[Keane]

I am moving into an apartment in a couple weeks where I will be allowed to have a dish mounted on my balcony, but I could use some advice on how this will work. I've been lucky to live in a house where an installer could drill right though the outside wall to behind the TV without any real care. I have a feeling that with this new place, I am going to have to have wires run throughout the inside the apartment, but what do I know. I also don't get how I am allowed to have service if the dish is on the balcony, but I wont eventually be held responsible for any drilling through exterior walls. If any installer could give me their advice on what they would do, I would appreciate it. It would calm my fears quite a bit before I have the "movers connection" come out and take care of things. You can check here for a floorplan of my new place.

http://www.thebrazos.net/floorplan.asp?plan=A9

Much appreciated.

 

[carl6]

You need to determine from the apartment manager what the rules are for drilling. I suspect they are no drilling allowed. If they say it is okay, get it in writing.

If no drilling is allowed, then you must fine another way to get coax inside. That could be through a window or some other opening, possibly using flat cable (which I think DirecTV no longer permits installers to use).

I don't think installers are not supposed to do apartment installs without either written permission/instructions from the landlord, or the landlord being present to specify what is or is not allowed.

Carl

 

[wesmills]

Welcome to north Texas.

There's not going to be any way to get the cable inside--while staying within what's known as your "exclusive use area"--without drilling or going with flat cable. The walls to either side of the french doors to your balcony look too small to have any kind of windows on them, but that would be the best. If you are on the first floor and can disguise it, your best bet will be to send the cable through the window in the bedroom with the sliding closet. You can either use flat cable (the installer won't do this) or rig up a solution where the window stays partially open and the cable passes through. Some people have suggested using a small piece of wood, painted to match, with holes drilled out to allow the cable to pass.

Of course, there is the drill option, but the installer--in all likelihood--will not do this for you since you won't have anything signed from your management saying that drilling is allowed. Given that the complex was just renovated this year--and apartment management's general disdain for anything satellite or permanent related--you are not going to get that permission. Therefore, if you are willing to take the risk AND you do a good job (use light-colored cabling, put a professional-looking face plate on the inside of the drop, park a potted plant, table or other nifty fixture in front of said plate, etc) then your management will never notice while you are there. You must be certain that you can patch both holes before moving out; this is usually possible with some pre-mixed drywall mud or spackle and a small quantity of matching paint.

Good luck.

 

[Keane]

Both of these responses are just what I'm afraid of. Unfortunately it looks like I'm going to be forced to switch to ATT UVerse. Blech.

 

[Keane]

Where can I find some of this flat cable you speak of?

 

[wesmills]

Here's one piece:

Flat coax from beachaudio.com

Fry's (nearest to you is at Plano Pkwy & Central Expy, Plano) carries it, and I'm fairly certain Radio Shack (Midway & Trinity Mills, Carrollton) also carries it.

FYI: There is some debate as to how well the flat coax will carry the HD signals. Most people's experience is that it works perfectly, but when it fails, it craps out hard.