My Sky..is this possible??

[Tones303]

Hi,

 

I am contemplating My Sky, one of the reasons is I want to have 2 TV's connected with 2 different channels being watched at once.

 

Since the My Sky features the scenario where you can watch one, record another, I perhaps think it can do what I need.

 

Or,

 

Am I doomed to having 2 decoders??

 

Thanks

 

Tony

[cyril]

Tony, Firstly selcome to AudioEnz secondly but sorry, you need two decoders. The mysky can only decode one mpeg stream at a time. It can however strip and route to the decoder or to/from the hard disc two streams at once. End result is you can only view one at a time as there is only one mpeg decoder.

 

Cyril

[Tones303]

now knowing my constraints.

 

Ok, now I know that 2 decoders are necessary, what method can I use to "pump" the second sky signal around the house?

 

I have tried using the wireless transmitter and receiver before, 2.4Ghz I think, but the house is on several levels and there are several barriers to a line of sight option.

 

We have the terrestrial RF cable outlets in several rooms, is it feasible to send the sky signal around the house via that method (the terrestrial signal is crap, we have not got line of sight with Te Aroha or the hill near Cambridge, and there are lots of splitters and amplifiers on that infrastructure.)

 

Thanks again

 

Tony

[cyril]

You need to identify where all the RF outlets go to, assuming they all go to a common point in the roof space (or garage). I assume there is a splitter at that point that takes a feed from the roof UHF/VHF antenna.

 

You need to use the RF outlet cable that goes to the site of the MySky and connect that to the RF out of the MySky, and in the roofspace common point connect this to the splitter input. If you do decide to get another decoder then if it is sited at the same point as the MySky then simply take the RF out from that decoder and feed it into the RF in of the other decoder and take that combined RF feed to the splitter. Otherwise you will need to get both RF outs back to the common point, combine them with a two way splitter in reverse then apply that common signal to the splitter. You will be heading toward most likely needing a amplifier by this time . You will need to ensure that the two STB's are on different RF output frequencies. Ch38 is a common channel used, I recommend that you put the other on a channel at least 4-5channels away (say Ch34).

 

Instead of getting another Sky decoder you could opt to get a FTA satellite decoder and do the same as above, only downside is that you will only get TV1,2,3,C4 and MaoriTV. There is a catch with this at this very moment, and that is that Sky and the FreeView transponders are on different polarities, so to run them off the same single output LNB is not possible at this point, this should be sorted in the next 2-3weeks.

 

Cyril

[Tones303]

Can I just ask a couple of questions just to see if I have the gist of the plan.

 

I will go the 2 decoders way.

 

So,

1.

That means there is some splitter from the dish to provide input into both decoders.

2.

Decoder 1 connect the RF lead, currently in TV giving crap terrestrial signal, into the RF out.

3.

Take RF out from Decoder 2 and put it in decoder 1 RF in.

4.

Follow the cable under the house till i find the RF cable splitter. Remove it as an "out" and make it the "in" to the splitter.

 

So,

 

My question are,

I can then connect to RF outlets in other rooms and get 2 sky channels.

I have cat 5 in the rooms so would an infra red sysytem be possible. (your mentioning of Freeview prompted me to search on the freeviewshop.co.nz and I see that the Hills homehub may be the way to go)

 

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/hills-homehub-8-way-ir-distribution-p-361.html

 

Cheers again.

 

Tony

[cyril]

You seem to have the idea, I suggest that you check and alter the cabling before you proceed. You can do all this today before you get the 2nd decoder and have it all work.

 

As you have MySky already then you will find a splitter immediately behind the MySky as it has two tuners within. When Sky supply the 2nd standard decoder they will split that signal into three for all three satellite tuners. This is part of the install process.

 

The Hills homehub IR unit is good, I have installed a few. However the MySky has its own built in IR system that works via RF2 out. You need to ensure that the DC is turned on for that port (its in the setup menus) and that there is a DC path via the splitter to where you want to have the IR pickups it operates over the RF cable. If you want to have several IR pickups then you will need a DC pass on all ports to let the system work. The Sky installer should be able to supply all the parts for this, once again it comes from HillsNZ but is only available to Sky installers. Unfortunately it does not work with standard decoders, so you may want to stick with the homehub solution.

 

By the way you say there is numerous amplifiers and bits, you should at most need only one amplifier if splitting to more than 3-4 points. I suggest you attempt to draw a diagram of the house RF wiring, include the models details of the splitter and most importantly all the amplfiers so I can advise what is needed, and what is not. You can have too much gain and cause all sorts of problems.

 

Cyril

[Paradox1553552678]

 

Tones303 wrote:

I will go the 2 decoders way.

 

 

I'm a bit confused by that. I think this is how it works.

 

When you ask Sky to install the second decoder they will split the feed from the dish for you, and run a coax feed to both decoders. If MySky, then there's a dual pickup at the dish and 3 cables, 2 to MySky.

 

The easiest way from there, is to use the RF feed from each decoder and route a coax cable to the other rooms where you want Sky, and just terminate it as an aerial into the TV. No splitting needed - decoder 1 to room C, decoder 2 to room D.

 

If you want to run just one of those feeds to 3 rooms, then you will need to take one of the RF outs and split the coax, and will probably need an amplifier.

