# Coax and cat panels



## ZBat910 (Aug 4, 2014)

Hope I am posting this in the correct area but here goes anyways. I have walked through a few homes done by other electrical companies and I have seen these white panel boxes about the same size as a main panel and they house all the coax and cat runs. Why are these used and what are they actually called? Fiber optic has been being run in areas around here as well and I'm wondering if it had anything to do with that. Also, I have seen some houses where there will be one single gang box with multiple coax and cat runs coming out of it. What is that used for exactly? There would literally be like 5 cat runs and a couple coax runs in one box all hanging out waiting to be trimmed out for whatever there use is. I have only just ran individual runs of each to their own single gang box, just don't understand the need for either of those two scenarios. Thanks


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

ZBat910 said:


> Hope I am posting this in the correct area but here goes anyways. I have walked through a few homes done by other electrical companies and I have seen these white panel boxes about the same size as a main panel and they house all the coax and cat runs. Why are these used and what are they actually called? Fiber optic has been being run in areas around here as well and I'm wondering if it had anything to do with that. Also, I have seen some houses where there will be one single gang box with multiple coax and cat runs coming out of it. What is that used for exactly? There would literally be like 5 cat runs and a couple coax runs in one box all hanging out waiting to be trimmed out for whatever there use is. I have only just ran individual runs of each to their own single gang box, just don't understand the need for either of those two scenarios. Thanks
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using electriciantalk.com


Structured wiring? And then after you get it all neatly put together, the cable or satellite company etc. comes in and disconnects it and hacks their own system in!!!


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

wendon said:


> Structured wiring? And then after you get it all neatly put together, the cable or satellite company etc. comes in and disconnects it and hacks their own system in!!!


Yep that's usually what happens. 
We also have some developments here that they have taken the guts out of the alarm and added it in to the can with the phone/data/tv. It makes it interesting to check out sometimes.


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## ZBat910 (Aug 4, 2014)

What exactly are all those cables doing in one single gang box though? I just question this, I always run each cable to an individual box of homeowner specification. It doesn't seem normal to have several all in one box


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

That is going to be for a wall jack or could be stub outs for an equipment cabinet or something like that. It could be other things and I am only guessing as I have not seen what you are talking about.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

You can use 2x Cat6 to make an HDMI with baluns so that might explain seeing so many in a box, well 4 at least, phone, internet and HDMI maybe.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

its called a media distribution cabinet. 

this is due to cables now needing to be home run for newer cable systems. 

its pretty much the norm now


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

My custom home made cabinet...



Left - computer network

Center - telephone

Right - coax



Data, phone, video, all in one. Ability to use one or all at one location. I have 2 in each room for maximum flexibility when placing furniture.


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## ZBat910 (Aug 4, 2014)

Cool. Do the distribution panels get hooked up by the phone company or is it the electricians duty. These are not popular yet where we are located.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

ZBat910 said:


> Cool. Do the distribution panels get hooked up by the phone company or is it the electricians duty. These are not popular yet where we are located.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using electriciantalk.com


Nah sparkies or the elv contractors do it, theres a demarcaction point so anything after that point is homeowners wiring, the telco will just bring it to the house.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

chewy said:


> Nah sparkies or the elv contractors do it, theres a demarcaction point so anything after that point is homeowners wiring, the telco will just bring it to the house.


I've installed hundreds of 66 blocks with customer premise wiring. The GC says it is the TELCOs job to terminate it. It's my job if the customer pays me to do it


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