I am looking to run freeview or freesat. All things being equal (box and wiring), which technology is likely to produce the best pictures in standard def i.e. digital roof aerial or a sat dish? Also, is freeview likely to transmit HD content in the near futre? If so, will it potentially be as good as satellite. I have been quoted £90 fo fit either system and to run it along side Sky. I'd rather do this to satisfy everyone in the house rather than pay sky for multiroom! Anyone currently running both systems??
-
When should you upgrade your hi-fi? How to control ‘upgradeitis’
Freeview or Freesat.
- Thread starter Dan.m
- Start date
kena
Well-known member
If you already have Sky and it has a 4 way LNB ,i.e. 2 free sockets you just need to run another cable and Freesat box.
To summarise my set up: Dish outside the house with 2 feeds travelling through the house into my sky+box. A return from the sky + box going up the wall and into the attic and connected to a 6 way digital amplifier. From the amp there are single runs of cable going to each each room in the house (ending with an RF face plate at present).
I also have a terrestrial rooftop aerial going into the amp in the attic - from here the signal travels around the house. This means i currently get terrestrial and sky (even though its the same picture in each room) in each room. Each room has an 'eye' to switch channels. However, I am losing terrestrial august 09 leaving me with just sky. This means in my main living room i will have one spare run of cable (RG6 - digital quality) currently used for my roof top aerial. I am deciding what do with it - Freeview or freesat. I slo have single runs of RG6 cable in all other rooms terminating in an RF plate.
I do have two spare ports on my LNB which i could run freesat off. However, if were to buy a sky HD box at a latter date, I would have a spare sky+ box.
1) could i run this box in another room from the same dish and be able to watch different sky programmes without paying for multiroom.
2) If i were to opt for freesat, could i
a) 'input' this straight through my amp in the attic and then on to the rest of my house (providing of course those rooms have a freesat reciever)
or
b) would i have to send the feed from the dish to a freesat box with a return going back to my amp and then on to the rest of my house. I believe this option would work if i do not have freesat receivers in other rooms i.e. like my current sky set up
Am i correct with 2a and 2b.
Im just trying to maximise flexibility for the punters in the house - wife, kids and I. Who knows i might run all three systems - there goes the family structure then! Could i be pulled up by social services for running all three!
I also have a terrestrial rooftop aerial going into the amp in the attic - from here the signal travels around the house. This means i currently get terrestrial and sky (even though its the same picture in each room) in each room. Each room has an 'eye' to switch channels. However, I am losing terrestrial august 09 leaving me with just sky. This means in my main living room i will have one spare run of cable (RG6 - digital quality) currently used for my roof top aerial. I am deciding what do with it - Freeview or freesat. I slo have single runs of RG6 cable in all other rooms terminating in an RF plate.
I do have two spare ports on my LNB which i could run freesat off. However, if were to buy a sky HD box at a latter date, I would have a spare sky+ box.
1) could i run this box in another room from the same dish and be able to watch different sky programmes without paying for multiroom.
2) If i were to opt for freesat, could i
a) 'input' this straight through my amp in the attic and then on to the rest of my house (providing of course those rooms have a freesat reciever)
or
b) would i have to send the feed from the dish to a freesat box with a return going back to my amp and then on to the rest of my house. I believe this option would work if i do not have freesat receivers in other rooms i.e. like my current sky set up
Am i correct with 2a and 2b.
Im just trying to maximise flexibility for the punters in the house - wife, kids and I. Who knows i might run all three systems - there goes the family structure then! Could i be pulled up by social services for running all three!
daveh75
Well-known member
Dan.m:
To summarise my set up: Dish outside the house with 2 feeds travelling through the house into my sky+box. A return from the sky + box going up the wall and into the attic and connected to a 6 way digital amplifier. From the amp there are single runs of cable going to each each room in the house (ending with an RF face plate at present).
