New Build - Satellite TV Installation queries

funkey_monkey

We have completed the electrical installation in a new build and the electrician has installed 2 x satellite connections (F-connectors), phone point and 1 network connection at each TV point. All cabling goes back to a centralised distribution point in a cupboard.

This applies for each of the 5 TV locations (2 main living areas and 3 bedrooms).

My understanding now is that we have messed up the installation by putting in 2 satellite cables and only one network point. However, the faceplate could only take 4 inputs. So that is what he installed.

We intend to get Sky (looks like it will be Sky Q) into the main room and possibly Freesat elsewhere. In an ideal world we would put SkyQ into the second living room too, but I think that cost would be prohibitive for this.

In order to install the system, I've asked around in a Sky forum and obtained the following reply (Click here for the thread)

Upgrade the HD contract to Q, with a 2TB main box and at least one Mini. If you are a longstanding Sky subscriber you may qualify for a significant discount on the up-front cost of this hardware combination.

Specify a 'hybrid' Q LNB as part of the contract (tell them you have existing FreeSat hardware)

Have six co-ax wires put in from the dish location to your cupboard (these need to be in place before Sky arrive, and please remember to label them).

Join one pair of co-ax from the dish via F-coupler to the pair going to your chosen UHD TV location. Next to this TV will be where the main Q box is installed by the Sky engineer (don't show them the cupboard, as it will only scare them ; )

Have them connect the other four dish feeds to the Hybrid LNB: those become your FreeSat sources, for straight-through F-coupler via co-ax to up to 4 rooms initially.

Have one Q Mini (or more) installed on other TV(s) : these could use your ethernet, as long as there's a data switch in that cupboard, and can be moved from TV to TV for full Q access (apart from UHD)

Remember that your central data switch also needs an ethernet link from your router.

At least this way your Q installation would count as a 'standard' one which the engineer shouldn't refuse to attempt, but you'd retain the option of investigating distribution systems (for more than one UHD-fed TV, for example) in the future, and you'd get some use from your co-ax investment.

Is this the best resolution for this installation?

As we want the Irish stations in both living rooms, an alternative implementation is to put Sky into the main room, Freesat + SaorSat into the other living room and then just Freesat to the bedrooms.
Could Saorsat be potentially sent to the bedrooms to utilise the spare satellite receiver?

How do these connectors allow me to work with 4K TV?

My understanding of how all this would work is that the boxes would all be located in this centralised cupboard - meaning that only TVs would be required in the rooms.

I really don't know how all this would be controlled if the boxes were centralised.

Can anyone help me out? I'm feeling a bit deflated that the installation might be incorrect.

Thanks.

STB.

You need to work out exactly what you want in each room. Do you really have two sat connections going to each room ! Thats a lot of cables!

Sky Q in other rooms are done with the equivelant of a wireless receiver, so it wont take up another satellite connection.

If you are going to mix the two (freesat and Sky Q) you will need a Sky Hybrid LNB. This is important from the get go. The standard installation includes a Q LNB which are useless for Freesat.

If you have an aerial on the house you can run a cable down to the main box and distribute it using a UHF/SAT combiner on to one of the sat cables going to the other rooms and then split it at the other end with another one except in reverse.

If you want to go down the distribution road there are so many options. How technical are you and how much are you willing to spend.

Johnboy1951

It seems to me the electrician reckoned on you using one coax cable for satellite and one for terrestrial in each room.
As you have the cables there I guess that might be the best use of them.

Have you made arrangement to get some coax cables from the Sat dish and aerial into the media press from where they will be distributed?
How many cables?

funkey_monkey

STB. wrote: »

Do you really have two sat connections going to each room !

Yes. Each room has

• 2x sat connections
• 1x phone connection
• 1x network connection
• 2x electric plug socket

If you are going to mix the two (freesat and Sky Q) you will need a Sky Hybrid LNB. This is important from the get go. The standard installation includes a Q LNB which are useless for Freesat.

My understanding of this is now, that Sky no longer provides this and you will have to pay for it yourself.

If you have an aerial on the house you can run a cable down to the main box and distribute it using a UHF/SAT combiner on to one of the sat cables going to the other rooms and then split it at the other end with another one except in reverse.

