Hi Guys,

I know this kind of question gets asked regularly but I have searched and got a fair few answers just some things that I still need to question!

Currently:

Have Standard CRT TV downstairs with Sky+ and upstairs have Sky+ piped (out the back of downstairs box) to a HD TV upstairs with a sky magic eye.

Looking to purchase the Humax freesat+ foxsat hdr box for downstairs.
Will this give me the ability to use the same Coax cable run to the bedroom from my current sky+ box?

I know my magic eye won't work so can you suggest something else to work the remote signal and along side that can you get a 2nd remote for the Humax?

Obvisouly I know HD won't work on the telly upstairs thru the coax, is there a way round this?

And I will be buying a new TV for downstairs soon (prob at the same time as buying the Humax if I can get the setup right!)

One other question is I'm on Sky Talk (started in August) if i cancelled Sky do I keep Sky Talk, or when I signed to Sky Talk do you set yourself up for another 12months contract?

Any advice would be most welcome!

Rich

You can still use the magic eye. I still use mine.... But because Im using the Foxsat and not my Sky+ I got a TV Link Plus. The TV Link Plus is at the other end to the magic eye (next to the Foxsat) and sends the IR signal to the Foxsat - You have to place a small IR LED in front of the Foxsat. The TV Link Plus also sends a RF signal to your 2nd tv through your existing coax.

But because the Foxsat does not have a RF out you have to use a RF modulator. I got one from ebay. This converts from scart to a RF coax signal.

http://www.tvlink.co.uk/tvlinkplus.htm

It all works ok, but you end up using 2 extra power outlets and there are more cables behind your TV.

Ian

I got a modulaor a few months ago also from ebay. Here's a link if you're interested.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RF-MODULATOR-CONVERT-SCART-OR-PHONO-TO-AERIAL-RF-COAX_W0QQitemZ200307262552QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL?hash=item200307262552&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1229|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

All possible.

all i need is that TV Link as you posted, just that...

and also the modulator that the other person has posted off ebay and the job is possible???????

How does the modulator connect to the foxsat?

Through the scart. It has a nice wee digital display too

Can i just confirm then...

1. buy the humax foxsat hdfreesat player plug to telly with hdmi
2. output scart from humax fox sat to RF Modulator from ebay
3. plug coax from modulator to tv upstairs
4. use tv link in the middle of it all to control it with 2 remotes?

Is that correct people?

Thanks for your help so far!

Rich

Yes, thats about right....I wolud change your steps 3 and 4 to the following (just to make it clear).

3. Plug coax from modulator to TV Link Plus. The coax between my modulator and TV Link Plus is about 10-20cm.

4. Output of TV Link Plus goes to the magic eye which is located with your other tv (eg kitchen, bedroom)

Cheapest RF modulator I could find was here.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...SIN=B000NVUAN8

Using it with a Omnilink Plus which is slightly cheaper than the TVLink plus and does the exact same job from here

http://www.aerialshack.com/omnilink-...ink-p-519.html

Just out of interest, why 2 remotes?

thanks so far guys thats very very helpful....

two remotes? one for upstairs in my bedroom and one for downstairs for the lounge TV.

Just to make this really clear to make sure I have this in my mind!

Bedroom 1 - TV (its HD but of course i won't get HD on it - unless theres a way of doing that) I have a sky magic eye there at moment...ditch that...and use the TV link magic eye/omnilink magic eye?

So out of Bedroom TV using Coax - TV Link/omnilink Magic Eye inbetween in bedroom then COAX out of bedroom 1 down to Lounge 1.

In Lounge 1 the Coax comes in from Bedroom 1 through TV LINK/Omnilink controller box - then to Modulator. Then SCART OUT OF MODULATOR in to Back of Humax. Downstairs TV will be HD and out of Humax box in to TV via HDMi link... (Can anyone tell me how to output if the TV isn't HD at the time)

Am I right now?

Sorry for being a pain but really appreciate all the help..

Other part of the question, do you think if I wait, Humax will bring a box out with RF out like my Sky box!

Im just weighing up how complicated it will be and expensive to get the same set up as I have at present through my sky + box!

Rich

Not sure what you mean not being HD at the time. Connect the modulator to the hdr vcr scart. You can then connect the hdr to the TV using hdmi and scart as well (some say SD pictures look best on RGB scart than on hdmi). The foxsat vcr scart outputs SD composite whatever is showing HD or SD.

No chance of Humax including a modulator it's outdated technology and will only work as long as it's possible to buy a tv with an analogue tuner

You can send hd to the remote TV using cat5e network cable

http://www.keene.co.uk/electronics/m...ycode=HDMIC530

You could use a A-B hdmi switch if you only want to watch 1 TV at a time or feed both at the same time using a splitter

http://www.simplyhighdefinition.co.uk/

If you are trying to do what I think you are trying to do, I would do it one of two ways.

1) Use a wireless video sender such as this. http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...DEO+SENDER.htm There are chaeper ones availible then this but One 4 All are normally the best. You just connect the sender to your box downstairs, place the magic eye near the remote receiver on your salellite box and connect the receiver unit to your upstairs tv via scart. You then just use the original remote to change channel upstairs or you can buy a universal remote.