I also have a terrestrial rooftop aerial going into the amp in the attic - from here the signal travels around the house. This means i currently get terrestrial and sky (even though its the same picture in each room) in each room. Each room has an 'eye' to switch channels. However, I am losing terrestrial august 09 leaving me with just sky. This means in my main living room i will have one spare run of cable (RG6 - digital quality) currently used for my roof top aerial. I am deciding what do with it - Freeview or freesat. I slo have single runs of RG6 cable in all other rooms terminating in an RF plate.
I do have two spare ports on my LNB which i could run freesat off. However, if were to buy a sky HD box at a latter date, I would have a spare sky+ box.
1) could i run this box in another room from the same dish and be able to watch different sky programmes without paying for multiroom.
2) If i were to opt for freesat, could i
a) 'input' this straight through my amp in the attic and then on to the rest of my house (providing of course those rooms have a freesat reciever)
or
b) would i have to send the feed from the dish to a freesat box with a return going back to my amp and then on to the rest of my house. I believe this option would work if i do not have freesat receivers in other rooms i.e. like my current sky set up
Am i correct with 2a and 2b.
Im just trying to maximise flexibility for the punters in the house - wife, kids and I. Who knows i might run all three systems - there goes the family structure then! Could i be pulled up by social services for running all three!
In answer to your qeustions!
1)Yes you would be able to run from the same dish, and you would be able to watch different channels.However,without multi-room subscription all you would get would be the fta channels and the record function doesn't work without subscription either!
2)
a. no you wouldn't be able input the satellite feed straight into your current amp to distribute round your house to connect to other freesat boxes. There are ways you could do this but it requires specialist equipment!
b.no, as freesat boxes dont have rf outputs(like sky boxes) to be able to send a feed back up into your amp!
To summarise my set up: Dish outside the house with 2 feeds travelling through the house into my sky+box. A return from the sky + box going up the wall and into the attic and connected to a 6 way digital amplifier. From the amp there are single runs of cable going to each each room in the house (ending with an RF face plate at present).
I also have a terrestrial rooftop aerial going into the amp in the attic - from here the signal travels around the house. This means i currently get terrestrial and sky (even though its the same picture in each room) in each room. Each room has an 'eye' to switch channels. However, I am losing terrestrial august 09 leaving me with just sky. This means in my main living room i will have one spare run of cable (RG6 - digital quality) currently used for my roof top aerial. I am deciding what do with it - Freeview or freesat. I slo have single runs of RG6 cable in all other rooms terminating in an RF plate.
I do have two spare ports on my LNB which i could run freesat off. However, if were to buy a sky HD box at a latter date, I would have a spare sky+ box.
1) could i run this box in another room from the same dish and be able to watch different sky programmes without paying for multiroom.
2) If i were to opt for freesat, could i
a) 'input' this straight through my amp in the attic and then on to the rest of my house (providing of course those rooms have a freesat reciever)
or
b) would i have to send the feed from the dish to a freesat box with a return going back to my amp and then on to the rest of my house. I believe this option would work if i do not have freesat receivers in other rooms i.e. like my current sky set up
Am i correct with 2a and 2b.
Im just trying to maximise flexibility for the punters in the house - wife, kids and I. Who knows i might run all three systems - there goes the family structure then! Could i be pulled up by social services for running all three!
In answer to your qeustions!
1)Yes you would be able to run from the same dish, and you would be able to watch different channels.However,without multi-room subscription all you would get would be the fta channels and the record function doesn't work without subscription either!
2)
a. no you wouldn't be able input the satellite feed straight into your current amp to distribute round your house to connect to other freesat boxes. There are ways you could do this but it requires specialist equipment!
b.no, as freesat boxes dont have rf outputs(like sky boxes) to be able to send a feed back up into your amp!
Dave
1) i dont mind not being able to record in my second room but will pause live TV work - or is this subscription also.
2a) What specialist equipment would that be?!
2b) If freesat has no RF out (including the humax recordable) am i right in saying to get maximum coverage around the house freeview is better i.e. rooftop aerial into amp which then distributes signal around house
1) i dont mind not being able to record in my second room but will pause live TV work - or is this subscription also.
