[smithr99]

Hi,
I just installed a Labgear HDU681S Distribution amp. I have 2 Sky digiboxes - 1 is a Sky+, the other just a normal digibox.

Previously I had multiroom, whereby the Sky+ was downstairs with 2 LNBs going into it, and the normal box was upstairs with another LNB going into it.

I have set up the dist amp so that both the LNBs that originally went into the Sky+ box now feed the amp (LNB1 and LNB2 inputs)

I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that my third standard digibox upstairs could just feed off one of the outputs from the dist-amp via a Labgear triplexed wallplate.

Here come the problems ...

The digibox upstairs now reports NO signal strength or signal quality. HOWEVER (!) the television plugged into this wallplate works fine for UHF (and also for the feed from the downstairs Sky+ box)

Questions ...

1) does it matter which way round I plug the LNB1 and LNB2 leads into the amp ? Since ive always had them going straight into the Sky+ box it has never mattered, but is the Sky+ box clever enough to figure out which way round they should be ?
2) my TVLink isn't working in the upstairs (triplex wallplate) room. It is a PSW132 Labgear plate. Should this work ? If not is it because it is isolated ? If so (!) can you get triplex non-isolated plates that will work with digieyes ?


Many thanks for any help anyone can give me

ps i have it pretty much setup as in the attached image, except without most of the outputs...

http://www.beststuff.co.uk/images/hdu681_diagram.jpg

[Chris Frost]

OK, your first problem is that you have more than one Sky box, the second problem is that one of your boxes is a Sky+, your third problem is the 8 outputs don't deliver a satellite LNB signal, the fourth problem is even if they did the two LNB feeds are already being controlled by the Sky+ box.


The first thing you need to understand is that LNB signals can't be shared in the same way as an aerial feed.

A standard Sky box has a single tuner and it needs its own down lead from one of the LNB outputs. A Sky+ box has two tuners, it needs two wires from the LNB. Tuning channels involves changing the polarity of the LNB feed for that particular channel.

For your install you need a third wire from the LNB going directly to the second Sky box's screw in SAT aerial connector.

Next, sending the signals back up to the 681...

Your first satellite connection can stay as it is as long as you have installed a return lead from RF2 out up to "Uplink IN" This is how you distribute the Sky+ box signal around the home.

You can also distribute the RF feed from the second Sky box too. This needs another return cable from the basic Sky box RF2 out back up to the 681. It is also going to connect to the "Uplink IN" so now you're thinking 'How do I do that?'

The bit of kit you need is an SPC4 (Google it). This will take 2 - 3 or 4 RF2 signals and combine them in such a way that each box is still individually controllable. The single output from SPC4 goes to "Uplink IN" You'll have to check the RF output tuning on each Sky box, it's in the same service menus that you used to enable the 9V feed for the magic eyes. Make sure the channels are far enough away from each other and the existing analogue channels so that they give a clean signal.

Finally, you program the SPC4 and tune the TVs so that (for example) Sky+ is on TV channel 6, Std Sky is on TV Ch.7. All your TVs should have the same tuning arrangement. The DigiEye for that TV will now control either the Sky+ or Std Sky box as you turn to the appropriate channel.

Just a thought - have a look at the Sky handset revision numbers. Some of the later standard Sky remotes will talk to a Sky+ box for the basic channel functions. If you want Sky+ feature control then you'll need a bunch of extra Sky+ handsets.

DigiEyes not working

Could be you've blown it up, or it could be there's no 9V down the aerial cable. Check the cable voltage with a multimeter once you have all the wiring sorted.

Good luck

Chris

[smithr99]

Chris,
many thanks for your (very) detailed reply. it has helped no-end

ross

[Chris Frost]

Thanks for letting us here know that it helped. It's useful for others searching for answers.

Regards

Chris