essentially a better system where more choice is required for tennants, where maybe english may be a second language, ie for polish people, french, etc etc.

The obvious slight downside is that these sytems is that they are initially more expensive. The thing to be borne in mind with this though, is most peopel nowadays when they move in to a new property expect to be able to have these choices, as many rental agents will tell you. This whilst it may not actually put more monetary calue on your property on your home, it may be a nice littel selling point when the new owner has a choice of no digital or satellite, or a home with digital satellite. Times have changed!

Aerial Concepts offer a design and installation consultancy to help you make informed decisions, so why not give us a call now on:

0800 52 62 08

Aerial and satellite systems, .... with you in mind