 

For your house you will need to figure out if the existing cable is been used for Sky re-routing, or just to pass TV aerials around the house. If it's just TV you should be able to simply take the new coax out and connect into one of the existing split points (if you can find it) ie with a 2 in/3-4 out joiner/splitter thingie to mix the standard tv feed with the Sky one, and distribute it around the house.

 

Cheers

Rob

[cyril]

Sky do not install dual output LNB's when installing MySky, they simply split the signal to the number of outputs required. As all of Skys transponders are on the same polarity there is no need to use dual independant output LNB's as needed in Australia on Foxtel.

 

You will need to take the RF output from each Sky box, combine it (or loop through the RF out/ins to combine) and this RF feed will need to be split to feed each room where you want a TV.

[Tones303]

Cyril,

Sorry for being so long in replying. I went under the house and had a good look at every cable and where it started and ended. Here is the diagram I have created. I see now there are "non live" points in the lounge and family, someone else has had a couple of goes before this attempt.

 

I guess I can send the second sky signal through the old cable and somehow replace the current 1 in 4 out hub with a 2 in 4 out one, or best to replace the 2(vhf/uhf) in 1 out with a 3 in 1 out??

 

Cheers

 

Tony:)

Attached files 108 Pembroke St TV Cabling.doc (28.5 KB)

[Tones303]

Cyril,

 

Amp is on VHF/UHF cable at TV. Diagram ammended.

 

Tony

Attached files 108 Pembroke St TV Cabling.doc (28.5 KB)

[cyril]

Hi Tony, no worries. I have attached a modified drawing, using our favourite Microsoft drawing abortion, so its a bit rough.

 

If you have poor off air reception from the antenna then disconnect it. Get the RF output from the sky box, if two sky boxs then cascade them via the RFout/RFin loops, the final output should go to the amp. Is the amp inside or under the house, if under the house then my diagram needs a slight change to show the amp on the feed from the family room faceplate to the splitter rather than the Sky decoder to the faceplate. The amplifer may infact not be required, you will need to suck and see.

 

I have not shown the splitter that Sky will supply to feed the LBand IF input from the dish to each decoder if two are used.

 

Hope this helps get back to me with what you think.

 

Cyril

Attached files 108 Pembroke St TV Cabling_reviewed.doc (30 KB)

[Tones303]

Hey Cyril,

 

After your help, I decided on a day of experimentation.

The task is to get all TV 1-4, Prime and "station 6" being a sky channel pumped everywhere.

 

I jumped under the house and had a real good bash around with the existing cabling structure.

 

I had to have a couple of trips to DSE to get a few bits and pieces. I have ended up 95% there with satifaction.

 

The layout is now as attached, and I now know what some of the bit and pieces do.

Let me elaborate.

1.

The "power supply" is powering the masthead amp I assume. I have mistakenly called it AMP in older diagrams. I proved this to be so as when unplugged, there is no Prime. When powered up it Prime comes in OK on the family TV. On the Master TV, OK but 50% satisfactory.

2.

AMP is new, and is the DSE one, L2105. http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/463e78e5013eb7f8273fc0a87f3306e2/Product/View/L2105

There is great reception in Lounge TV for all chanels and Sky.

3.

I have noted the Power pass through on the splitters for comment. I am assuming they are designed to work sending power up to the MastHead amp as in item 1 above, and the power pass through from the DSE amp out to the non terminated splitter.

4.

I have tried reversing the diagram's interminated dual splitter having the VHF/UHF in and the SKY signal in, then connecting that to the in of the quad.

Crappy everywhere. (power pass through issues, too many splitters, too much distance?)

 

Problem as I see it now.

No one makes a device which brings in VHF/UHF and Satellite together, and sends as 1 powerful signal.

Or

Should I get a 4 into 1 and apply reversed. (the issue there is there is only 1 power pass through?).

Or

I am contemplating "splicing/soldering"the cable bringing in UHF and VHF with the cable bringing in the powered Sky signal together to get sky output to Master, Bedroom2 and Rumpus which is currently only VHF/UHF. Do the signals then conflict with each other.

 

Distances. I really have 2 loops I guess. The distances are approximate but here is an idea. lounge TV to it's splitter 14m. Power Supply to it's splitter, 15m. Quad Splitter to Rumpus 10m. Quad to aerial 10m. Satelitte to decoder 7m.

 

Cyril,

Can you make suggestions, thanks again. Tony.

Attached files Attempt 1@ 108.doc (29 KB)

[cyril]

Hi Tony orignially you said that your off air reception was so poor you did not care to use it. I assume this is infact not the case.

 

From what I can see you should take the V/UHF feed that is currently going to the 4way splitter, and connecting it to the DC injector/powersupply. That should feed as you currently have it into the RF in of the Sky decoder.

 

It woud appear that one output of the amp can go to the local Family TV, the other you can use a 2way splitter to send one feed to the 4way splitter and one feed to the Lounge TV.

 

The only Powerpass you require is the line from the DCInjector/Powersupply going to the antenna (as it would appear to have a masthead amp init). All other paths dont care if they have power pass or not.

 

It is too easy to apply too much gain and end up with all sorts of problems. So I recommend that you turn the gain of the new DSE amp down as low as needed. (I assume that is a gain control on the top).

 

Cyril

[Tones303]

Hi again Cyril, have a look at the document and see if I have the right idea.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

Attached files Attempt 2 @ 108.doc (29 KB)

[cyril]

That the one.

 

Cyril