I will be re-configuring my flat in the near future and am considering options on how to best layout the AV and network. Apologies if this post seems complicated but hopefully it will be clear to those with the knowledge to help.
My current setup is as follows:
I have a second smaller HD ready TV (no freeview HD tuner, no freesat tuner, no network capabilities) which is not being used at the moment.
The room where my current setup sits will become a spare bedroom and so I need to move all this equipment (except for the computer) to a different room in the flat (what I will refer to as the cinema room). This room will be for proper movie watching and currently has no network socket, phone socket, aerial, sky connection or even power outlets at the moment!
I want to put my second TV in the kitchen / living room and this will be for more casual viewing. There is already a sky satellite cable (x2) wired in here in addition to the 2 cables in the other room feeding the current sky box, but no working regular aerial connection
So I have two fundamental questions:
I think Qu 1 is fairly straightforward I need to take the current sky cables from where they are now and rewire them to the cinema room. The cinema room is actually much closer to the dish which will make it easier.
Regarding the network, I need to leave the wireless router where it currently is (ie next to the BT master socket) and run a long Ethernet cable from there to a switch in the cinema room. I am assuming that moving the BT master socket is very difficult or expensive but please tell me if I am mistaken
For Qu 2 I think these are the options:
Are my assumptions correct? Any other alternatives I am missing? I think the best solution would be a combination of 2) and 4) and 5) sky downstairs when we want it but otherwise separate and freely available HD channels with catch-up
Thanks and apologies for long post!
My current setup is as follows:
- HD TV (network enabled, freeview HD tuner)
- Onkyo receiver with surround sound speakers
- Sky+ HD box
- PS3
- Apple TV
- Family Mac in the same room running itunes
- BT master socket located nearby and connected to wireless router / switch. All components above currently with wired gigabit connection (better performance for streaming)
I have a second smaller HD ready TV (no freeview HD tuner, no freesat tuner, no network capabilities) which is not being used at the moment.
The room where my current setup sits will become a spare bedroom and so I need to move all this equipment (except for the computer) to a different room in the flat (what I will refer to as the cinema room). This room will be for proper movie watching and currently has no network socket, phone socket, aerial, sky connection or even power outlets at the moment!
I want to put my second TV in the kitchen / living room and this will be for more casual viewing. There is already a sky satellite cable (x2) wired in here in addition to the 2 cables in the other room feeding the current sky box, but no working regular aerial connection
So I have two fundamental questions:
- Steps to take to make the cinema room functional (ie adding the necessary sky and network connections)
- Steps to get TV in the living room
I think Qu 1 is fairly straightforward I need to take the current sky cables from where they are now and rewire them to the cinema room. The cinema room is actually much closer to the dish which will make it easier.
Regarding the network, I need to leave the wireless router where it currently is (ie next to the BT master socket) and run a long Ethernet cable from there to a switch in the cinema room. I am assuming that moving the BT master socket is very difficult or expensive but please tell me if I am mistaken
For Qu 2 I think these are the options:
- Use existing second TV as is need to fix existing aerial connection, no sky, no HD channels, no catch-up TV
- Buy freesat HD box - should just work with sky connections already in place, newer boxes have HD, PVR and catch-up capability, only free channels available but can watch different channels to main TV
- Sky multiroom - Sky connections already in place, separate sky channels in both rooms but also separate recordings, extra monthly cost
- Wire from sky box in cinema room to living room (eg HDMI splitter?) sky in both rooms but needs to be same channel, HD in living room, sky+ recordings in one place and can watch in living room
- Second apple TV itunes videos in living room, stream sky from ipad or computer via airplay?
- Slingbox? Not sure how these work
Are my assumptions correct? Any other alternatives I am missing? I think the best solution would be a combination of 2) and 4) and 5) sky downstairs when we want it but otherwise separate and freely available HD channels with catch-up
Thanks and apologies for long post!