What does a TV aerial cable look like...?

David333

I've just moved into a new flat and because I don't have a TV I bought a TV tuner for my laptop so that I can watch Peep Show and The Apprentice. Well, the TV tuner comes with a tiny little aerial which won't actually pick up any signal, but - and this might be good news - hunting round I've found a cable lurking in the corner of the room, which disappears into the skirting board... .

The thing is I don't know what sort of cable it is... . There's an attachment on the end of it which says 'Forward Path Attenuator' and on the other side 'FLD5W Digital Signal Conditioning Filter'. Is this some sort of magical link to an aerial outside and the wonders of TV...? It doesn't quite fit my aerial socket on the TV tuner thing but can I buy something to make it...?

Hope my question isn't too vague, that someone can help, that I haven't made myself look too stupid! Thanks in advance.

David

GaryS

The "FLD5W Digital Signal Conditioning Filter" sounds like a cable filter of some type, used by Virgin / NTL, etc.

It is used for cable TV and connects to a digital receiver, not what you are looking for.

Have you not got a socket like this anywhere on the wall ?

http://www.skytronic.co.uk/rsc/img/100/122312.jpg

C_Ronaldo

This cable you found, does it look like this

http://www.electrosmart.co.uk/images/FC-025.jpg

David333

C_Ronaldo wrote: »

This cable you found, does it look like this

http://www.electrosmart.co.uk/images/FC-025.jpg

A little but not really! The bit in the middle of the end of the cable is like a pin, really thin... .

burnsguitarman

Can you unplug the attenuator from the cable?

David333

GaryS wrote: »

The "FLD5W Digital Signal Conditioning Filter" sounds like a cable filter of some type, used by Virgin / NTL, etc.

It is used for cable TV and connects to a digital receiver, not what you are looking for.

Have you not got a socket like this anywhere on the wall ?

http://www.skytronic.co.uk/rsc/img/100/122312.jpg

Unfortunately not...just some power sockets and that mysterious cable... .

David333

burnsguitarman wrote: »

Can you unplug the attenuator from the cable?

Yep, it's in my hand now... . But the end of the cable is about three millimetres too big to fit the TV tuner and the pin thing in the centre is a pin rather than a slightly bigger pole which would fit the tuner... .

burnsguitarman

It sounds as if you have a plug, did you not get any adapters with your tv tuner?

David333

burnsguitarman wrote: »

It sounds as if you have a plug, did you not get any adapters with your tv tuner?

Nope, just the TV tuner thing itself and an aerial with it, which isn't very good... . Any idea where I can get an adaptor...?

Fifer

It's a filter for a cable TV connection it appears.