FTA channels via Splitter Booster in multi rooms

JohnK86

Hi All,

My apologies if this has been asked before but I've been trawling through threads and can't find anything definite.

We've recently cancelled sky and only operate off apps like Netflix Disney and Amazon firestick.

There are 6 tvs within the house and I'm looking to put free to air channels in all these rooms.

I have a 12u patch panel recently installed in the attic to accommodate data points throughout the house, CCTV and now I'm looking to use it as a hub for the TV signal.

The TVs are all within 4 years old and saorview friendly.

The sky dish is still in position with the 4 way LNB and cabling installed, to be reroutednto the hub.

I have a high gain antenna to mount in the attic.

Finally... my question is.

Is there a booster/splitter/decoder that I can install in the hub that I can run an rg6 from to each TV to get more FTA channels than just what's on offer from saorview?

Thank you.

John

TAFKAlawhec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058331906/fta-channels-via-splitter-booster-in-multi-rooms

General answer is no, you cannot (usually**) split a satellite signal's coaxial cable to be run off to separate receivers and get all available channels . Your options are...

(1) Run (at least) one cable from the LNB at the dish to each receiver. As this will require at least six outputs on the LNB, you will need to upgrade that to one with eight outputs (called an Octo LNB), which you can run through your hub space if you wish - just make sure the total cable length per run isn't too excessive (>30/40 metres could cause issues on some weaker channels).

(2) Take all four outputs from your current LNB into your hub space and connect all four of them into a satellite distribution amplifier that can be located in your hub space. The distribution amplifier will of course need at least six outputs to serve your receivers and many of them can be directly diplexed with your terrestrial aerial so that just one cable is needed for both purposes which can then be split at the receiver for providing separate satellite & terrestrial leads into their respective receivers. Ideally these satellite distribution amplifiers would be connected to what is called a Quattro LNB as opposed to a Quad LNB, but check the system you use as they may be able to use a Quad LNB anyway (and I've never seen a Quattro LNB be available to fit a Sky Zone 1 or 2 dish). I've little experience of dealing with such systems, so I'll leave it to others that have more experience with such a setup to better explain it than I can.

** If all you want to receive is in the same band of frequencies and the same polarity, you can in theory split the coaxial cable provided a DC blocker was put in place at some points in the system e.g. the single frequency used for Saorsat transmissions - but for general Sky/Freesat/FTA reception from 28 East the answer is no.

JDxtra

The OP did not mention if the additional TVs had satellite tuners. Most would not.

TAFKAlawhec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121634442#Comment_121634442

Of course that's true. I was under the assumption that either the TVs had a satellite tuner or that an external satellite receiver would be in use.

JohnK86

Thanks a million for your input. I've been back down the rabbit hole.

Each of the tvs have the f type port and antenna port like in the picture.

Every time I search the subject the Labgear 8 way splitter amplifier pops up. I'm just unsure if it needs a decoder or a different type of sat dish for an input.

I'm basically looking for the free terrestrial channels and if I can get the free to air ones like BBC and film 4 and the likes all the better. Equivalent to what a hotel may have.

Without a decoder, tuned into the tvs themselves.

TAFKAlawhec

That Labgear distribution amplifier is for terrestrial reception only (the frequency range betrays this - satellite signals (other than Sky Q) are carried over coaxial cable in a frequency band between 950 to 2150 MHz) - it only claims to carry Sky because it can distribute the UHF RF modulator output from older (non-Sky Q) receivers.

You'll need a combined satellite & terrestrial distribution amplifier, sometimes called a multiswitch (something like this would be appropriate, though I'm not sure if it could run on just a quad LNB or would require a Quattro), that has four inputs for satellite as well as one for terrestrial - they will combine satellite & terrestrial outputs into one for each output, but they're a bit more expensive than a terrestrial only distribution amplifier

Alternatively, as I said in my first suggestion, you could upgrade the LNB to being an Octo with 8 outputs, take all the coaxial cable feeds into your hub space and after the terrestrial only distributor output can you diplex each of the six feeds to combine the terrestrial & satellite signal into one cable to be sent to your TV. Would not be as neat of a solution in your hub space compared to a multiswitch/distribution amplifier but it would work just as well.

In both cases mentioned above, the coaxial cable will need to be split back into two outputs next to each TV, one for terrestrial and one for satellite, with the F-connector output (the one that screws on) going to the "satellite in" connector, and the other connector (often called Beeling-Lee but sometimes has other names) going to antenna/cable in. The split can be done with an appropriate face plate near the TV if you're planning to install one in each relevant place where a TV is planned to be.

All of this is doable for a DIYer, but you need to plan ahead. If it sounds too much, best get a professional in whom has experience.

The Cush

https://www.freetv.ie/5x8-satellite-multiswitch/

A multiswitch is the way to, the one I link to has 8 outputs, with satellite and terrestrial feeds combined.

It also works with both quad and quattro LNBs.

I use a similar one for a few years now.

https://whytetechnologies.com/series-5l-wm508l/

JohnK86

Cheers for all your inputs,

I'm an electrician by trade but never done much with AV as I'm from a more commercial/industrial background.

I'll give the multi-switch a go. At the minute I'm just running all cabling back to the hub.

For the sake of it I'll just run a twin RG6 to each TV point.

The Ayatolla

Run a twin/shotgun coaxial cable (one for Saorview, one for Satellite) to each TV.

Run all these back to attic.

Use the Labgear thing or something similar to join all the Saorview ends of the shotgun cables together and put an aerial in the attic connected to this also.

Run a lash of cables from your Sat Dish (which should have an Octo LNB ideally) to the attic and use standard F Connecter / Joiners to join the cables to the ones ran to each TV.

Probably the easiest and cheapest way around it to be honest.

Run a Cat6 or Cat5E cable to each TV back to the attic also while you're at it, handy to wire the TVs directly to a switch and remove any risk of Wifi blackspots for streaming services on the TV etc. Both cables are capable of high speeds and should future proof for a long time.