using my old sky boxes as a satellite system?

Bjorn Bored.

I used to be with Sky and changed to UPC 2 yrs ago, now I am doin up the garage and making into a little entertainment hub, I have installed a plasma and dvd etc but I also want Satellite, I will be doin the work myself and I dont want to spend a massive amount as I dont think I need to,and this is why.

When I left Sky I was left with a HD box which was 2nd generation. I also have another couple of pace boxes because at the time I had the HD in the main room and the two pace boxes in two of the bedrooms.

A couple of queries,


1) Would it be better to install a new system rather that use my sky stuff, for instance,are there a much better range of channels on most other free sat systems com pared to sky?

2) what do i need to reactivate the sky boxes,there are already cards in them from a couple oy yrs back,will these work?

T I A

carbsy

Bjorn Bored. wrote: »

A couple of queries,


1) Would it be better to install a new system rather that use my sky stuff, for instance,are there a much better range of channels on most other free sat systems com pared to sky?

2) what do i need to reactivate the sky boxes,there are already cards in them from a couple oy yrs back,will these work?

T I A

I presume the Sky dish is still in place and the cabling intact? If so you could just connect any of the old Sky boxes (You won't be able to watch any HD channel on a Sky HD box without a Sky HD sub - maybe just ITV1HD? Someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Anyway, you'll have all the usual FTA SD channels - BBC1,2,3,4 ITV1,2,3,4 Channel 4 etc etc using any of the old Sky boxes.If you want to spend a little more I'd plump for a Freesat PVR HD box which would give you the FTA HD channels, recording capabilites and also a 7day EPG (which you wouldn't get from a bog standard FTA receiver).Just my 2 cents anyhow.

Also, you don't say what LNB is attached to the Sky dish.Judging by the amount of receivers you have I could well be a quad which would feed 4 seperate receivers or 2 receivers with 2 simultaneous channel PVR functionality.

P.S. It's basically the same channels on either a Sky box or Freesat box pointing at 28.2 satellite which is what your existing dish is pointing at.

Cantona's Collars

If you still have the dish up just connect the boxes to the lnb(i presume it's a quad seeing as you have a hd box) The cards are useless now so just bin em and use the hd box as a fta.
If you really want Sky channels just sign up again as a new customer and get brand new equipment installed-it'l just cost you €30

Bjorn Bored.

Hi carsby and zerks,

yep everything is still there,there are 2 cables still coming thru my wall to where the hd box was, i will have to extend and divert them to my garage but that wont be a big problem, as far as i remember,there is a 7 day guide on the hd box,but i dont know if that will work without a sub,certainly a nice handy feature, do you know if i will be able to record on the hd box?

again thanks for your input:)


ps,yes is is a quad lnb.

carbsy

Bjorn Bored. wrote: »

Hi carsby and zerks,

yep everything is still there,there are 2 cables still coming thru my wall to where the hd box was, i will have to extend and divert them to my garage but that wont be a big problem, as far as i remember,there is a 7 day guide on the hd box,but i dont know if that will work without a sub,certainly a nice handy feature, do you know if i will be able to record on the hd box?

again thanks for your input:)


ps,yes is is a quad lnb.

There is a 7 day EPG on the Sky box but you won't be able to record as this requires a Sky sub.Imho you're better off going with a Freesat HD PVR if you want to record and then use the other Sky boxes for FTA in bedrooms etc.

Bjorn Bored.

carbsy wrote: »

There is a 7 day EPG on the Sky box but you won't be able to record as this requires a Sky sub.Imho you're better off going with a Freesat HD PVR is you want to record and then use the other Sky boxes for FTA in bedrooms etc.

ok cool,

can you say what a decent priced box would do the trick? also would i get more hd channels with it? and finally what is PVR?


this is a really great forum btw!!:D

Kristopherus

if you are with UPC now, it would be cheaper to get a PVR from them. They supply one as standard with some of their plans. The FTA HD channels comprise the grand total of 2, BBC HD which is OK and ITV HD which is not quite OK. There's no value in spending the guts of €300 to set up a HD operation with PVR with only 2 current HD channels. And with DTT currently in a state of flux, I would advise on holding off HD until the Irish Authorities get a dose of cop-on & and release details of the systems that will handle DTT.

Cantona's Collars

Kristopherus wrote: »

if you are with UPC now, it would be cheaper to get a PVR from them. They supply one as standard with some of their plans. The FTA HD channels comprise the grand total of 2, BBC HD which is OK and ITV HD which is not quite OK. There's no value in spending the guts of €300 to set up a HD operation with PVR with only 2 current HD channels. And with DTT currently in a state of flux, I would advise on holding off HD until the Irish Authorities get a dose of cop-on & and release details of the systems that will handle DTT.

Decent advice there-just use your old HD box for fta and get ITV HD and BBC HD free without a card,no recording unfortunately but if it's not for the main room I'd say you could live without it.Just set the fta channels as favourites-makes them easier to find and navigate using the blue button.EPG still works fine without a viewing card,I have an old HD box that I use for fta in the bedroom and it does the job.Set the box to single feed mode if using for fta,leaves points on the lnb free to connect other boxes,and turn off anytime tv-you won't need it.

