Communal Sky installs?

JDxtra

Hi,

A mate of mine has moved into a new apartment, and six months later NTL have said they will not be providing a cable TV service for the residents! (daft NTL!).

Anyways, my mate said that they got a quote for some sort of Sky communal system. All he knows is that it is not Sky themselves who will do it, but an independent installer. I assume they will get their own digiboxes as they will have the ability to choose what package they want.

Has anybody had any experiences with Sky communal systems? I didn't think they were available in Ireland. How do they work?

seano

One dish with a Quad lnb.*(not a self switching LNB known here as quattro)

The 4 exits are marked VL VH HL HH

Vertical Low
Vertical High
Horizontal Low
Horizontal High

The cable goes to a multiswitch and from the multi switch to apart digiboxes that all work independent of other receivers

You can get multiswitches of at least up to 16 receivers

Works perfect

Capt'n Midnight

AFAIAA while each apartment could have a Digibox with a single cable that goes back to the "splitter" you would probably all need separate subscriptions unless SKY do some sort of bulk scheme or you could dedicate digiboxes to particular channels - (not sure on the licensing there)

Don't forget that BBC will be going FTA soon - so it would be possible to setup with the 4 Irish channels from a TV Aerial , the BBC Channels & TCM & various news channels from ASTRA 2. You could also use some old sky analog boxes to get Eurosport / BBC world / generic foreign channel for those learning languages - and just use the UHF output - so that no-one needs separate satellite receivers to get "basic" TV - subscription free.

(Note you can get combiners/splitters that allow you to put TV & satellite on the came cable - but if you are cabling then probably best to run 3 cables - CAT 5 & two coax to each appartment.)

Depending on which of the 4 outputs you need for BBC you could use the others for hot bird or astra you may be able to get many of the music channels (MTV central / VIVA ) - unfortunately they don't show much of the stuff MTV has on whenever I see it no Real World / Jackass / osbournes - just back to back videos 24/7)

While you are at it you might as well look at getting internet for everyone too - if you are on the southside www.leap.ie

BrianD

Here's where it has been done already (info from the Sky corporate site) ...


Sky wires Leeds homes for digital TV

Thousands of Leeds people living in Council flats and sheltered schemes are to get the chance to join the digital television revolution, thanks to a initiative unveiled today by Leeds City Council and British Sky Broadcasting.

After a competitive tendering process, BSkyB has won a contract to make the huge choice of digital channels and interactive services available for the first time to council tenants and leaseholders in Leeds. These viewers are among the millions around the UK who are currently unable to enjoy the full benefits of digital television because they receive their signal through a shared aerial.

BSkyB will replace outdated terrestrial aerials in blocks of flats across Leeds with modern systems that include both a satellite dish and a conventional aerial. Around 12,000 households will benefit from the upgrade project, which is due to commence this week. Because of the number of flats involved, the work is programmed to take place over three years.

Because a single satellite dish will serve every home in each block, tenants and leaseholders will not need to install their own dish to receive satellite services such as Sky digital and unauthorised dishes can be removed. The new equipment, known as an Integrated Reception System (IRS), also provides access to analogue terrestrial television, digital terrestrial television, digital radio (DAB) and FM radio broadcasts. There is no obligation on tenants and leaseholders to subscribe to pay-TV services.

Tim Wright, head of BSkyB's Sky Homes division, said:

"The benefits of digital television should be open to all viewers, including the millions who are currently served by communal aerials. Sky is delighted to help Leeds City Council ensure that tenants and leaseholders can choose how they receive television in the digital age."

Robin Lawler, Assistant Director, Leeds City Council's Department of Housing and Environmental Health, commented:

"We are delighted to enable many of our tenants to access a range of digital television services. This initiative is all to do with increasing choice, since no-one has to take up this offer unless they wish to do so. With one satellite dish serving all, it is also an excellent way of cutting down the need to have multiple dishes all over the blocks concerned. We would ask tenants to be patient as it will take about three years to complete the programme."

With around 40% of homes connected to digital television, the UK has the highest take-up rate of any European country. The Government aims to complete the switchover from analogue to digital television between 2006 and 2010, but estimates that around 20% of households rely on communal aerial systems. Most of these will be unable to receive a comprehensive range of digital television services unless the existing systems are upgraded with modern technology such as IRS.

Sky is working with local authorities around the UK to help them prepare for the switchover to digital television. Other councils which have opted to install IRS include Aberdeen, Enfield, Manchester, Newham, Teignbridge and Walsall.

For further information please contact:

Robert Fraser
BSkyB
020 7705 3036
mobile 07720 409339
robert.fraser@bskyb.com

Donna Cox
Leeds City Council
0113 395 0393
donna.cox@leeds.gov.uk

Tony

We quoted for such a system some time ago. Two problems were apparent, 1. The quality of the cable already installed was not up to standard and 2. getting everyone to agree to go ahead. We withdrew from the project after each individual customer rang us up to answer basically the same questions and the hmmm and hawww over whether they wanted to go ahead and what contractor they wanted to use. Basically its the builders fault for not ensuring that NTL and/or satellite system was planned from the start.

Tony

Originally posted by jdempsey
Hi,


Anyways, my mate said that they got a quote for some sort of Sky communal system. All he knows is that it is not Sky themselves who will do it, but an independent installer. I assume they will get their own digiboxes as they will have the ability to choose what package they want.

Has anybody had any experiences with Sky communal systems? I didn't think they were available in Ireland. How do they work?