multi-room viewing

muffinhead

I am in the process of subscribing to SKY for the first time. Is there any way I can get multi-room viewing using the equipment I receive as a first time subscriber? If not, are there any tips or tricks or equipment I could use to obtain SKY in all rooms with a TV?

Samson

You can buy a device (in Argos or Maplin) called a Digisender which will transmit (via RF) the scart output from your digibox to a TV in any other room in the house which has the "digi-receiver" attached.
However, you can not watch different channels to what the digibox is "tuned into".
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/commerce/command/ExecMacro/ols_prod_detl.d2w/report?prrfnbr=5351637&prmenbr=6970&type=big&thisMode=ols&cgrfnbr=379474

Expect cost to be approx. €130.00

The other alternative is to get a second digibox and viewing card which you could attach to the same dish (you would need a dual LNB though).

Mark_irl

Theres two coaxial outputs anyway so you can at least have two tvs working of it for no extra cost

muffinhead

Originally posted by Mark_irl
Theres two coaxial outputs anyway so you can at least have two tvs working of it for no extra cost

Do you mean you can watch different SKY channels off the one dish and box on two separate TVs?

Samson

Originally posted by muffinhead
Do you mean you can watch different SKY channels off the one dish and box on two separate TVs?

No, that's not possible.
One digibox equals one channel at a time.

lawhec

Originally posted by Samson
No, that's not possible.
One digibox equals one channel at a time.

...and to have two seperate channels you'll need two boxes and, in the Republic, two seperate subs! In the UK there is a scheme where you can take out a mirror subscription for an extra £12 (approx. €19) a month, or avail of Sky +. Sky have plans to launch this in the Republic, but no final date has been set.

You could to save on money do a scheme, if it suits you, to have a second box have a UK Free to View card which will allow you access to the five UK terrestial channels and the BBC Digital Channels. The UK FTV card has to be "grey imported" and others here are more converse on this than I am. The LNB on the dish would also need replaced.

The cheapest option, as mentioned above, is the run of coax cable from the second RF output from the digibox, but this doesn't allow you to view a different channel.

hallelujajordan

Another quick question on the back of this ..... I'm moving house quite soon, and my contract has expired so I could take my digibox with me and get a new connection and contract in the new house giving me two digiboxes . . .

Can I get a second card to give me full access from both digiboxes (will my old card give me any channels after I move house and cancel my sub ? ? )?

How much will the different LNB on the dish cost ??

Genghis

If I were you hallelujahjordan, I would keep my original digibox. Then cancel your contract and take out a new installation at your new address. There is no need to take the dish itself.

Now, if you replace the LNB on your dish at the new house (bit that picks the signal up from the dish) with a twin or quad LNB (see Tony's site, or alternatively you can pick up these via UK), then you can get two independent 'feeds' (four with quad) from the one dish - one for each box, old and new. Budget about €100, more if you need help with installation, make sure you buy satellite quality cable. Others on here have advised that if you can get to the satellite, replacing LNB is a doddle, though I'll leave that to you to decide.

Unfortunately your old card once you unsubscribe will be useless. Your options then are:

One fully working digibox with Sky sub (i.e. your new box) combined with either of the following:

A. A FTA digibox (no card) - it picks up the Shopping channels, BBC radio, Sky News, God Channels, CNN, BBC Parliament and about 50-60 more - though not really anything worthwhile. No additional cost other than LNB, cable and installation, no ongoing costs.

B. Obtain and marry a BBC card to the old digibox (which will involve some 'under-the-counter' activity, through a friend or realtive in the UK - see other threads for all the detail you need. If you can do this, then you will get all the channels on A above, plus the 5 UK terrestrials (BBC1,2, ITV, C4, C5), the BBC Digtial services (BBC3, 4, News 24, CBeebies and CBBC), and 5Live Radio. Also, it is expected that all channels on the Freeview line-up in the UK could also come on stream (Sky One Mix, and another entertainment channel from the UKTV group, I think). The ongoing charges here are free, hopefully ad infinitum. Other than LNB costs, the only cost here is postage and repaying a favour. Ongoing costs are also free.

C. Get a second Sky sub - Sky will charge you the appropriate fee regardless of your other subscription, effectively you will be treated as a seperate customer. In the UK, and hopefully here soon, you can get a mirror sub. This option gives you a second card with the same rights as the initial card for a monthly flat fee of about €15 on top of original sub (which makes a lot of sense if you were previously paying 2 X €60 for two subscriptions to Sky World).


In addition, I would also advise:

1. Get a terrestrial aerial up - you will have RTE1, N2, TV3 and TG4 all around your house, at as many points as you like and all independent, for a one off fee of between €50 and €150, depending on your needs / if you put it up yourself. Always free, no other costs - except TV licence, but you have to have that anyway.

2. If you can at all wait until Sky+ is available (sometime 2003!). You will then get a quad LNB included in the standard install (and so save €100, though the digibox is likely to be a good deal more than standard install), you will then be able to record and watch different Sky channels, as well as having either options A,B or C open to you. Note, Sky+ does attract an additional charge, probably in the region €15-20 wne it launches, paid monthly.

3. If you are having installers in to do either the LNB, Sky install, or the terrestrial aerial, ask them to run cable from wherever your main and second digibox will be to wherever you want Sky in other rooms. They will obviously charge you for this.