Bjorn Bored.

yep i reckon i can live without the recording facility and i agree i dont need to spend on a freesat system when in effect i already have one,

i am with upc and i will stick with them for the main room, for the rest of the house i can use my sky boxes with the hd in the garage room.

If i am not being too cheeky can i also ask another couple of questions?

firstly, i have a sony bravia lcd tv with a hdmi input for the garage room, i also have a vhs and a dvd along with a nintendo wii, i will be mounting the
tv on the wall at about 1500-1800mm.

My problem is how to best go about connecting all these together whilst making the most of the hdmi input, i have heard that the hdmi is a "one for all" cable,but i dont know how this would work in practice, for instance i dont have an amp in that room and i wont be doing home cinema as yet,maybe later but not now.

on the rear of my sky box (made by thomson) it has a hdmi input along with a couple of scart inputs, i dont wanna see a whole lot of messy cables if possible, can i just connect the hdmi straight to the tv and then use 3 scart leads from each peice of equipment to the 3 scarts on the tv? or should i use a scart swithcing box? maybe someone can tell me a better way?

Cantona's Collars

Use the hdmi from the hd box and scart for the rest-some trunking available at an electrical wholesalers can be used to hide the cables or failing that get a cable tidy(any discount store has them now-I got on for 2 quid)

montgolfiere

you would need a UK FTV card (£25) to get the HD Channels on your Sky HD Box. YOU could then receive BBC HD, ITV1 HD, C4 HD, C5 HD, but as mentioned no recording.
you would not receive any HD channels without the FTV Card.
the Skyman

hanloj1

Hello

PVR is what you use to record the channels. I'd advise using the hdmi on sky box and a scart switching block for the rest. you'll have less wires.one for power on tv, one for switching box and your hdmi. You could also have a shelf below the tv for all you equipment. This is what I plan do do. You gonna bother with the irish channels?

Bjorn Bored.

UPDATE!

Hi folks,

In the end I persuaded the lovely Mrs Bored(that sounds a bit dodgy actually;)),into agreeing to kind of a hybrid cinema set up,but without the surround sound....for now.

Basically what I did today was went out and bought a Blu ray player and a nice flush fitting bracket for the LCD.

I spent this evening mounting the LCD (which was really very simple,I was pleasantly surprised) and also wiring up a little electrical hub I have had for some yrs but never used. I hid all the cabling so kinda chuffed with myself:) tomorrow I will be re-routing the 2 co-axial cables to the garage and then just the big connect.

So now this is my set up,



1) Thomsom HD box

2) 40 in Sony bravia with 1 hdmi input

3)Newly purchased philips blu ray player 89.95 in power city

4) Nintendo wii



Now because I am now fully digital and HD I decided to try to get a kind of a HDMI Splitter,and I was succesful! I managed to find a sexy little unit in Peats in Blanch that has 4 inputs and an output, it also has a remote and manual switching its so simple now to just link them all together.
Cost 49 euro,and 8 euro each for a few hdmi leads.

I will be posting pics of the gear at some stage tomorrow, it may help others with some ideas,who knows.

As for the irish channels,i have not really given it much thought,i would like to get them but we have them in the main room anyhow.

Again I cannot praise this forum enough,some great help always, pics to follow!!

Cantona's Collars

montgolfiere wrote: »

you would need a UK FTV card (£25) to get the HD Channels on your Sky HD Box. YOU could then receive BBC HD, ITV1 HD, C4 HD, C5 HD, but as mentioned no recording.
you would not receive any HD channels without the FTV Card.
the Skyman

BBC HD and ITVHD are FTA not FTV but a FTV card would be handy to get FIVE HD and ch4 HD.

Those HDMI switchers are in ALDI for 12 quid,use one myself to connect HD box,PS3 and Surround Sound. The exact same switcher is 80 euro in electrical stores.Too late posting this for op but handy for anyone with a tv that has only 1 HDMI input.

Bjorn Bored.

zerks wrote: »

BBC HD and ITVHD are FTA not FTV but a FTV card would be handy to get FIVE HD and ch4 HD.

Those HDMI switchers are in ALDI for 11 quid,use one myself to connect HD box,PS3 and Surround Sound. The exact same switcher is 80 euro in electrical stores.Too late posting this for op but handy for anyone with a tv that has only 1 HDMI input.

zerks, was just curious, do the aldi ones have a remote? and are they plugged into the mains?

only reason i ask is some people reckon its better to have channel swiching capability?

still that is a huge differene,and i thought i was getting a good deal:D

Cantona's Collars

Bjorn Bored. wrote: »

zerks, was just curious, do the aldi ones have a remote? and are they plugged into the mains?

only reason i ask is some people reckon its better to have channel swiching capability?

still that is a huge differene,and i thought i was getting a good deal:D

The Aldi one draws power through the HDMI and has a remote for easy input selection.


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