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ATT: Watty Home Cable Network

  • 24-05-2003 7:58pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I was browsing your homepage and came across 'Connecting your Home Cable Network'.

    Is this tutorial going to be completed in the near future as i am interested in making one.

    If not do you have any suggestions I would like to connect 7 TVs, 1 VCR, 1 DVD Player and two Digital MMDS/Sky Digiboxs to make a home network. I am intersted in getting a very good quality distribution amp with F-Connectors but I have searched around but to no avail. probably cos I dont no where to look ? I need one which supports VHF/UHF. Can you help?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    I have feeding all the TVs via a distribution amp and 1 TV not via distribution amp:
    2 x Digiboxes
    1 X VHS
    1 x S-VHS
    2 x Analog Sat receivers
    1 x VHS with PC Sat receiver connected to AV in

    So Channels on TV
    1.. 4 Aerial
    5 VHS #3 usually TV out of PC Satellite receiver
    6 Digibox #1
    7 BBC World TV via Hotbird 13E Analog
    8 CNN via Astra 19E Analog
    9 Digibox # 2
    10 S-VHS, shows front security camera via 4 Way SACRT switch when no tape.
    11 VHS #2

    Making sure all the boxes are on different RF channels that don't interfere is tricky.

    I am meaning (for over a year now) to wirte it up and do diagram.

    You CAN get very expenisive amps with F connectors, but mine just as ordinary TV connectors.

    Do you really need VHF?
    RTE's VHF feeds are seriously inferior to UHF ones.
    Or are you thinking analog cable or VHF-FM Radio?

    (My "UHF" distribution amp actually does manage BandIII / Hyperband OK, but not BAND I)

    The 4-way distribution amp gives enough signal that I can split any output in two with a Y-Adaptor (kind with coil in it not ones with resistors). A Digibox feeds the distribution amp, so it's other soket has everything too.

    So up to 9 TVs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    I have following:

    1st Room
    TV
    Digital MMDS/ Digibox x1(Undecided which to get Chorus or Sky)
    VCR x1
    DVD x1

    2nd Room
    TV
    Digital MMDS/ Digibox x1 (Undecided which to get Chorus or Sky)

    4 Other Rooms TVx1

    My local transmitter is Mount leinster
    VHF Aerial: Band III
    UHF Aerial Group A (Red)
    RTÉ One: F; Network 2 i; TV3 26; TG4 23
    Polarisation: Horizontal
    Nominal Max ERP Vision: 160 kW (VHF); 500 kW (UHF)
    Site Height: 2160 ft A.S.L.
    Mast Height: 350 ft

    I want to install two aerials UHF and VHF distributing the terrestial to the TV x6.

    Then distribute Digital MMDS/Digibox/VCR & DVD from 1st and the Digital MMDS/Digibox from 2nd Room to the 4 other TVs.

    Is possible though distrute the DVD Player (AV.)

    I would like a Distribution amp preferably with F-Connectors (willing to pay good money for decent one.)

    Drisbution box Prefs: Line in x4 ? = UHF x1 VHF x1 Digital MMDS/Digibox x2 DVD/VCR (unsure how to connect VCR/DVD, can you connect AV equipment ?) and line out x6 = TV x6

    Where do you buy good equipment - Peats/Maplin looked not great


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Samson


    Originally posted by DTV
    Hi,

    I was browsing your homepage and came across 'Connecting your Home Cable Network'.

    Is this tutorial going to be completed in the near future as i am interested in making one.

    URL?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Embarrising so long ago:
    http://homepage.eircom.net/~watty/satellite/satellite.htm

    Don't get Chorus Digital MMDS, though it is same price as SKy

    1) If you cancel you still have Sky box with all these
    Sky Digital channels without a card:
    (Below are extra channels with a Free card or Cancelled Sky UK card)
    The FTA BBC Radio and BBC Parliament are gone from EPG since March due to BBC/ Sky EPG row presumably

