Connecting SkyHD box to two tvs

[mattjax05]

Currently I have my HD box connected to my main tv via HDMI.

I would like another tv in the kitchen and I hae two options at the monent:

1) Running an RF cable from the living room (this is where the aerial point is) to the kitchen and using the tvs built in digital tuner or,

2) Running some sort of connection (maybe RF again) from the SkyHD box to the kitchen.

Are these my best/only connections or, could I get a HDMI splitter and run a HDMI cable or even run x5 (component/audio) cables?

Matt

 

[daveh75]

If you can i'd try an run a hdmi to the second set if distance and hiding the cable aren't going to be a problem that way you'll get video and sound on 1 cable as opposed to running a seperate component + audio cable.

But if it was me think i would probably also run a coaxial from the rf2 out on the sky box too, for two reasons.... one with the addition of a magic eye you'll be able to control the sky box from the second room and two if your aerial is looped through your sky box the cable will carry the digital terestrial signal also allowing you to utilise the tv's inbuilt tuner!

Also if hiding cables is going to be a problem you could consider using a HDMI over cat 5/6 extender such as this as hiding a pair of cat 5 cables will be far easier than an hdmi cable

 

[mattjax05]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the options, I am trying to get my head around this though!

If I ran a HDMI cable and an RF cable could I still change the channels in the kitchen when the picture is sent through the HDMI?

Not sure if my aerial is looped through the sky box. Basically my sky box consists of the two cables from the dish and one HDMI cable to the main tv!

I understand how the Magic Eye installs but how does this actuall work i.e how does the sensor talk to the sky box?

Matt

 

[daveh75]

Yes you'll still be able to change channels even though your sending video+audio via hdmi

Basically the magic eye connects to the rf cable and is powered by the skybox, so yes it talks to the sky box.One thing to remember, when you set a magic eye up you need to make sure you connect the coax to the rf out 2 then go into the settings and switch the power on for rf2.

 

[mattjax05]

I see, the rf2 connection works both ways then, transmits out a picture signal and also sends in 'magic eye' data to the sky box.

Will my rf connection carry a digital tv signal?

Matt

 

[daveh75]

That's right yes rf2 sends out picture and audio+receives data from the eye.

Depends what you mean by a digital tv signal from the rf out. It only outputs an anologue rf signal from the sky box itself so only sd sky, But as i mentioned before if you loop your terestrial aerial through the sky box it will allow a digital terestrial signal to pass through and allow you to utilise the internal tuner on your second set

 

[mattjax05]

Not sure if I have a digital terestrial aerial, my signals have always come from the dish. If I don't the only reason to have the rf cable would be for the magic eye and I could get all channels inc. HD content via the hdmi. Would there be any loss in picture quality splitting the hdmi into two? The longest hdmi cable would be approx 5m. Can you recommend a splitter please.

 

[daveh75]

If you dont have an aerial then yes the only reason for the rf cable would be for the magic eye! If you didn't want to go the hassle of running an rf just for a magic eye you could always try an ir remote extender like this but havn't tried one so dont know how well they work!

You shouldn't have any picture quality issues as long as you use good quality hdmi cables and a decent splitter and yes you'll get all the channels on both set's including HD. One thing to remember is though, you'll only be able to watch the same channel on both sets at the same time, not independant channels!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm In the same boat! Does your sky box have component outs?

 

[mattjax05]

Eh howie:

I'm In the same boat! Does your sky box have component outs?

Yes it does.

 

[mattjax05]

Eh howie:

I'm In the same boat! Does your sky box have component outs?

Yes it does.

 

[mattjax05]

Eh howie:

I'm In the same boat! Does your sky box have component outs?

Yes it does.

 

[mattjax05]

Eh howie:

I'm In the same boat! Does your sky box have component outs?

Yes it does.

 

[mattjax05]

Eh howie:

I'm In the same boat! Does your sky box have component outs?

Yes it does.

 

[Anonymous]

Or just get another sky box installed, Only £10 a month for the extra box. By the time you have bought a decent 5m hdmi cable you will be on you way to 6 - 8 months of the extra box paid for, plus you can watch different channels than in the other room.

 

[daveh75]

m1rfy:Or just get another sky box installed, Only £10 a month for the extra box. By the time you have bought a decent 5m hdmi cable you will be on you way to 6 - 8 months of the extra box paid for, plus you can watch different channels than in the other room.Plus the cost of the box/installation

 

[mattjax05]

daveh75:m1rfy:Or just get another sky box installed, Only £10 a month for the extra box. By the time you have bought a decent 5m hdmi cable you will be on you way to 6 - 8 months of the extra box paid for, plus you can watch different channels than in the other room.Plus the cost of the box/installation

I'm against giving Sky anymore money, tbh I can't understand how they can justify their prices anyway - monopoly and taking advantage springs to mind! What happened to the new EPG promises?

No, I want to get the most out of my current equipment and would rather buy a HDMI cable and splitter, they will always be handy to have for the future.

 

[mattjax05]

Just one thing Dave. Does the RF2 carry the 'channel you are watching' in addition to the analogue/digital signal?

 

[daveh75]

yes it will output whatever channel is being watched on the sky box plus analogue/digital signal from an aerial if you have one connected through the sky box

 

[d4v3pum4]

If your sky box has component out, you could get a 5m component cable or alternatively look at extending the signal via cat5. My mate uses a Lindy cat5 extending system with a sender and receiver box to transmit the component signal to a 2nd TV. Alternatively simply split the HDMI signal using a decent splitter. I use a tvcables job (cost £40) and it works perfectly although the first unit broke after a week in my own system (Plasma/Projector). Also have a look at the hdcable.co.uk splitters, they do a few different ones. Another friend has their 4x2 matrix splitter for his LCD/Projector setup and it works well.

 

[mattjax05]

daveh75:yes it will output whatever channel is being watched on the sky box plus analogue/digital signal from an aerial if you have one connected through the sky box

Do you know if you would you notice the difference in picture quality on SD material on a 19" screen between a coaxial and hdmi cable, and does the rf output downscale HD content or will it not display it? Just weighting up the pros and cons on actually running a hdmi cable or not!

 

[mattjax05]

daveh75:

If you dont have an aerial then yes the only reason for the rf cable would be for the magic eye! If you didn't want to go the hassle of running an rf just for a magic eye you could always try an ir remote extender like this but havn't tried one so dont know how well they work!

You shouldn't have any picture quality issues as long as you use good quality hdmi cables and a decent splitter and yes you'll get all the channels on both set's including HD. One thing to remember is though, you'll only be able to watch the same channel on both sets at the same time, not independant channels!

Now that I have established my aerial is not digital is there anyway of getting a freeview signal to my 2nd tv without changing the aerial?

Can you in anyway utilise one of the coaxial cables coming from the sky dish i.e splitting the cable which 'dosen't get used unless recording', looping it through sky and feeding it to to 2nd tv?

 

[mattjax05]

daveh75:

if you loop your terestrial aerial through the sky box it will allow a digital terestrial signal to pass through and allow you to utilise the internal tuner on your second set

Does this work if your aerial is only sending out an analogue signal?

 

[mattjax05]

BUMP