Sharing Sky throughout the house

[K50 DEL]

Having never done this before I'm trying to work out what I need to buy in order for sky to be viewable / controllable from every room in the house.

When I did this at a small hotel, I used an SMATV system that gave only a certain number of channels... not really an option for a domestic install.

So, what do I need / is it even possible?

[mcflurry]

Sky Multiroom?

[FlossyThePig]

Do you need Sky subscription channels in each room? (£10 per room per month)

Freesat boxes start at around £30 these days.

You can get LNBs with eight feeds, one for each room (or 2 if Sky+ or equivalent needed)

[K50 DEL]

Nope, don't actually need any premium channels... the reason I used sky in the thread title is more to do with the fact that I want(ed) to be able to record programs on a PVR and watch them on any TV in the house... I guess what I need is closer to some sort of media server or similar?

[headcase]

Sky has a facility to distribute its signal via RF (aerial cable) and to be able to change channels in the other rooms by use of a remote eye that gets its power and sends its return signal on the co ax.
Basically you need to run a cable from the sky box to the remote room and then tune in sky on the remote TV.
If you need multiple rooms then you need to run a cable to a TV link compatable distribution amp then a cable from the amp to each room.

Downside is that only 1 channel can be viewed so if you switch cahnnel in 1 room it will change in the others. Also with RF distribution the picture quality it basic and the sound is mono.

[Barry Ashcroft]

I did the same as above but with the added benefit of also running HDMI cables around as well so I have full HD in 4 rooms with the Co-Ax to run the magic eyes to change channels. Works perfect

[Marvindodgers]

Barry Ashcroft said:

I did the same as above but with the added benefit of also running HDMI cables around as well so I have full HD in 4 rooms with the Co-Ax to run the magic eyes to change channels. Works perfect

Hi, I was interested by your reply regarding running HDMI cables as well as the Co-Ax to distribute the signal to another room. How did you distribute the HDMI signal? Is there an HDMI device like a USB hub that you have used to split the HD signal?

[Barry Ashcroft]

Marvindodgers said:

Barry Ashcroft said:

I did the same as above but with the added benefit of also running HDMI cables around as well so I have full HD in 4 rooms with the Co-Ax to run the magic eyes to change channels. Works perfect

Hi, I was interested by your reply regarding running HDMI cables as well as the Co-Ax to distribute the signal to another room. How did you distribute the HDMI signal? Is there an HDMI device like a USB hub that you have used to split the HD signal?

Used one of these

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/4_port-hdmi...

And one of these on the longest run up to the bedroom

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/HDMI...

[ln1234]

Barry Ashcroft said:

Marvindodgers said:

Barry Ashcroft said:

I did the same as above but with the added benefit of also running HDMI cables around as well so I have full HD in 4 rooms with the Co-Ax to run the magic eyes to change channels. Works perfect

Hi, I was interested by your reply regarding running HDMI cables as well as the Co-Ax to distribute the signal to another room. How did you distribute the HDMI signal? Is there an HDMI device like a USB hub that you have used to split the HD signal?

Used one of these

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/4_port-hdmi...

And one of these on the longest run up to the bedroom

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/cables/HDMI...

Does this cause any sound / picture lag on any of your TV's?

[Barry Ashcroft]

Not that I have ever noticed and I have been using this setup for over 2 years

[Marvindodgers]

Cheers Barry, I'll look into that, thanks.

[RichB]

Barry, do you feed the 5v DC into the booster? Also interested in doing this, so to be clear you also have the co-ax cable feed from the RF out for the magic eye? Correct? Rich...

[headcase]

The only downside of distributing HDMI is that it is an ever expanding technology, so next time you change your TV's for whatever is the latest spec consider the fact that you will have to change the HDMI distribution system also.

[Barry Ashcroft]

RichB said:

Barry, do you feed the 5v DC into the booster? Also interested in doing this, so to be clear you also have the co-ax cable feed from the RF out for the magic eye? Correct? Rich...

5v feed not needed it self powers through the hdmi cable.
Yep co-ax for the magic eye on the rf2 output of the skybox through a magic eye compatible splitter.