Plan is to only have dishes.

If you want to go down the distribution road there are so many options. How technical are you and how much are you willing to spend.

I'm fairly decent with technology. As for spend - it depends on the price versus what you get for the investment.

funkey_monkey

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

It seems to me the electrician reckoned on you using one coax cable for satellite and one for terrestrial in each room.
As you have the cables there I guess that might be the best use of them.

As above, plan is for no terrestrial - dish only.

Have you made arrangement to get some coax cables from the Sat dish and aerial into the media press from where they will be distributed?
How many cables?

The spark will be doing this. No idea yet as to how many to send out - I guess that depends on what is required at the media cupboard.

funkey_monkey

Is this installation reasonable?

Ten Pin

Just in case you're not aware, Saorsat doesn't have any of the TV3 channels and some sports may be blocked on RTE (eg champions league).
Saorview (terrestrial) has all the Irish channels without any restrictions.

tsue921i8wljb3

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Is this installation reasonable?

I did something similar for my brother. 2 x Coax and 2 x Cat 6 to each room. The coax is connected to a multiswitch which combines satellite and terrestrial on one cable. This requires special faceplates to separate the signals. This won't work with Sky Q though without adding more equipment.

Saorsat is a bit **** tbh.

funkey_monkey

I live in an area whereby Saorview can not be cannot be obtained. Hence the need for either SkyQ or Saorsat in the second room to obtain RTE etc. Not fussed on missing out TV3.

funkey_monkey

Isabel Abundant Rant wrote: »

I did something similar for my brother. 2 x Coax and 2 x Cat 6 to each room.

I'm using Cat5e to each room. From what I've been reading for a domestic installation Cat5e is sufficient for future proofing. Although some installers are putting in Cat6 cabling with Cat 5 connectors (I think this is correct from memory).

tsue921i8wljb3

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I'm using Cat5e to each room. From what I've been reading for a domestic installation Cat5e is sufficient for future proofing. Although some installers are putting in Cat6 cabling with Cat 5 connectors (I think this is correct from memory).

Cat5e will be fine. It should do gigabit over domestic distances with no issue. I got a good deal on Cat6 which is why I used it.

Gerry Wicklow

My suggestion would be to get the six coaxs from the dish to the comms room and the hybrid LNB. Wire the Sky Q directly to the main tv via the comms room. Use the other 4 from the dish to feed a multiswitch. If you are dead set on Saorsat you would also need to wire it to the multiswitch. If you use a 9x8 multiswitch* you can then distribute Saorsat and FTA to every other room with recording available in each room also. In practice you would only need 6 of the multiswitch inputs initially as Saorsat is unlikely to ever exceed 2 TPs. Saorsat LNBs are usually twins anyway. You also have the option of piggybacking a terrestrial signal from the multiswitch (the 9th input) to every room. For what little extra it costs now, it could be useful option in future.
If you could manage a terrestrial signal you could get away with a 5x8 multiswitch and forget about Saorsat. Several TVs have built-in satellite tuners these days which would eliminate the need for a box in each room.
Failing all that and if you are feeling particularly flush just get Sky Q in each room and a second mortgage to pay for it.

*The switch I linked to is purely as an example. Shop around.

STB.

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I live in an area whereby Saorview can not be cannot be obtained. Hence the need for either SkyQ or Saorsat in the second room to obtain RTE etc. Not fussed on missing out TV3.

Where ????

The setup Gerry describes is probably what you are looking for if you are going to combine two satellite positions.

Just make sure that the 9/8 switch is for a Quad LNB rather than a Quattro if you are going to use a Sky Q Hybrid LNB.

This is not going to be a typical install for Sky. You are going to need a bigger dish than those Sky "yokes". Probably a TD88, a Triax multibracket and a single KA LNB for Saorsat as its only one polarity.

Heres a single feed setup that gives you an idea, 28E on the left, 9E on the right.



To be honest you'd be better off buying and doing this yourself or getting an independant installer to rig it.

