Broadcast live camera feed through school cable distribution system at DVinfo.net

Joan Strother · February 22nd, 2009, 12:34 PM

Hi! This is my first post and I'm not sure if this is the right forum but I could use some assistance with cable connections in our school.

We have an installed school cable tv distribution system that feeds to boxes throughout the school. The media center wants to feed live video feed through this system. We have the following additional components installed in the telecom room (which are not connected) by a contractor who is now apparently out of the picture:
-1. Blonder Tongue channel elimination filter (apparently set to eliminate Channel 5).
-2. Blonder Tongue agile processor
-3. Blonder Tongue amplifier BIDA 750-30
-4. Incoming cable company box (Milenium MGLSH-2F line passive) with one output (OUT 3) used as the input for the cable company, other output (OUT 2) used to go to the 8-way splitter, then more splitters, etc.,

I was thinking the outputs of the agile processor and channel filter should go to a combiner and then maybe into the amp, after that I'm not sure. Should it go into the input of the Milenium box? Or probably bypass the output before it gets to the first splitter.The contractor had installed all the cables but nothing has been hooked up.
Would really appreciate some help!

Andy Tejral · February 22nd, 2009, 02:14 PM

Oy! Sounds like you got a problem!

Maybe someone from the local cable company can either do the work or suggest someone who can?

I'm not sure you've given enough information about the whole system to make any suggestions. But here goes:

The Agile processor is set to ch. 5? Everything else kinda depends on this.

Take the incoming feed from the cable company and put the channel 5 filter on it. Make that one input to a combiner and the agile processor the other. Put the output of the combiner to the BIDA and connect that to your in-house cable system.

However, I don't know why they specified that BIDA box--there is no reason for a bidirectional box in my picture. Is your signal supposed to go to the 'outside world'?

Joan Strother · February 22nd, 2009, 04:13 PM

No, it doesn't go to the outside world at all. I'm glad you said that, when I saw the output to output, that threw me too.

Thanks so much for your reply, I'm thinking someone else will definitely have to do the work, I just wanted to make sure I couldn't do it first. The main problem for me would be how to bypass between the output of the BIDA and the first 8-way splitter. I can only see bare conductor sticking into the BIDA, then very very short, mostly fittings, less than a 6" run to the splitter. And it doesn't appear to be a terminated jack.

The channel eliminator was labeled Channel 5, but the agile processor is unlabeled, and was even mislabeled on the input with Comcast, so I'm crossing my fingers with that one.

At least for now I can test my connections with the combiner to one of the splitters and make sure that side works. All the Blonder Tongue equipment was installed by a different contractor from the cable distribution side. Do you have any thoughts on the amp? I suppose I would have to use trial and error with that one to see if I even need it.
I really appreciate it!!

Joan Strother · February 23rd, 2009, 08:39 AM

Should I take the output of the combiner to the "input" of the BIDA?
I tried the configuration and it didn't work with just one input to one room.

Andy Tejral · February 23rd, 2009, 08:50 AM

Sorry, without seeing what your seeing and seeing what else is going on, I'm out of ideas.

Regarding the bare wire, most F connectors just use the inner conductor of the cable as the pin of the connector (unlike BNCs, RCAs, and well, most connectors). Its likely that someone put stress on the connection and pulled the inner conductor out of the cable. On short pieces, that isn't hard to do. While it may be convenient to have a short piece, there is no need for it--if you have a longer piece of cable lieing around, that'll work.

February 22nd, 2009, 12:34 PM	#1
Joan Strother Tourist Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: savannah, georgia Posts: 3	Broadcast live camera feed through school cable distribution system Hi! This is my first post and I'm not sure if this is the right forum but I could use some assistance with cable connections in our school. We have an installed school cable tv distribution system that feeds to boxes throughout the school. The media center wants to feed live video feed through this system. We have the following additional components installed in the telecom room (which are not connected) by a contractor who is now apparently out of the picture: -1. Blonder Tongue channel elimination filter (apparently set to eliminate Channel 5). -2. Blonder Tongue agile processor -3. Blonder Tongue amplifier BIDA 750-30 -4. Incoming cable company box (Milenium MGLSH-2F line passive) with one output (OUT 3) used as the input for the cable company, other output (OUT 2) used to go to the 8-way splitter, then more splitters, etc., I was thinking the outputs of the agile processor and channel filter should go to a combiner and then maybe into the amp, after that I'm not sure. Should it go into the input of the Milenium box? Or probably bypass the output before it gets to the first splitter.The contractor had installed all the cables but nothing has been hooked up. Would really appreciate some help!

February 22nd, 2009, 02:14 PM	#2
Andy Tejral Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 523	Oy! Sounds like you got a problem! Maybe someone from the local cable company can either do the work or suggest someone who can? I'm not sure you've given enough information about the whole system to make any suggestions. But here goes: The Agile processor is set to ch. 5? Everything else kinda depends on this. Take the incoming feed from the cable company and put the channel 5 filter on it. Make that one input to a combiner and the agile processor the other. Put the output of the combiner to the BIDA and connect that to your in-house cable system. However, I don't know why they specified that BIDA box--there is no reason for a bidirectional box in my picture. Is your signal supposed to go to the 'outside world'? __________________ Andy Tejral Railroad Videographer

February 22nd, 2009, 04:13 PM	#3
Joan Strother Tourist Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: savannah, georgia Posts: 3	Thanks! No, it doesn't go to the outside world at all. I'm glad you said that, when I saw the output to output, that threw me too. Thanks so much for your reply, I'm thinking someone else will definitely have to do the work, I just wanted to make sure I couldn't do it first. The main problem for me would be how to bypass between the output of the BIDA and the first 8-way splitter. I can only see bare conductor sticking into the BIDA, then very very short, mostly fittings, less than a 6" run to the splitter. And it doesn't appear to be a terminated jack. The channel eliminator was labeled Channel 5, but the agile processor is unlabeled, and was even mislabeled on the input with Comcast, so I'm crossing my fingers with that one. At least for now I can test my connections with the combiner to one of the splitters and make sure that side works. All the Blonder Tongue equipment was installed by a different contractor from the cable distribution side. Do you have any thoughts on the amp? I suppose I would have to use trial and error with that one to see if I even need it. I really appreciate it!!

February 23rd, 2009, 08:39 AM	#4
Joan Strother Tourist Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: savannah, georgia Posts: 3	Hey again! Should I take the output of the combiner to the "input" of the BIDA? I tried the configuration and it didn't work with just one input to one room.

February 23rd, 2009, 08:50 AM	#5
Andy Tejral Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 523	Sorry, without seeing what your seeing and seeing what else is going on, I'm out of ideas. Regarding the bare wire, most F connectors just use the inner conductor of the cable as the pin of the connector (unlike BNCs, RCAs, and well, most connectors). Its likely that someone put stress on the connection and pulled the inner conductor out of the cable. On short pieces, that isn't hard to do. While it may be convenient to have a short piece, there is no need for it--if you have a longer piece of cable lieing around, that'll work. __________________ Andy Tejral Railroad Videographer