    181 Travel Channel
    182 Travel Ch 2
    184 S4C Digidol
    202 Life TV
    208 Showcase
    220 Fashion TV
    223 Game Network
    229 You TV
    235 AVAGO
    238 BEN/Emma
    241 Reality TV
    247 Classics TV
    259 Performance
    265 Rapture TV
    268 Friendly TV
    327 TCM
    414 redbuttonraces
    416 Motors TV
    422 Extreme Sports
    455 Chart Show TV
    464 Classic FM TV
    467 Channel U
    501 Sky News (including Sky News Active)
    508 BBC Parliament
    513 CNN
    519 S4C2
    525 ITV News
    528 EuroNews
    534 CCTV-9
    630 QVC
    631 TV Travel Shop
    632 TV Travel Shop 2
    634 TV Shop
    635 Ideal World
    636 Screenshop
    637 Shop America
    638 Travel Deals
    639 Simply Shop
    640 Best Direct
    641 Simply Home
    642 Simply Hols TV
    643 Simply Ideas
    644 TV Warehouse
    646 Shopping Genie
    647 bid-up.tv
    648 Thomas Cook
    649 TelSell
    650 letsgoshop+
    651 Auctionworld
    652 Shop on TV
    655 Thane Direct
    656 Shop Smart
    658 TVWarehouse Select
    659 Shop 24/7
    660 Stop + Shop
    661 YES
    662 Screenshop 2
    663 TV High Street
    664 JML Direct
    666 Phoneworld
    667 Vitality
    669 Going Places
    670 Factory Outlet
    671 GOD Channel
    672 GOD Channel 2
    673 Wonderful
    674 TBN Europe
    675 Christian TV
    676 Revelation
    683 TV Jobshop
    684 Community
    685 Dating Channel
    686 txt me tv
    687 Open Access
    688 Dating Channel 2
    681 TX1
    695 Create & Craft
    801 B4U Music
    805 PCNE Chinese
    807 mta - muslim tv
    824 Abu Dhabi TV

    851 BBC Radio 1
    852 BBC Radio 2
    853 BBC Radio 3
    854 BBC Radio 4 FM
    856 Classic FM
    857 Virgin Radio
    859 Classic Gold
    860 The Storm
    861 Planet Rock
    862 Core
    863 Capital Gold
    864 XFM
    865 BBC World Service
    866 BBC Radio Scotland
    867 BBC Radio Wales
    868 BBC Radio Ulster
    869 BBC Asian Network
    870 BBC Radio 4 LW
    872 WRN Europe
    873 Premier
    874 Heart 106.2
    875 UCB Europe
    876 Cross Rhythms
    877 Oneword
    879 Solar Radio
    880 Panjab Radio
    882 PrimeTime
    883 Sunrise Radio
    884 talkGospel
    885 TotalRock
    886 UCB Insp
    887 The Mix
    888 TWR
    890 UCB Bible
    891 UCB Talk
    892 RTE Radio 1
    894 SBN
    895 Club Asia
    896 Real Radio S Wales
    897 EWTN
    900 Sukh Sagar
    901 Asian Gold
    902 BBC World Service Extra
    904 BBC Radio Cymru
    908 Gaydar Radio
    909 Family Radio
    911 BBC 6 Music
    913 Apna Radio
    914 2FM
    915 Lyric FM
    916 R na G
    917 Jazz FM
    918 Akash Radio
    919 BBC 1xtra
    920 BBC R n Gael
    921 Galaxy 105
    922 BBC 7
    923 Mean Country
    924 Century Radio
    925 Capital 95.8
    996 Channel Line-up audio

    A free FTV card or cancelled Sky UK subscription gives:
    ITV on 103 (all other ITVs via "Other Channels", manually, but not ITV2)
    C4
    Five.

    Currently BBC1NI, BBC2NI, BBC2W, BBC2Sc, BBC2Lo, Cbeebies, CBBC, BBC3, BBC4, BBCNews24, 5Live and 5 Extra need the card like ITV/C4, but after mid july they will work with no card, also BBC1Lo, BBC1W, BBC1Sc and other BBC1 regions.

    To get a reduced EPG with only free channels on it turn card upside down and unplug box, plug in again. DO NOT REMOVE card.

    A minute or two and the box can be turned on again.

    Ignore error messages

    Press Guide AllChannels or 181 and browse...

    2) Chorus signal less reliable than Satellite

    3) You can even get a few other satellites by moving dish...

    4) Much more Radio

    5) All BBC free soon (Mid July ?), maybe ITV next year.


    Yes what you want can be done.

    Combine UHF and VHF with VHF/ UHF diplexer

    daisy chain aerial cable from diplexer through VHS then Digibox RF ins and outs.

    DVD usually have no RF. Often the macrovsion upsets VHS so you can't use it as a "modulator". A 2.4GHz video sender, the receiver can easily be plugged into any TV remotely. Or you can get multiple receivers (AEI Argos).

    Maplin rather than Peats. I suppose Peats was the Dublin place for Electronics in the 1970s, but seem overpriced and poor range these days.

    You don't need F-Connector distribution amp (You get a model with one input and 4 out). Most UHF models will handle the Band III Mt Lienster (Are you sure you can't get the better UHF RTE1 / NET2 from any place?).


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,141 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Originally posted by watty

    DVD usually have no RF. Often the macrovsion upsets VHS so you can't use it as a "modulator".

