Sky and Saorview in Attic

superleedsdub

Hi all,

I`ll be moving my second SKY HD box into my attic from one of the bedrooms. I`m getting the attic floored next month and prior to that i`m getting an electrician to put down some form of conduit so that i`ll be able to chase wires around the attic and into the 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (I have ceiling speakers in those). I`m also going to install an outdoor aerial for saorview.
Prior to all this i`d like some advice regarding the following:

1. Is it possible to buy a 1 out - 3 in HDMI Splitter that is capable of splitting the signal to 3 TVs at the same time?
Most HDMI splitters I`ve read about switch the HDMI signal and seemingly don`t allow simultaneous sharing of the output from the SKY box.
2. What HDMI would be recommended to feed 3 rooms from the SKY Box?
3. I`m planning on using magic eyes with Sky remotes to control the SKY box from the attic in each room - I take it I need a link amplifier in order to power the magic eyes in each room?
4. I heard last night that it`s not possible to split the signal from an aerial to more than one TV with saorview - is this correct? I have an RF splitter I was planning to use to feed the TV`s from the outdoor aerial and would have thought this is possible....

Thanks in advance for the advice:-)

Ronnie Raygun

superleedsdub wrote: »

... I heard last night that it`s not possible to split the signal from an aerial to more than one TV with saorview - is this correct?

Incorrect, you can split as often as you like as long as the signal level & quality is kept within spec.

superleedsdub

Cheers Ronnie

eamonnq

superleedsdub wrote: »

Hi all,


1. Is it possible to buy a 1 out - 3 in HDMI Splitter that is capable of splitting the signal to 3 TVs at the same time?
Most HDMI splitters I`ve read about switch the HDMI signal and seemingly don`t allow simultaneous sharing of the output from the SKY box.

http://avslgroup.com/en/product/128.802UK
Would that do the trick ?

2. What HDMI would be recommended to feed 3 rooms from the SKY Box?

What length of HDMI leads would you be running, I think 20m is the max you can do without using some sort of booster.

3. I`m planning on using magic eyes with Sky remotes to control the SKY box from the attic in each room - I take it I need a link amplifier in order to power the magic eyes in each room?

The magic eyes would need a RF (coax) connection to each room for them to work.


4. I heard last night that it`s not possible to split the signal from an aerial to more than one TV with saorview - is this correct? I have an RF splitter I was planning to use to feed the TV`s from the outdoor aerial and would have thought this is possible....

Absolutely possible!!

zg3409

superleedsdub wrote: »

1. Is it possible to buy a 1 out - 3 in HDMI Splitter that is capable of splitting the signal to 3 TVs at the same time?

I have never used one but this is Irish so you might be able to return it. It does not say if it works with a Sky box

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/4-Port-Way-High-Speed-1-4-HDMI-Splitter-1-Device-4-TVs-HD-3D-PS3-Powered-UK-/200754801313?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item2ebdeb2aa1

I would ask the suppliers a question just to be sure.

2. What HDMI would be recommended to feed 3 rooms from the SKY Box?

Good quality!. Also you can get in-line HDMI repeaters. Make sure you can get at these afterwards if hidden in the attic. Probably best to run the cable to the main splitter box in the attic, so each run is minimum. any inline HDMI repeaters need to go half way along the run rather than at the start of a long run. Ideally they should be in the middle of two equal length HDMI cables.

3. I`m planning on using magic eyes with Sky remotes to control the SKY box from the attic in each room - I take it I need a link amplifier in order to power the magic eyes in each room?

Remember the main catch with magic eye is every TV must watch the same program. OK if only 2 people living in house. If you have Saorview as an option on every TV at least that gives more choices.

A problem I came across with the magic eye, and HDMI combined, is that the magic eye assumes you are watching the TV signal coming out the RF2 port, NOT the HDMI port. I get an error every time I use the magic eye.

When say I turn on the Sky box over RF2, and another TV (the main TV) is connected via HDMI I get this error on the screen

This display does not support HDCP

It says disconnect the HDMI
I then have the choice of backup. Then my (analogue non hdmi) TV works. At this point I think the HDMI port is switched off. I have not fully tested this, but if this is the case, and there is no way around it, then it is not possible to use HDMI and RF2 at the same time. There may be a work around by using a different radio infra red sender to send the signals to the sensor on the front of the Sky box. I will try do a test tonight to see if that is the problem, and then google the error message.

4. I heard last night that it`s not possible to split the signal from an aerial to more than one TV with saorview - is this correct? I have an RF splitter I was planning to use to feed the TV`s from the outdoor aerial and would have thought this is possible....

It is possible. As said you need a very strong signal to begin with.

If re-cabling also consider you may want to add cables for freesat for every TV, and for wired broadband; phone line for Sky etc. It's easy to install ducts/cables now.

superleedsdub

Thanks for the advice, was unaware of any conflicts with HDMI and RF2 so i`ll look forward to your update ZG later.