Megasat Multiswitch 9/8 - 70quid
Triax TD88 Dish - 52
Wall Mount - 25
KA LNB - 35
Triax 3 way holder - 13
cable roll
f connectors

funkey_monkey

Thanks - so just so that I understand.

- Sky dish with 6 way hybrid LNB.
- 2 feeds from this for SkyQ
- 4 feeds: 1 for other living room and 3 bedrooms

- Saorsat dish with 2 way LNB


Would the Saorsat be dedicated connections to 2 defined rooms, or can it be sent to all the TV points too?

The TV's I've bought are LG's and as far as I know, I've been told that they have built in satellite tuners - to what standard they are I'm not so sure.

In relation to Saorsat, I'm in the extreme north of NI and therefore Saorview does not reach me. So, unless the signal range has improved over the last 4 years, then I'm afraid it will only be Saorsat for us.

I have no inclination to put SkyQ into both main living areas unless the give it to us for almost free. I think it is £12pm and a fee for the Q mini box.

Forgive me, but how do you control SkyQ box to the TV in the main room from the comms room? Is this going over LAN or sat cable? I'm still trying to figure this bit out.

funkey_monkey

STB. wrote: »

Where ????

The setup Gerry describes is probably what you are looking for if you are going to combine two satellite positions.

I'm in Antrim. I've looked at your setup image and it is what I requested from our installer previously. However, he did not want to install an arm with the 2 LNB's as he said our exposed location would cause issues with alignment. Looking at it, I agree that we might need something with a bit more strength/bracing than that (although it is difficult to tell from the image how robust it truly is).

Currently have two dishes up - one for Sky and another for Saorsat.

STB.

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Thanks - so just so that I understand.

- Sky dish with 6 way hybrid LNB.
- 2 feeds from this for SkyQ
- 4 feeds: 1 for other living room and 3 bedrooms

- Saorsat dish with 2 way LNB


Would the Saorsat be dedicated connections to 2 defined rooms, or can it be sent to all the TV points too?

The TV's I've bought are LG's and as far as I know, I've been told that they have built in satellite tuners - to what standard they are I'm not so sure.

In relation to Saorsat, I'm in the extreme north of NI and therefore Saorview does not reach me. So, unless the signal range has improved over the last 4 years, then I'm afraid it will only be Saorsat for us.

I have no inclination to put SkyQ into both main living areas unless the give it to us for almost free. I think it is £12pm and a fee for the Q mini box.

Forgive me, but how do you control SkyQ box to the TV in the main room from the comms room? Is this going over LAN or sat cable? I'm still trying to figure this bit out.

Sky Q HYBRID LNB (PIC)

Its not a Saorsat Dish or a Sky dish. There is only one dish. The 2 LNBs (one KA and one Sky Q Hybrid) are on the one dish on a multibracket. All the cables are fed back to your multiswitch which the central place were the electrcian ran all your cables back to. Then the cables are connected to the multiswitch. You would not connect the Sky Q cables to the multiswitch but directly at the central cable area to the 2 cables going back to that room.

You boxes or TVs then control whether they are watching Freesat channels or Saorsat channels. This is seemless as you set your Tv which does the switching (Diseqc) and yes you will be able to watch simulateously due to the multiswitch.

Sky Q. Your Sky Q box is by the TV. The Sky Q cables connect to the wall. You then connect those two cables to the SKy Q feeds from the dish which you will need to identify in the central cabling area. Label the cables.

The LG TVs -most do have satellite. You will know by looking at the back of them. They will have a F connector socket.

There is free software (Chansat) that enables you to organise your channel list from the multitude of crap on 28.2E. You would be able to add the Saorsat to that one channel list too. Unless the LGs are the exact same model you would not be able to share this channel list among several of them.

Ten Pin

RTE and TG4 are on some of the Freeview transmitters in NI.
See this thread for info on geoblocking of some sports on RTE via Saorsat, Freeview and Sky in NI.

funkey_monkey

STB. wrote: »

Its not a Saorsat Dish or a Sky dish. There is only one dish. The 2 LNBs (one KA and one Sky Q Hybrid) are on the one dish on a multibracket.

Yes, but as I said our installer would not consider a single dish solution due to our exposed location.