    I have Sky digibox and my Manhattan Skyline connected to the home network which feeds an additional 4 TVs. I have Playstation 2 connected to Video Scart on Skyline and noticed a strange thing about a week ago. Whatever is played on the PS2 is somehow modulated by the Skyline and broadcast to all the other TV's on the Skyline channel! So basically, I can have a DVD playing around the house!

    Bit of a phenomenon, but I'm not complaining!;)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    Right combine UHF/VHF signals using a UHF/VHF diplexer and add to distribution amp, then combine VCR and Digibox and add to amp.

    I live near Athy, Carlow & Portlaoise so I think my local transmitter is Mt Leinster maybe Kippure

    But what about the second digiboxs as would the two digiboxs not come in on the same signal how do you tune in both on different channels.

    Often the macrovsion upsets VHS so you can't use it as a "modulator".
    Sorry I’m a beginner here.

    What is a Manhattan Skyline can this enable the DVD via Video Scart to be distributed to the TV x5.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,638 ✭✭✭swoofer


    U can change the RF signal on digiboxes by going into the services menu, so have one at 60 and another at 66 but the range is 21-69.

    gb--


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,141 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    To change RF channel, press

    Services, 4, 0, 1, Select. This gets you into the installer menu and the RF settings are in here. Default RF channel is 68.

    A Manhattan Skyline is a digital satellite receiver which I use for viewing channels on Hotbird and Astra 1.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    That great so I have to configure the digiboxs.

    Ok so there is no way I can distribute the DVD from Video scart to the TV x5?

    Would it work if I sent the DVD Player video Scart through the digibox like what was done with the manhattan Skyline.

    Would I be able to view the DVD on the channel assigned to the digibox?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    No the Digibox won't feed SCART in to the RF.

    You lose stereo that way, which is why I recommended an AEI video sender (they are stereo).

    You can use a UHF RF Modulator from Maplin. Don't be fooled by a L and R rca/phono in, it simply adds them and does regular TV mono. (All RF outs fed by boxes are mono, only the off air aerial signal is Nicam).

    You can "daisy" Aerial RF in /outs chain through it too.

    I built my own from the modulator RFin /out module taken from broken Samsung VHS.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭Greenman


    Look Here and scroll down to near the end of the page and maybe you will see something of interest.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    maybe you could paste an extract.

    The site needs even readers to register


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭Greenman


    This might be better thanks Watty, look here


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    Do most UHF distribution systems support VHF Band III, Ive been lookin at the loft Box and could the return link be split for two digiboxes before it enters the loft Box


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Daisy chain the Digiboxes.


    You don't need the "Loft box" it is just and expensive diplexer.

    Yes, most UHF distribution amps will work with BandIII. Any marked for Radio and TV (Radio is Band II) certinally will.

    It is only Band I (obsolete) that is difficult to get via distribution amp.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    what do you mean daisy chain the two digiboxs?


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,141 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Most distribution amps support Band III, though some don't. Just check the frequency range. Some, that dont' support Band III have a frequency range of 470Mhz upwards.

    Some other amps (eg SLX, Wolsey) have 2 seperate inputs, one for UHF and one for FM (which would also include Band III)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Originally posted by DTV
    what do you mean daisy chain the two digiboxs?

    Aerial goes in Rf in of first box
    RF out 1 of first box goes into RFin of second box. Then TVs on RF1 or RF2 of second box can tune either box or any aerial channel.

    I've experimented with 4 way combiner (Aerial into one box, all 4 boxes connect to combiner which has single out) Vs daisy chain 4 boxs.

    There seems to be more "interference" between modulators using combiner route rather than "daisy chain" method.

    Most RF modulators give spurious signals at other than the selected channel.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    Hi again, another question I want to combine two VHF signals together TV/FMDoes the reception quality disimprove if I use a splitter such as link below as a combiner to join the two wires together?

    http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?CartID=030616232728640&moduleno=29530&modulecode=


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    There are two types of splitter, both work as combiners too.

    The nasty ones with resistors inside
    The good ones (with or without F-Connectors) that use a specially wound ferrite bead / coil.

    The good ones should not affect the signal much as a combiner.

    Even the Y adaptors in the ReadyPak bags in Tesco food hall are the "good" kind. I'd be surprised if there is a problem with the Maplin one.

    All the "nasty" ones I took apart where a different shape, not a Y, they had 2 x sockets on the front and one plug bit sticking out back, so avoid those, unless you WANT to reduce the signal (as a combiner each signal is halved and as a splitter each signal is 1/4, the "good" Y adaptor has little affect as a combiner and only reduces signal to 1/2 power as a splitter .. conservation of energy, you can't get a free lunch)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭DTV


    Cheers thanks for everyones help on this thread


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