Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Installing a in-wall panel for coax cables

Currently, I have a small hole in my laundry room, which is covered with a small wall plate. Inside this hole is the main area where the coax cable gets split and goes to each room in my home. I have decided to switch to DirectTV. Because of this, I need to use a multiswitch to split the signal to all my rooms. The best place for this is where this little hole is located. Unfortunately, those multiswitches are pretty large. I want to enlarge the hole (too late, I already did!) and put the multiswitch here. However, a simple wall plate will not cover this hole anymore!

I'd like to put in some type of in-wall panel (large - 9" by 9") with door, where all the coax cable will go, along with the multiswitch. This will allow it to be easily accessable later on, and will also look nice. I was thinking about using a circuit breaker panel box to accomplish this. Is there anything better I can use other than this? These boxes typically have doors that are significantly smaller than the box itself, and I don't like that. Also, does the fact that it is metal have any problematic effects on my signal? Any info on either one of my questions is greatly appreciated.. Thanks,

Merowe

I used 2 x 2's to frame around the hole. I cut a chunk of 1/2" plywood to size for the door, put a hinge on one side and a pull knob on the other. A magnetic cabinet latch holds it closed. I used standard door molding to frame around it and primed & painted it the same color as the drywall.

You can do few things:
- patch up the drywall. Not terribly difficult. easiest is to cut out the bad section that spans the width of the studs and screw in a new piece of drywall, tape it, retexture, and paint. With that said, you can technically dig out a hole anywhere and relocate any outlet.

- replace your existing outlet box with a bigger 2 or 3 slot box. To do this, dig out the existing box, cut a bigger hole, and replace it with an 'old work' or 'remodeling' version box that has some mounting tabs that flip out and clamp the box to the drywall by turning the screws

- go to Home Depot and get one of those nice multimedia center distribution boxes that looks and feels like a standard subpanel, but it is specifically made for internal use like what you need, and it's far more aesthetic. Kinda pricey at $40-50 each, but it's big enough to house all your cables + modular cable amplifiers, ethernet hubs, phone wire breakout boards, etc.

Since you have coax cable, it doesn't care what it's housed in or what it traverses. A metal box is better in that regard since it acts as a Faraday cage.

aaron

merowe,

Actually, we need more info. Are you also going to keep your cable tv signal active? Are you going to get DTV with more than one receiver? Without cable tv, and adding Direct TV with multiple receivers you'll need a multi LNBF and seperate lines from the dish. A simple barrel connection in your wall to each existing cable is all you MAY need. You can't split the sat signal
to each room to watch different channels.

fred