Sky Q. Your Sky Q box is by the TV. The Sky Q cables connect to the wall. You then connect those two cables to the SKy Q feeds from the dish which you will need to identify in the central cabling area. Label the cables.

My understanding is that the SkyQ box can be in a cupboard as the remote does not require line of sight:

"The remote works over Bluetooth, so doesn't need line of sight. That means you can have the Sky box in a cupboard and it'll still read actions from the remote."
Source: SkyQ hands on review

The LG TVs -most do have satellite. You will know by looking at the back of them. They will have a F connector socket.

Yes, all my TVs have an F-connector.

There is free software (Chansat) that enables you to organise your channel list from the multitude of crap on 28.2E. You would be able to add the Saorsat to that one channel list too. Unless the LGs are the exact same model you would not be able to share this channel list among several of them.

I know nothing about this, so I'll check it out. Thanks.

lawred2

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Yes. Each room has

• 2x sat connections
• 1x phone connection
• 1x network connection
• 2x electric plug socket

phone connection?

was that really required in each room? I bet it's cat 5/6 cabling so you could change the socket to be an RJ45 and then have two ethernet cables

The Cush

Ten Pin wrote: »

RTE and TG4 are on some (if not all) of the Freeview transmitters in NI.

On just 3 transmitters.

funkey_monkey

lawred2 wrote: »

phone connection?

was that really required in each room? I bet it's cat 5/6 cabling so you could change the socket to be an RJ45 and then have two ethernet cables

I don't think so unfortunately. I'm pretty sure it was phone cabling.

Gerry Wicklow

Can someone confirm that Saorsat reaches the extreme north of NI? I was under the impression it didn't go that far north.

funkey_monkey

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Can someone confirm that Saorsat reaches the extreme north of NI? I was under the impression it didn't go that far north.

It does. I've got it in our current house. I think we needed a 1.1m dish for it though.

Wheety

Just in relation to your question about having enough Ethernet points in each room. For any rooms that require more, just get a simple switch. I have one behind tv. It's a 5 port one (one is used to take in the Internet and other 4 go to 4 devices). It's very small and neat.

funkey_monkey

Wheety wrote: »

Just in relation to your question about having enough Ethernet points in each room. For any rooms that require more, just get a simple switch. I have one behind tv. It's a 5 port one (one is used to take in the Internet and other 4 go to 4 devices). It's very small and neat.

Thanks - I did think that there would be a workaround for this.

Wheety

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Thanks - I did think that there would be a workaround for this.

This is the one I have. Make sure it's gigabit. A simple unmanaged one would be fine for media.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-GS205-100UKS-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B00AYRZYG4/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1522926585&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=switch&psc=1

funkey_monkey

Is it possible to have the SkyQ box feeding into the main living room, but also have its recordings (hard drive) accessible by the second living room?
Or is the Q mini required for this?

Are Sky still selling their normal HD boxes?

Gerry Wicklow

You need a multiroom sub to access sky content from another room. However enigma boxes allow (free) easy access to stream live or recordings between rooms.

funkey_monkey

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

You need a multiroom sub to access sky content from another room. However enigma boxes allow (free) easy access to stream live or recordings between rooms.

Do you mean they can access (or duplicate) the Sky recordings and then stream to another room?

Gerry Wicklow

No Sky have everything well locked up. I meant between enigma boxes.

funkey_monkey

Okay, so I contacted Sky today. They are offering a 2TB Box with our existing package for £25pcm. Initial cost of £30. Mulitroom would bring it up to £37pcm.
Our current subscription is £32pcm.
I think I could get this reduced even more. The Sky rep started at £199 for installation and £32pcm (without multiroom). When I said I was considering other options it dropped immediately to the above.

It looks tempting.

If we opt for this setup, I undertand that the multiswitch is still required for the 3 bedrooms for recording capability. Although could the 6 way hybrid LNB feed directly into those 3 points without need for the multiswitch in this scenario?
Would we be better to maintain a multiswitch in this scenario?

If we opt to maintain Saorsat, I think we are all agreed that the setup defined by GerryWicklow is the way to go (Ref: Post #12).


