Using TV Link extension: how to create Scart connection to PVR?

iankgrant

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Hi, all.

We've got a rather convoluted (and probably less than ideal) set-up in our house. Specifically, the Sky digibox is in an upstairs bedroom; it was before my time, but it sounds as if it was installed like that because that's the main phone socket is. A 'TV Link' coax extension runs to the television in the room below. That's all worked fine so far.

We've now added a Panasonic DMR-EX89EB PVR into the equation. There's still no problem with watching Sky via the TV Link...but the PVR would need a Scart connection to the digibox in order to record from Sky, as it merely passes the RF signal straight through. That'd be easy to solve if they were in the same room, less easy when there's a ceiling in the way!

Does anyone have any ideas on how to solve that problem? Is there a way (another digibox, maybe) of converting the RF signal from the TV Link and sending it through to the PVR? All of the extension kits that I've seen just seem to work with RF only, no sign of Scart. Is there anything else that I might not have thought about?

Any help or ideas would be gratefully received; apologies if I've got any of the terminology wrong. Many thanks in advance.

ian.
 
You could always use a Video Sender and do away with the Eye.
 
Hi, all.

We've got a rather convoluted (and probably less than ideal) set-up in our house. Specifically, the Sky digibox is in an upstairs bedroom; it was before my time, but it sounds as if it was installed like that because that's the main phone socket is. A 'TV Link' coax extension runs to the television in the room below. That's all worked fine so far.

We've now added a Panasonic DMR-EX89EB PVR into the equation. There's still no problem with watching Sky via the TV Link...but the PVR would need a Scart connection to the digibox in order to record from Sky, as it merely passes the RF signal straight through. That'd be easy to solve if they were in the same room, less easy when there's a ceiling in the way!

Does anyone have any ideas on how to solve that problem? Is there a way (another digibox, maybe) of converting the RF signal from the TV Link and sending it through to the PVR? All of the extension kits that I've seen just seem to work with RF only, no sign of Scart. Is there anything else that I might not have thought about?

Any help or ideas would be gratefully received; apologies if I've got any of the terminology wrong. Many thanks in advance.

ian.

You are right about it being far from ideal, in effect you're using the sky box (which has a perfectly good RGB output) to create an analogue TV channel from composite video and send it down the coax to a remote TV. It might be OK for a small screen crt but it's going to be a naff picture for a bigger TV.

By far the best way would be to use the current cable that's used to send the signal downstairs to extend the lnb connection to the downstairs and put the skybox there. If this cable is ordinary low loss coax there might be some loss of signal issues and interference but provided it's not too long it's worth a shot. Make the join with with two f connectors and male-male f adaptor.

You can record anything you can watch on the TV albeit not good quality on your DVD recorder (it's not a pvr these can't record from anything but there own tuners) by simply connecting a scart lead from the TV to a scart input on the DVDR and selecting the appropriate input. (scart leads have cvbs video and stereo audio in both directions). You have to be watching what you are recording though. If you move the sky box you can scart connect it to the DVDR and record regardless of what you are watching on the TV
 
You are right about it being far from ideal, in effect you're using the sky box (which has a perfectly good RGB output) to create an analogue TV channel from composite video and send it down the coax to a remote TV. It might be OK for a small screen crt but it's going to be a naff picture for a bigger TV.

By far the best way would be to use the current cable that's used to send the signal downstairs to extend the lnb connection to the downstairs and put the skybox there. If this cable is ordinary low loss coax there might be some loss of signal issues and interference but provided it's not too long it's worth a shot. Make the join with with two f connectors and male-male f adaptor.

You can record anything you can watch on the TV albeit not good quality on your DVD recorder (it's not a pvr these can't record from anything but there own tuners) by simply connecting a scart lead from the TV to a scart input on the DVDR and selecting the appropriate input. (scart leads have cvbs video and stereo audio in both directions). You have to be watching what you are recording though. If you move the sky box you can scart connect it to the DVDR and record regardless of what you are watching on the TV

Thanks very much for your help, Graham. I'll do some further investigation of our setup when I get home based on what you've said, but can I just clarify a couple of things...?

Are you able to point me towards a link/picture of the connectors/adaptors that I'd need? I can see that there'd need to be a join between the cable from the satellite dish and the coax cable that runs downstairs. Once it got downstairs, where would it go into the Sky digibox?

As I understand it, the original reason for the location of the Sky box is that it's where the main phone socket is. Wouldn't we have to relocate that if we were moving the box downstairs?

Again, many thanks.
 
Thanks very much for your help, Graham. I'll do some further investigation of our setup when I get home based on what you've said, but can I just clarify a couple of things...?

Are you able to point me towards a link/picture of the connectors/adaptors that I'd need? I can see that there'd need to be a join between the cable from the satellite dish and the coax cable that runs downstairs. Once it got downstairs, where would it go into the Sky digibox?

As I understand it, the original reason for the location of the Sky box is that it's where the main phone socket is. Wouldn't we have to relocate that if we were moving the box downstairs?

Again, many thanks.

See here for how to fit f connectors and there's also a picture of the coupler

How to fit F Connectors to coaxial cable

You only need a phone line on a sky box for multiroom or for purchasing premium content. If you need this you can get plug in adaptors that transfer a phone point using mains wiring or dect cordless technology.
 
See here for how to fit f connectors and there's also a picture of the coupler

How to fit F Connectors to coaxial cable

You only need a phone line on a sky box for multiroom or for purchasing premium content. If you need this you can get plug in adaptors that transfer a phone point using mains wiring or dect cordless technology.

Thanks, Graham. That's fantastically helpful. Much obliged. :thumbsup:
 
That's my best recommendation too.

Why, the OP will still only get composite video quality from a box that's capable of top quality RGB pictures. Even assuming the video sender works well they are prone to interference and a decent 5.8Mhz one costs about ÂŁ50.00. He can move his box using about 50p of bits. Seems a total no brainer to me
 
That's a bit "daring" seeing as you have no idea of the quality/length/wall plates of his existing co-ax.

For the cost of 3 f connectors and a male to male coupler it's still a no brainer to try this first. :eek:. How hard is it to change a wall plate if he has too.

There's no guarantee a video sender is going to be satisfactory either. Personally I would avoid this option like the plague and if the existing coax does not work well I would simply replace it with a length of PF100 or WF100 much cheaper than video sender and 100% bound to work.
 
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