Sky -> Freesat

[Pjay]

Hi folks.

Am in the process of changing from a sky contract to a freesat set up. Just reveived a Humax HDR and am just wondering how I should connect everything. (beginner alert)

Below is a picture of how things are currently:



The Sky receiver will be changed to the Humax receiver, which has no RF outs. I have purchased a_http://ii.alatest.com/product/600x400/2/3/Labgear-MOD111-RF-Modulator-With-Scart-AV-Input-0.jpg which has one RF out.

Do I simply need one of _www.summitsource.com/product_thumb.php?img=images/products/SP2532.jpg&w=150&h=150 to feed the analogue to both the main tv and send a signal to feed the other tvs?


So should my new set up look like this?




Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[Lazarus]

Well before we get into the distribution side of things, your diagram shows only a single feed from the dish to the Foxsat HDR.

You require two feeds (not via a splitter, either) for full HDR functionality.

Please confirm how many feeds you actually do have available?

If only only have a single output LNB, then you will need to fit a quad (Twins are no longer available for Sky dishes).

 

[Pjay]

Thanks Tivù.

I should have mentioned that. For the moment there is a single LNB on the dish so I will be using a loop through for the time being.

Eventually there will be a quad LNB and each tv will have a receiver. But the above has to get me by for a couple of weeks.

 

[satelliteman]

Please do not link to image hosting sites. I have now uploaded the images to our server.

 

[Pjay]

Please do not link to image hosting sites. I have now uploaded the images to our server.

Apologies and thanks.

 

[PaulR]

It'll basically work. The only thing I'm worried about is the splitter for the other rooms which will be after a splitter for the main TV. You might find the signal too attenuated by this - it all depends on how strong your local signals are of course.

You might also think about splitting the aerial signal before the modulator - there's no need to send an RF signal from the HDR to the TV. This might be a better way to split all the TV signals.

You might still find you have to put a little amplifier in before (or instead of) the upstairs splitter.

 

[Pjay]

Thanks PaulR. Appreciated.
I will split the signal before the RF modulator. Seems to make sense, thanks.


So is this image how the setup should look once the quad LNB is in?

 

[Pjay]

I forgot to put the receivers in the other tvs but you get the message.

The single feed (combining the sat and analogue) would lead to a double output to feed the tv and receivers.

 

[PaulR]

I don't understand what the connections between the splitters and the satellite dish are there for. You can't combine satellite and terrestrial signals this way. They just shouldn't be there.

There should be an RF feed from the dish to the HDR (to be upgraded to two feeds in the future). The HDR is then connected to the TV by an HDMI cable. The TV aerial feed has two options. The better would be to go straight to the modulator and the output of the modulator fed into a multi out splitter for ALL the TVs including the one downstairs. If you don't have enough cables in the right place, then take the feed to a two way splitter, one for the downstairs TV and the other for the modulator. The RF output of the modulator should then go to a multi out splitter for all the other TVs. The modulator itself is connected to the HDR with a scart lead.

There's still the possibility of too low a signal after the multi out splitter and the need for an amplifier (to go with the splitter) or a DA (distrinbution amplifier - which would replace the splitter)

 

[Pjay]

I don't understand what the connections between the splitters and the satellite dish are there for. You can't combine satellite and terrestrial signals this way. They just shouldn't be there.

Would a diplexer not combine the satellite and terrestrial feeds down a single cable and seperate them again at the end?

 

[PaulR]

Yes, a diplexer will but not a splitter.

But this will introduce more signal loss. It shouldn't affect the satellite signal but I have a real concern that you'll lose too much TV signal with all the splitting that you want.

Is the problem that you don't have enough cables running from upstairs to downstairs?

 

[Pjay]

There are two cables running from the attic to the main tv room and one cable to each other room.

At the moment one of the cables to the main room carries both the satellite and the terrestrial signal (via diplexer), and both are connected to the sky box.
The first RF out on the sky box feeds terrestrial to the main tv. The other RF out sends the signal (satellite and terrestrial) back up into the attic where it is split to feed the other rooms.
Have just been told that there is an amplifier in the attic as well.


Any suggested changes appreciated.

 

[PaulR]

Are both the cables running from the attic to the main TV room of satellite quality? Satellite quality means a double shield of braid and foil - both preferably being copper rather than copper/aluminium. I take it there's no chance of pulling another two cables through?

 

[Pjay]

Are both the cables running from the attic to the main TV room of satellite quality? Satellite quality means a double shield of braid and foil - both preferably being copper rather than copper/aluminium. I take it there's no chance of pulling another two cables through?

I have no idea of the quality of the cable right now.

Am not sure if pulling two more cables through would be possible. But God loves a trier.
What would you recommend if I could?

 

[PaulR]

WF100 (or equivalent such as PF100) satellite cable is recommended for modern TV installations as we all go digital. This gives extra protection against interference.

Given the choice I would run two cables directly from the satellite dish to the HDR without any joins. I would then run a cable from the TV aerial to main TV room and split it to feed the main TV and the modulator. The fourth lead would then go from the modulator up to the attic and either a splitter (if the signal is strong enough) or a DA (if it isn't).

That's the ideal! You could use diplexers I suppose but it wouldn't be my first choice. Only if it was absolutely impossible to pull cables through

 

[Pjay]

Thanks Paul. Will take it on board and certainly give it a try.