I think at this stage, the decision is primarily financial. Sky and sometimes Saorsat block sports and programs that are available in the UK (sometimes even if subscription is not required within UK).
Saorsat will have an initial setup cost and then no recurring costs.
SkyQ Mini is £12pcm and provides a neat interface, access to recordings, the main Irish stations and 4K TV due to the 2TB box.

We have 2 4K LG TV's (with inbuilt sat tuners) for the main living areas and only one bedroom will be equipped at present with a TV (HD Ready 26").

Any advice or recommendations?

Tigerandahalf

Freesat are meant to be bringing out a box this autumn that will compete with sky q. It will allow you to stream to other rooms etc.

You seem to be going for the basic sky package, no sports?

I presume you are unable to receive saorview and have to get saorsat?

I guess it is handy to have it all on the one box.

It depends on how much rte you watch.

Johnboy1951

You might get further ideas in this section
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=643
where people have set up multi-room systems without the involvement of Sky.
The lack of some channels on Saorsat is bothersome though without access to Saorview in your location.

funkey_monkey

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Freesat are meant to be bringing out a box this autumn that will compete with sky q. It will allow you to stream to other rooms etc.

I'll look into that. One of my main gripes with Freesat is that the interface is terrible.

You seem to be going for the basic sky package, no sports?

Yes, no Sports or Movies.

I presume you are unable to receive saorview and have to get saorsat?

Correct. Zero signal as we are north and blocked by the mountains.

I guess it is handy to have it all on the one box.

My OCD side would love to have a single system!!!

It depends on how much rte you watch.

Parents would watch a lot of RTE and the hurling of course.

funkey_monkey

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

You might get further ideas in this section
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=643
where people have set up multi-room systems without the involvement of Sky.
The lack of some channels on Saorsat is bothersome though without access to Saorview in your location.

It really is only TV3 channels though isn't it that are missing?

An alternative to SkyQ would be good for comparison. As long as we got the Discovery channels, RTE channels and that bloody Keep it Country cr@p!!!
What is there? NowTV has some of the above, but not all. Mum loves Keep it Country (woeful Irish music channel just below Sky Sports I think).

Gerry Wicklow

funkey_monkey wrote: »

.....

I think at this stage, the decision is primarily financial. Sky and sometimes Saorsat block sports and programs that are available in the UK (sometimes even if subscription is not required within UK)
....

Just to remind you that the terrestrial option on the multiswitch would allow you to distribute FreeView to each non-Sky point as well for the occasional non-satellite shows.

funkey_monkey

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Just to remind you that the terrestrial option on the multiswitch would allow you to distribute FreeView to each non-Sky point as well for the occasional non-satellite shows.

I could do that and yes, it might provide more options, but using this Freeview/Sky (No Card)/Freesat Comparison Table I don't believe there is any channels that are unique to Freeview that we would consider worth adding - as we would not currently view any of these channels.
We probably be more likely to consider getting a english speaking foreign satellite in for free sports coverage, if possible!?


Edit: If you live near Belfast you can pick up RTE from the Divis transmitter in Belfast on Freeview (The Freeview website will show you this if you plug in a Belfast region postcode). However, most of the remainder of NI can get overspill from Irish tranmistters. However the mountains block us from the Belfast signal and the signal from Donegal (Moville).

FRIENDO

If you are only going to go for the basic package on Sky, I wouldn't bodder.

Freesat and Saorsat is the best option and most economical.

Only the Champions league is blocked on RTE Saorsat
All other sports and programmes are broadcasted in the clear.

The fact you already have sat tuners on some of the TVs is a bonus also.

funkey_monkey

FRIENDO wrote: »

If you are only going to go for the basic package on Sky, I wouldn't bodder.

Are you talking about not bothering with Sky completely or just in the second room?

Tigerandahalf

I find the interface on my humax 1100s freesat box to be excellent. As you are in the north you will get access to the rollback guide and catch up players for bbc/itv/c5. Unfortunately C4HD has been pulled and its player also. My freesat box also allows me to delete channels I don't want so no pages of rubbish to scroll through.

Discovery channels can be streamed from the box including eurosport by paying a subscription to the tv player app. Plus netflix, rakuten tv for pay per view films and youtube.

