Satellite splitter... connect 2 boxes...

justmyself

Living in an apartment block…

I have sky set up – normal sky, not sky +.

The cable from the satellite runs from the back of my apartment, through my bedroom, along a hallway and into my sitting room.

Is there any possibility that I can cut the lead in my bedroom – add some kind of splitter/ boaster and hook up a FTA BOX – and still have my SKY running fine?

What exactly would I need to do and purchase?

Thanks for your help!

Myxomatosis

On the dish there is an LNB.

The LNB is controlled by the set top box. The set top box sends a signal to the LNB and tells it to tune into a certain frequencies.

Therefore you need 1 LNB per set top box. You can purchase LNBs which have multiple outputs, i.e. multiple LNBs rolled up into one LNB, if you will.

Get yourself a LNB with 2 outputs, or possibly an LNB with 4 outputs if the price increase isn't too much. That way you can, in future, set up PVRs and the like.

But go for 2 outputs if your on a budget. You'll need to run a new cable down to the FTA box. Don't forget 2 F-connectors to connect the cable to the LNB and to the set top box.

Onikage

Even if you did get a passthrough splitter you would still have the problem of losing some channels on one box when you change channels on the other. Might be acceptable if it's just yourself in the apartment I guess.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/111826-powered-vs-non-powered-splitter.html

Cuchulain

Out of interest sake. I see some of the Humax Foxsat boxes have a LNB out on them. Shown here in the left



Does this mean it could loop through the cable to his original Sky box via this Humax box?

Onikage

Yes, this would create a slave box that could watch the channels on the transponder the master is tuned in to. Of course you would need to run another cable back to the bedroom then.

Cuchulain

Interesting. Do you know how many transponders would be in use. Like does BBC1 and ITV use the same transponder as RTE or Discovery channels?

Onikage

You can have a look yourself here: http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html

Cuchulain

Ah I should have copped that. Quite a few then so the loopthough is not such a viable option. Thanks for clarifying as I was going to get the Humax PVR and loopthrough to my LNB IN2 on my Sky+.

There really is nothing better or even equivalent to running a cable directly out to the dish.

Onikage

Funny you should mention that, there was a thread recently on how the Humax boxes support Unicable LNBs.

..and here it is: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=58309869

Cuchulain

Cool, Im never even heard of unicable lnb technology before.
Looks like there are some issues with it still.

watty

Mostly it's a stunningly bad idea to split a satellite cable or loop via a set box IF in / Out (the loop was really for German market where a lot of Analogue Sat receivers in use).

Only about 1/4 of channels work properly unless only one box at a time is on. The Sky box is "on" from point of view of coax even in standby so that updates work.

Unicable LNBs are a LOT more expensive and limited to about 16 receivers / 8 PVRs. A Quad LNB + Multiswitch is cheaper and work on 16 receivers up to nearly a 1000.

A non-unicable receiver won't work at all on a Unicable LNB. It's logically like having 8 to 16 video senders...

Unless the receivers are near each other it doesn't save much on cabling. It's no use at all for apartment blocks which need to use Quads / Quattros and Multiswitch. The problem is that Builders/Developers cut corners and instead of running 4x coax from patch pannel to each apartment only run one.

They'd not need enough multiswitches for everyone to have 4 cables as many may only use 2. Two cables is a minimum.

On a multiswitch cabled system you can do Cable Broadband, Cable TV, DAB, FM Radio and Terrestrial TV all on the cable pair. (Off air and Cable TV can use alternate coax per pair for Sat PVR)