I`ll be moving my broadband router and NAS up to the attic also. I made some mistakes when renovating the house a couple of years ago when wiring the network such as not laying some conduit that I can chase new cables through easily when upgrading replacing cables. I won`t be making that mistake this time around (hopefully). But one thing I did (well my brother in law) do right was centrally wire my router to a cabinet directly under my hotpress. I should have plenty of cable on this run to feed up to the router in the attic. I already have ethernet cables running from the router downstairs to all the bedrooms so I have a number of options here.

@eamonn - i`ll be looking to use HDMI cables of lengths between 5-10 metres. One of the reasons i`m moving the box up to the attic is to reduce the length of the HDMI cables and to centrally place AV/network equipment.

zg3409

This one says it works with Sky:
http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/4-port-hdmi-splitter.html

superleedsdub

That splitter looks promising:-) Thanks for the tip

zg3409

zg3409 wrote: »

A problem I came across with the magic eye, and HDMI combined, is that the magic eye assumes you are watching the TV signal coming out the RF2 port, NOT the HDMI port. I get an error every time I use the magic eye

I spent a while testing this tonight.

If the TV via HDMI is already turned on and you turn on the Sky box via remote eye then no problem.

If the TV is in standby mode and you turn on the Sky box by remote eye an error appears on the RF2 signal and the TV via HDMI does not show a signal. To get the TV to work I need to change input (to say TV) and then back to HDMI.

I think this is just a problem with my make of TV. Hopefully it will not apply in your case. I have seen cases when you plug in and out the HDMI the Sky box appears to stop working. It probably is still working, it has just turned off the HDMI and is displaying this error on the screen on RF2.

This is Sky's page on the fault:
http://www.sky.com/helpcentre/tv/sky-plus-hd/error-messages/display-does-not-support-HDCP/index.html?DCMP=Sky-search-sslc

In my case I can just leave the main TV on (or turn it on) before I turn on the Sky box via RF2, and I can watch the show on both TV's.

zg3409

I was reading elsewhere that you should use a HDMI splitter that comes with a plug in power supply and says it works with Sky. These are more likely to work, especially with long cable runs.

superleedsdub

zg3409 wrote: »

I was reading elsewhere that you should use a HDMI splitter that comes with a plug in power supply and says it works with Sky. These are more likely to work, especially with long cable runs.

Cheers - i`ll probably by something similar to the splitters provided in the links on this thread. I`ll be wiring some new electrical sockets in the attic so having a plug in power supply won`t be an issue :-)

superleedsdub

Bought this HDMI splitter in electroplus today:

http://cpc.farnell.com/labgear/hdm-2sp2/2-way-hdmi-splitter-amplifier/dp/AV20439?in_merch=Products From This Range

Will post later when i`ve tested it....

eamonnq

Remarkably similar to the one i linked to. Must all come from the same factory in China

http://avslgroup.com/en/product/128.802UK

http://cpc.farnell.com/labgear/hdm-2sp2/2-way-hdmi-splitter-amplifier/dp/AV20439?in_merch=Products

superleedsdub

Virtually identical eamonn! I`ve noticed that alot of this type of equipment is made in china by none of the major electronics companies.

Tested it out yesterday and the picture quality is excellent. Haven`t tested out the magic eyes yet as i`ll have to wait until the attic is floored before I run the Coaxial cables but one new option I now have is that those HDMI splitters have a built in IR extender. I would need to buy a kit like this and I could have IR control via HDMI.

http://www.labgear.co.uk/category/hdmi-adaptors/hdmi/ir-extender-kit-for-hdmi/1004/1031/143/


This would be a good option as it would free up the RF connections in the back of my TV`s for saorview:-) Haven`t found a website with a price for this kit yet but I`ll try electroplus next week to see if they have one in stock.

zg3409

superleedsdub wrote: »

as it would free up the RF connections in the back of my TV`s for saorview:-) .

You can feed Saorview into the RF in of the Sky box, then it will go out the RF2 to the TV's. This is the way I assumed you would be doing it.

Any splitters from the RF2 onwards need to be Sky eye compatable. This means the need to let the power for the Sky eye pass through along with splitting the TV signal. (They need to be power passing on both ports)

This will allow you to watch Sky in standard definition as well as Saorview channels. Having Sky in HD is a bonus anyway. If the IR extenders do work OK then they may be a good option, but you would probably need to stick something on to the front of your Sky box which is not very neat. They also have a tendancy to fall off or dragged off.

superleedsdub

I`ve connected up the TV`s today in my 2 main bedrooms (left the box room for a future date)
Everything is working perfectly, just like I hoped it would before starting off.

The 2 way HDMI splitter (mains powered) is outputting HD to my Samsung and Sony tv`s and the 2 magic eyes are remote controlling the Sky box with none of the issues reported by ZG (like you said it could be your make of TV, which make is it by the way?)

ZG - thanks for the tip regarding hooking up the outdoor aerial to the Sky box for saorview - saorview is working perfect on my Samsung (the sony is 5 years old and only receives audio from saorview channels, a known problem due to the lack of compatible tuner).

Thanks for all your help, next task is to relocate my router and NAS....:-)