I find the catchup services on the existing sky hd boxes to be a mess where catch up has to be downloaded rather than streamed. Not sure why it is that way. Is sky q the same?

If they do watch a lot of gaa on saorview you are probably better sticking to sky q as tg4 is only in sd on saorview and having everything on one remote is handy.

FRIENDO

funkey_monkey wrote:

Are you talking about not bothering with Sky completely or just in the second room?

I wouldn't bother with Sky.

The only channel you will miss as you mention is Discovery.

No shortage of entertainment or GAA on Freesat and Saorsat
A humax hdr for freesat will look after recordings on main TV, serial link etc.

A hard drive attached to TV for recording Saorsat is also an option.

Also some other set top boxes on the market which can combine all channels on one box with 7 day TV guide and recording.

You could also combine all satellite channels on one TV list on the satellite TVs, however you will get 7 day epg for Saorsat and now and next for the English sat channels, you could also record on this set up with a hardrive attached.
(Possible the easiest set up to use, with the one TV and one TV remote)

Plenty of free Internet TV player options available in Antrim I would imagine, on a smart/android TV.
BBC, ITV, C5, C4 player, UKTV etc.

Lots of entertainment or documentary on the above players.

One installation payment and no more bills.

For small monthly payments if you still don't have enough:

Netflix is also a good value payment app for all the family.

If you really want Discover I think it can be got on small subscription from a humax freesat box or you could use a Now TV app.

Wishing you luck in your decision.

FRIENDO

For GAA coverage Saorsat is fine,

Live Championship games are all in HD on RTE HD, either live or highlights on a Sunday evening.

Live GAA Beo Allianz League games and club games are on TG4 in SD, I find the picture grand.

Highlights of Allianz League will also be shown in HD on a Sunday evening on RTE HD also.

On Freesat plenty of sport available. Mostly highlights for Soccer on BBC and C5 club games,
you also get 3 sports channels, Freesports channel which has a good variety of sports along with some live events

funkey_monkey

Okay, I need to run all these options past the parents who will be mostly living here (older so any complex user interfaces are out).

1. SkyQ in both living rooms. Freesat in bedrooms.

• £35pcm
• Same setup in both rooms
• Single dish
• 4K TV
• Similar channel listing as before
• Some Irish TV programs can be blocked by Sky
• SkyQ box can be placed in comms room
• SkyQ mini is not 4K? (Is this true)

2. SkyQ in main living room. Saorsat & Freesat in other living room. Freesat in all other rooms

• £25pcm
• Two dishes
• 4K TV in main room only
• Sky TV and its recordings available in one room only
• Same setup as current property
• SkyQ box can be placed in comms room

3. Freesat/Saorsat only

• No monthly fee
• Two dishes
• 4K TV?
• Setup within comms rooms?
• Boxes required in both rooms for recordings? (centralised into comms room?)

Tigerandahalf

Am I right that you want tv in 4 rooms?
The Sky Q option won't be cheap if you need a main sky q box and 3 minis.

Combi boxes are not an option for you as you can't get saorview.

If you don't go with sky q you will need 2 dishes which may not look great plus lots of cabling.

Your best bet is to put a hybrid lnb on the satellite dish so you can get sky q but also freesat, which gives you the freedom to change around after 12 months if Sky Q is too expensive/not appealing enough.

You haven't mentioned how good your broadband is.

dubrov

Can you not get a single dish with 2 LNBs?
Surely that would receive Sky/Freesat and Saorsat on the one dish.

Tigerandahalf

Just gave a look at sky q roi prices there.
To get a main and 3 minis with the variety bundle with HD you pay
€72 p/m (€44 for first 6 months).
You also have to pay once off costs of €300.
That includes the 2TB box which allows you to view 4k.

Then you have to consider broadband cost.

FRIENDO

funkey_monkey wrote:

3. Freesat/Saorsat only No monthly feeTwo dishes4K TV?Setup within comms rooms?Boxes required in both rooms for recordings? (centralised into comms room?)

Freesat/Saorsat No monthly bills YES

One or two dishes YES
Your installer will advise. But one dish is possible.

4k - No not at the moment

Boxes required in both rooms for recording - Depends on your preferences.