4. A lot of above is not 'Sky-approved practice' - so do not contact Sky for installation. Use an independent instead. Like Tony.

Best of luck!

hallelujajordan

Thanks Genghis . . . Very comprehensive advice !!

hallelujajordan

One more question . . . If I get two digiboxes, one with sub, the other with FTA card . . . can I swap the cards between the two ? ?

ShaneOC

A card can only be "married" to one box, so you will not be able to swap them and receive everything on both boxes.

However, if you put the FTV card into you subbed box, you will get ITV, Channel4 and five.

If you put your subbed card into your FTV box you will get most of the basic sky channels. I think it is basically the family pack channels but without BBC1, BBC2, RTE1, Net2 (not sure about tv3 and tg4). You will not get any of the premium channels (sports, movies) with the subbed card in the FTV box.

daveg

B. Obtain and marry a BBC card to the old digibox (which will involve some 'under-the-counter' activity, through a friend or realtive in the UK - see other threads for all the detail you need. If you can do this, then you will get all the channels on A above, plus the 5 UK terrestrials (BBC1,2, ITV, C4, C5), the BBC Digtial services (BBC3, 4, News 24, CBeebies and CBBC), and 5Live Radio. Also, it is expected that all channels on the Freeview line-up in the UK could also come on stream (Sky One Mix, and another entertainment channel from the UKTV group, I think). The ongoing charges here are free, hopefully ad infinitum. Other than LNB costs, the only cost here is postage and repaying a favour. Ongoing costs are also free.

However, if you put the FTV card into you subbed box, you will get ITV, Channel4 and five.

I can provide each of these through a contact in the UK. PM me for details if your interested.

Grif

Found this handy little number for allowing you to change channels while viewing sky on another TV.

http://www.letsautomate.com/10570.cfm?

By the looks of it it works with Sky Digibox (Pace)

Tony

Originally posted by Grif
Found this handy little number for allowing you to change channels while viewing sky on another TV.

http://www.letsautomate.com/10570.cfm?

By the looks of it it works with Sky Digibox (Pace)

Its a tv link which means it needs a good quality coax connection between the digibox and the 2nd tv. We have these also on our site.

Tony

Mark_irl

They have these in Powercity for €12 also.

Tony

Originally posted by Mark_irl
They have these in Powercity for €12 also.

What make are they selling in power city?

Tony

Mark_irl

SLx Link System, made by Philex Electronics, Power City , Malahide Road, €12

Tony

Originally posted by Mark_irl
SLx Link System, made by Philex Electronics, Power City , Malahide Road, €12

Good deal, if these were groceries this would be illegal:D (below cost) Thanks for info.

Grif

Hey folks,
Went and brought that Philex Links system from Powercity, indeed at €12. I couldn't get it to work though! I made sure the line was coming from RF2 output (with power) made sure digibox was outputting the power but it must be the way my internal coax is routed or something. Set up is like this:
RF2 via small black coax to Heavy duty brown coax which routes to a box in the bedroom, i then have white coax from that to TV. I could get power to the unit before the inbuilt coax but not after. Manual said something about passive (i think) wall panels? Not sure what it meant about this. Guess the power from the RF2 output isn't reaching past the bedroom wall box :-(

Any suggestions??

Cheers

watty

Take apart every TV connector
Put a "kink" on the stiff solid inner wire so it is tight in the hole.
(It should be about 1cm about 1/2" long)
Make sure the inner insulation is OK (About 3mm to 6mm approx 1/8" to 1/4")
Make sure plenty of outer briad inside the little spikey thing that fits under lid.

Make sure the inner wire and outer braid wire don't touch.

Make sure the coax cable does not go through any splitters or distribution amplifiers unless they specifically claim they are designed for "Sky Eye"

The remote eye uses 9V DC down the coax from the digibox to power it. A coax that seems to feed TV may not feed the 9V.

It sends the Remote signals (normally Infrared pulses at 38KHz) back as a sort of "Shortwave radio signal". This is a MUCH lower frequency than FM radio or TV so may not pass back through a splitter.
Splitters may or may not pass the 9VDC.
Unless specially designed (Global brand Sky Distribution amp) an amplified splitter (distribution amp), never passes the 9V outward and never passes anything (e.g. remote signal) in reverse.

Make sure any "joiners" ("barrels") grip the center pin of the TV plug.

A small chriistmas tree bulb (The kind you can bend the wires and remove from the plastic stub that plugs in the socket) will glow if connected across the inner and outer of the plug at the remote TV if the 9V is on.

Go SERVICES 4 0 1 SELECT to switch the RF outlet power on in the Digibox.

Make sure you are using the correct RF outlet (only one works), I think it is O/P 2.

The "video Senders" are nice as:
FM video (rather than AM on RF connectors), so as good as Composite SCART.
Stereo Audio. (RF is always mono, never NICAM from Digibox, VHS playback, DVD playback etc).
Remote "eye" feature controls VHS, DVD, Cable box etc not just Digibox.
Plug TV in anywhere, even Patio etc, no coax needed.
One Transmitter can feed several receivers, remote works on any of them.
You can have up to 4 transmitters and select channel on receiver.

Cons: Costs about 120 Euro and needs SCART on remote TV.

Grif

Great, Thanks for the info, I'll give it a shot.