2) If you are intending on replacing your Sky+ downstairs with a Humax HDR, you can put your Sky+ upstairs and run a coax feed from the LNB out of the Humax HDR to an LNB in on the Sky+, that way you can have FSFS upstairs after you dump your Sky sub, meaning you will be able to watch the encrypted free channels upstairs. Also that way you can use the original Sky remote upstairs and of course you can watch one channel upstairs while someone else watches a different channel downstairs.

Hope this helps.

They must be good for £80. I know you get what you pay for and those do 2 boxes , but I was unsure about the wireless 2.4GHz senders with interference from my wireless PC LAN; so I bought a cheap pair of Nikkai 2727's from eBay (£7.50, unwanted Xmas gift, brand new, and local to pickup, no postage ), just to try them - perfect picture in upstairs bedroom from STB downstairs, no interference at all, so I left them in situ. These regularly go from £15 on eBay.

If you decide to go for any of these wireless A/V Senders, I think you'll find them a good alternative to co-ax.

Rgds.


Les.

Thanks for the info so far.

Bedroom 1 has a HD TV but obvisouly doesn't use HD at present.

Lounge TV is sony CRT at mo, but will be upgrading (probably at the time of buying a Humax to a HD TV, but i may not do, so was just wandering what the effect of having a CRT TV downstairs was on the modulator/humax)

Right, the thing is, we don't actually want to be able to watch 2 channels at once, we only want to watch one, and what we record downstairs we want to be able to watch upstairs so therefore running sky+ upstairs won't really help things, as we want what we record downstairs to be outputted upstairs.

I see what you mean about the ARGOS product would be easier than the modulator route...BUT we had one in our old house for sky (this was about 5 years ago, so maybe technology has improved) and it was pretty darn poor At the moment the sky+ system works really well with the coax and magic eye and I just wanted to get something really as simple and as easy as that working in place of it without paying for a) sky subs and b) gaining HD freeview channels at no cost.

Bit like this Les???

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wireless-Audio...%7C240%3A1318#

Seem much cheaper than the Argos option?!

This also looks like a good offer!::::
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HUMAX-FREE-SAT...1%7C240%3A1318

Might buy it ??

That's them, £20 with free postage, not bad - depends on whether you want to chance waiting for a cheaper private listing which you then have to enter the bidding war on!!

I must admit I was taken aback with how light & flimsy they seem, but they do the job good in my house, YMMV depending on solid brick walls etc.

If the 2.4GHz are no good in your house, there are better 5.8GHz A/V senders, but they are much more expensive I was going to try those if the cheap Nikkai's didn't work out.

Rgds.

Les.

Careful - It's an HD, not an HDR.

Les.

VEry good point Les on the box! Didn't spot that! could have been a bargain! LOL!

COol i might try the Nikkai when Ive got this right in my head!

SO then....the idea now could be this:

Ditch Sky+ and sell the box on ebay
Buy Humax HD-R
Buy Nikkai Senders
Connect Humax to CRT TV downstairs and then once that gets replaced, connect to HDTV
Fit Nikkai Senders downstairs
Fit Nikkai Receiver to Bedroom TV upstairs
Job Done..

Next problem associated with that, is the need to buy an additional Humax remote which i cant see on ebay at least. Are they available? Don't fancy using a generic one or taking the one from downstairs with me constantly to bed...

Sounds like a solution, what do ya think! Cheaper and easier than the modulator route i think!

Les - How do you find the nikkais with your wireless, im running a wireless network too.
Also, ive got a new house so flimsey walls, TV upstairs is JUST above TV downstairs

Rich

I think you tend to get a larger range with the One 4 All units and they are twin band, not sure about other units. You can buy different makes from Argos from £26 upwards. I just used those One 4 All units as an example.

I set up some One 4 All ones for my sister just after Christmas and they worked pretty well though I did have to re-site her BT wireless router as that interfeared with it when my niece was on the internet. Originally the router was in my sister's bedroom where the One 4 All receiver went. I put it in the front room where the sender unit is and that seemed to solve it. Not had any S.O.S. calls from my sister

With the foxsat turned on or recording in sby, only channels in the same band as the foxsat tuner 1 is using will be available to the upstairs box. When it's off (You have to turn off power saving in sby) the upstairs box should have full lnb switching available
Last edited by grahamlthompson : 21-02-2009 at 15:54

Seems good, you might want to swap step 1 & 2 around, as the HDRs are relatively scarce, and you may find yourself without your ability to record before you got your HDR (30 days to expiry, once notice given to Sky). You would still be able to watch the FTA/FTV channels, but not record, after expiry.


I think the HDR's are too new to see additional remotes on eBay . You might want to try HumaxDirect to see if they have additional remotes.

I have lots of boxes to control in my Lounge set-up, so I have a Logitech Harmony 885 remote to control it all. So, my original Humax remote lives upstairs with the bedroom TV.


Exactly the same topography as mine, directly above/below; works perfectly for me - but my wireless LAN signals don't cross that path at all. As I say, YMMV, I can't categorically guarantee that they will work in any situation. That's why I tried a punt on a £7.50 pair - nothing lost

Hope this helps.

Rgds.


Les.

Thanks for your info Les thats great (and all others) really appreciate your input!

I just need to add up all the costs and see what the benefits are over buying skyHD for 12 months and a box...easy worked out i suppose

The other issue to get over, is getting SkyHD or Humax HD to the TV upstairs.....only way i can currently seeing doing it, is running CAT5 cable up the side of the house!

Yes, my Wireless Router/Access Point is well away from the Sender, Receiver, and signal path.

Les.