The easy to use option:
For your satellite TV you can have all channels in your order on the TV, one channel list, one remote.
RTE 1 HD
RTE 2 HD
RTE NEWS NOW
TG4
RTEjr
RTE +1
BBC 1 NI HD
BBC 2 HD
UTV HD
C4 HD
ETC. ETC. 200 more channels
Radio channels also

No boxes required, simply to use and view, one TV control.

A USB/hard drive can be connected to TV for recording, simply!!
7 day options available on Saorsat recording.

If it is not a satellite TV one box will do the above.

For the best option of recording would be a humax freesat box ie. Serial link etc. For English Freesat channels only.

I don't have too much experience on comms room,
but with the above options USB/hard drive are only €30 to €50 euro.
Could be connected to each TV for recording.

For the sat TV, I would try the one simple list on the TV, before spending any extra on boxes.

Get the install Saorsat/Freesat one channel list on TV, connect hard drive for recording, see how it goes. Possibly your parents will like it.

You can always add boxes in the future

I don't know too much about Sky Q, except it cost money every month

Good luck

Ten Pin

My vote goes to option 3 Freesat / Saorsat FTA

Unicable II LNB for Freesat / FTA
Ka LNB for Saorsat
FBC satellite receiver (twin tuner Enigma2)

2 sat cables to the satellite set top box (at main TV)
Connect the set top box via wired LAN back to router (in comms cabinet)
Run LAN cable from router to other rooms.

As long as the other TVs have a LAN connection and browser, you can independently control, watch, record and playback all content on the main box (multi room)

funkey_monkey

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Am I right that you want tv in 4 rooms?
The Sky Q option won't be cheap if you need a main sky q box and 3 minis.

Freesat only in the bedrooms is needed.

If you don't go with sky q you will need 2 dishes which may not look great plus lots of cabling.

Two dishes would always be required due to our location.

Your best bet is to put a hybrid lnb on the satellite dish so you can get sky q but also freesat, which gives you the freedom to change around after 12 months if Sky Q is too expensive/not appealing enough.

That is what I intend to do.

You haven't mentioned how good your broadband is.[/quote]

Johnboy1951

My preference is for a non-Sky involved system. There is nothing on Sky basic package that is worth the cost to me.

All cables from Sat dishes and maybe aerial for Freeview routed in to the media press.
All tuners located in this press.
A Unicable II LNB on the Sat dish will serve up to 32 Satellite tuners in the media press, depending on LNB chosen, all via ONE coax cable from the LNB. The tuners need to be Unicable II compliant.
All connections to TV points routed out of this press.

Distribute as Data (not raw signal for tuners) from there to all TV points, as well as making TV channels and stored media available to all LAN connected devices with capability of playing the media.
Central storage on HDD with the tuners, and access for all users to all stored/recorded media.
Management is done in one central location so it is easy to manage/control.
Want to add a new TV channel? Do so on the back end in the media press (by LAN access) and it automatically becomes available to all.

I would have a preference for simple cheap (maybe) Android TV boxes at each TV so that the user interface is exactly the same regardless location and TV watched. That avoids the problems associated with different TV brands having completely different UIs and ways of achieving the desired result.

In such a system whether the TV channel is SD, HD or UHD is almost immaterial, as the data is sent to each TV point for it to handle.
I guess the LAN could possibly be maxed out if a huge number of people wanted to watch different TV channels in UHD ...... good luck finding any ... this is highly unlikely to ever happen in a home environment.

Each client box at the TVs would have capability of installing the Netflix and other apps etc etc.

To do this would require some work on your part, but the end result is very satisfactory.
In addition you have complete control over everything, so if you want to change something, or add a new function etc etc then you do so.
All the software to achieve this is free and available.
In fact quite a number of people have had this type of system running long before Sky released their 'Q' system.
One thing the Sky Q system has that I have not seen replicated is stopping viewing at one location and continuing from another location. TBH I don't know how well that works or what happens if two people attempt to do that at the same time.

Anyway that is an outline of my personal preference at this time.

I like to have control over my system

funkey_monkey

Broadband connection is good. Reply to tigerandahalf