Listed building- Coax only- Distribution of 2 sky boxes possible?

mikeaitch

Prominent Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2001
Messages
1,609
Reaction score
56
Points
302
Location
Stoke
Hi

Going slightly mad trying to find a solution to this-

The main living room has two coaxials going to the loft. There is only a single aerial coax going to the 4 other rooms in the house, and as it's listed, they are loathe to have new wiring installed. At present there is Sky HD in the living room distributed via rf to the loft, through an amplifier to the 5 rooms giving normal tv and sky from the main box with sky eye control. They want to add another sky box, how can I send the two sources using only the existing wiring, and what happens re the freeview feed if I use SDI or point to point coax solutions?

Rooms are two upstairs bedrooms, living room kitchen and conservatory

Help!
 
hi Mike,
you connect the two SKY box RF2 outputs to two of the 4 inputs of a SKY PLUS combiner.
The output of the combiner then connects to the input of the attic amp.

Make sure you turn both SKY boxes RF2 power outlets on and use combiner inputs '0' and '1' as input zero powers the combiner.
The RF for the freeview connects to any one Sky box RF input.

You then program the SKY handsets and label them SKY HD box 1 and SKY HD box 2. They will then only operate their respective boxes.

One problem you may run into is if you operate any SKY handset in the living room and it can see both boxes both will obviously respond.

I get round this by putting the SKY receivers in a cupboard out of view or I blank off the IR sensors on the front of the SKY boxes.
To operate the out of view SKY boxes in the lounge you then fit a magic eye in that room.
So now in the lounge the programmed handsets will be steered to their respective boxes via the magic eye and combiner.

Ask me another one!
 
I'd do the same Steve,I usually put a two splitter with DC pass on both legs, and hide the receivers as you say.

Or if it is a cinema, high quality room, I use a harmony remote wit rf base to target the specific receivers in that room.

V.
 
Last edited:
Also N.B. you can't use SDI easily with HDMI sources as it does not support EDID. You'd need to convert to VGA/Component with a HDFury or similar, then upconvert to 3G-SDI again. Either that or distribute in SD, in which case stick with the RF solution described by Steve and vex.

HTH
Chris
 
I must admit you have lost me there Chris.
I guess I could work it out given time but I trust you that it is all correct and may ask questions later

only bit I understood was RF solution! :)
 
OP mentioned SDI - we've looked at it before and it's more trouble than it's worth if you have HDMI to start out with. Anything non-HDCP - go for it!
 
There was a company doing HD SDI upgrades on Sky boxes some time ago, can not find them now. Depends a little on the coax installed, if its sat grade then SDI possible, if its that brown stuff then prob not.

Dupe...
 
Did have a look at the time and couldn't find them. Be good to know who it was as they may still od them under the radar!
 
It's still going to be carp quality mono sound etc and not long until analogue tuners are dropped from the majority of TV's. HOw are you planning to add the second Sky box? And then control the 2 boxes in each location?
 
Hi horndragon,
FYI I explained in detail earlier in this thread how both boxes will be viewed and controlled on any TV over the one coax.
 
of course, but it is a solution to his problem because he can't rewire for some reason.

What is your suggestion?
 
mmm .... interesting but none specific answer.

please elaborate, he says he can't re cable so your suggestion is?
 
stevedilworth said:
mmm .... interesting but none specific answer.

please elaborate, he says he can't re cable so your suggestion is?

It will use the existing cabling, but not the modulator in the sky box, shame the latest sky HD boxes have dropped s-video connection, what I want to know is how without recabling the second box will be fed from the dish.....
 
Where does audio come from without using the modulator?

Surely you realise he can't do any internal wiring that would involve cutting, plastering and decoration
but to bring a couple of dish feeds through an outside wall is minimum trauma to the building.

I also don't understand how s-video would help the situation, dead easy to conjure up that format at the source.
I'm certainly confused about your comments.

While I admire your your high standards I have no clue what you are talking about and presume mikeaitch is also confused.

just realised he hasn't been back to this thread since his initial query so perhaps he isn't

So again, what is your solution to viewing SKY on multiple TVs and controlling two SKY HD boxes independently using one coax return to the attic?
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom