Combining a Mini-Dish with an Outdoor Aerial

Mredmond

Has anyone out there any experience of combining Satellite and Terrestrial signals, BEFORE they reach the TV Socket ie outside the house?

I have four external TV points ( to which my Chorus Cable currently connects) and I'm wondering if I get a dish, and an aerial, can I simply use two-way splitters to carry both signals to the relevant indoor points?


Michael.

byte

Global Communications make combiners for this purpose but I think they're expensive. You would need 2 of them. One to combine them at masthead and one to split them again at back of telly. And as for how good they are, I haven't a clue though maybe Tony has used them? I would personally recommend giving the satellite its own co-axial lead.

Tony

Originally posted by irishbyte
Global Communications make combiners for this purpose but I think they're expensive. You would need 2 of them. One to combine them at masthead and one to split them again at back of telly. And as for how good they are, I haven't a clue though maybe Tony has used them? I would personally recommend giving the satellite its own co-axial lead.

Thanks, I have used them to great effect, as long as the cable quality is good they work well. We have the dipleser and wallplate so plesae e mail me if you need a price.

Thanks Tony

Mredmond

Thanks folks for the replies.
Let me be clear about one thing - why would I need to split the signal again inside? Would it not be good enough to connect a single cable from the wall co-ax point into the digi-box (I haven't got a digibox, and don't know the ports).

Even if I was using a VCR to connect to, wouldn't the same logic apply?


Regards.

Tony

Originally posted by Mredmond
Thanks folks for the replies.
Let me be clear about one thing - why would I need to split the signal again inside? Would it not be good enough to connect a single cable from the wall co-ax point into the digi-box (I haven't got a digibox, and don't know the ports).

Even if I was using a VCR to connect to, wouldn't the same logic apply?


Regards.

Well if you are only going to connect a digibox why do you need to combine an aerial feed? You need to isolate the uhf/vhf signal from the sat IF freq as well as the lnb supply voltage.

Regards Tony

Mredmond

Thanks Tony for the info. I'm new to this, so bear with me a minute.

Let's pretend that I'm connecting the whole lot up to a TV set, and Digiboxes are a thing of the past.....

If I combine the signals from Dish and Aerial, then bring them through the bowels of the house via co-ax to the wall point, then using a single cable to connect to the device (TV, Vcr, whatever), what Channels would make to the screen? Any? None?

(Or did I fall down at "Let's pretend"?)

Tony

Originally posted by Mredmond
Thanks Tony for the info. I'm new to this, so bear with me a minute.

Let's pretend that I'm connecting the whole lot up to a TV set, and Digiboxes are a thing of the past.....

If I combine the signals from Dish and Aerial, then bring them through the bowels of the house via co-ax to the wall point, then using a single cable to connect to the device (TV, Vcr, whatever), what Channels would make to the screen? Any? None?

(Or did I fall down at "Let's pretend"?)

I loved the last bit, gave me a laugh. Are we talking here about a single or multiple points? What end result are you trying to receive?

happy Christmas Tony

Mredmond

Okay, for the purposes of debate, lets say I have both the dish & aerial connected to the single external access point by use of some "splitter" device, this all leading to a single TV point within the house.(I realise that I need to brush up on terminology).

From there I want to connect up whatever channels - hopefully terrestrial and digital - ultimately to the TV.

I know that the Satellite signal needs to hit the digibox at this point, but can the "aerial" signal not also go through there, or maybe into the back of a VCR?

The ultimate aim is to get SKY and not lose the CH4, ITV etc, in the most "cable-efficient" way I can.

Hope this is clearer.

Happy Christmas to you & yours also.

Mredmond

I've just re-read the above and spotted the flawed logic. Obviously if I conect the aerial to a VCR and the Dish to a digibox, I'll have to have re-split the signals anyway!

What about putting the whole lot through the digibox, though?

happyhammer

Tony,

Do you stock 'Global Comms' products?

I would be interested in a Diplexer(SAT+Terrestial),Triplexer (SAT+Terrestial+FM) or maybe one of the 'Loftbox's'

hh

Tony

Originally posted by happyhammer
Tony,

Do you stock 'Global Comms' products?

I would be interested in a Diplexer(SAT+Terrestial),Triplexer (SAT+Terrestial+FM) or maybe one of the 'Loftbox's'

hh

Sure I have sat/terrestrial diplexers, 3 way outlet plates and 8 way loftboxes. Please e mail me for prices as these are not listed on the site.

Thanks Tony

Mredmond

What end result are you trying to receive?

To get rid of Chorus!!

I defiitely want Sky digital, but I also want to keep the terrestrial channels not currently available on the platform (CH4 etc.)

Also, I intend to get 2 digiboxes and mirror the first sub, and also to run a line from one of these to a third TV, which will just use one of these two subs.

On all three TVs I want to keep terrestrial TV. The only way I can think of is to:
a)Dump Chorus (Hurray!)
b)Get a dish & 2 digiboxes
c)Get an Aerial mounted

Where I need help is in configuring the cabling. I don;t know what type of signals can be transmitted over which cables. All I know is that the Chorus cable currently attaches to points at the side(outside) of my house. There are four points, three connected.

(Phew). I hope I'm being more clear here than before. Any advice very welcome.

ShaneOC

What you are trying to do depends on if you can receive UK terrestrials through an aerial and also if you are receiving the Irish ones on VHF (usual case) or UHF.

If you can receive the UK terrestrials (these are on UHF) you will obviously need a UHF aerial with a lead to each of your two digiboxes. (You may need a booster too).

You may be lucky enough to be able to pick up the Irish channels using the UHF aerial, if not you should get a standard VHF aerial. You can get a diplexer which will combine UHF and VHF signals so you will still only need one cable for to go to each digibox. These diplexers are usually pleaced on the aerial mast or in an attic.

You will also need a feed from the dish to each box.

Regarding the third TV, you will just need one cable from digibox two to the third TV. All of the terrestrial signals will be carried on this as well as the output from the digibox.

Hope this helps.

Mredmond

Shanoc,

Indeed it does help. Thanks for your input.

How many, and what kind of Input/Outut ports are there on a standard digibox? (If such a thing exists?)

MR

ShaneOC

All makes of digibox have the same inputs/outputs (with a few exceptions).

Inputs
1 RF input from the aerial
1 Input from dish (second one if you have Sky +)

Outputs
2 RF Outputs
2 Scart Sockets (TV and Video)
Standard audio outputs (Left and Right)

The Sony Digibox has an optical output but it does not output Dolby Digital.

The Sky + Digibox has an optical output which does output Dolby Digital.

I think that's it.