2a) What specialist equipment would that be?!
2b) If freesat has no RF out (including the humax recordable) am i right in saying to get maximum coverage around the house freeview is better i.e. rooftop aerial into amp which then distributes signal around house
daveh75
Well-known member
1) no pause doesn't work either without subscription.
2a) a quattro lnb(not the same as a quad lnb) a multi-switch, and depending how many feeds you require, possibly a satellite distribution amp which is the sort of kit they use for communal systems in flats etc.
2b) (The Humax HDR doesn't have rf out)
Yeah, assuming you get good freeview reception, would be the easiest option as you could leave your distribution system set up as is, and add freeview boxes so you can watch different channels in each room or connect a single box and use the return feed as you were with the sky and watch the same channel on each set,
2a) a quattro lnb(not the same as a quad lnb) a multi-switch, and depending how many feeds you require, possibly a satellite distribution amp which is the sort of kit they use for communal systems in flats etc.
2b) (The Humax HDR doesn't have rf out)
Yeah, assuming you get good freeview reception, would be the easiest option as you could leave your distribution system set up as is, and add freeview boxes so you can watch different channels in each room or connect a single box and use the return feed as you were with the sky and watch the same channel on each set,
Thanks dave,
1) why doesn't freesat have RF out, when their main competitor (sky) for HD does?
2) does this mean to get freesat around the house you need a run of cable from the dish to each required room. And if you want the 'sky+ function' on freesat you would need two runs.
3) Why can a freeview aerial input the amp and then travel around the house where as a satellite signal needs to go to the box first and then return to the amp before travelling around the house?
4) Am i stuck with RF plates in my other rooms. Is it worth changing to some find of digital connection on the face plate, but there again i assume you i can only connect to my secondary TV's around the house via RF or is this likely to change in the digital age
1) why doesn't freesat have RF out, when their main competitor (sky) for HD does?
2) does this mean to get freesat around the house you need a run of cable from the dish to each required room. And if you want the 'sky+ function' on freesat you would need two runs.
3) Why can a freeview aerial input the amp and then travel around the house where as a satellite signal needs to go to the box first and then return to the amp before travelling around the house?
4) Am i stuck with RF plates in my other rooms. Is it worth changing to some find of digital connection on the face plate, but there again i assume you i can only connect to my secondary TV's around the house via RF or is this likely to change in the digital age
Andy Clough:HD content will be available on Freeview later this year, but only in the Granada region.
So that'll be Corrie in HD, then...
So that'll be Corrie in HD, then...
daveh75
Well-known member
Dan.m:
Thanks dave,
1) why doesn't freesat have RF out, when their main competitor (sky) for HD does?
2) does this mean to get freesat around the house you need a run of cable from the dish to each required room. And if you want the 'sky+ function' on freesat you would need two runs.
3) Why can a freeview aerial input the amp and then travel around the house where as a satellite signal needs to go to the box first and then return to the amp before travelling around the house?
4) Am i stuck with RF plates in my other rooms. Is it worth changing to some find of digital connection on the face plate, but there again i assume you i can only connect to my secondary TV's around the house via RF or is this likely to change in the digital age
1) I dont know, guess the manufacturer's didn't think it worthwhile.
2) yeah pretty much, if you want full record functionality then yes two cables are needed although the humax hdr will work with limited functionality with one cable.
3) Because a satellite signal needs to be decoded/ converted by a stb into usable signal first
4)well i'd leave them as they are if your gonna continue using an aerial after digital switchover. But if you were to go downthe freesat route there's no reason you couldn't change the faceplates for satellite ones and use the existing cabling..
Thanks dave,
1) why doesn't freesat have RF out, when their main competitor (sky) for HD does?
2) does this mean to get freesat around the house you need a run of cable from the dish to each required room. And if you want the 'sky+ function' on freesat you would need two runs.
3) Why can a freeview aerial input the amp and then travel around the house where as a satellite signal needs to go to the box first and then return to the amp before travelling around the house?
4) Am i stuck with RF plates in my other rooms. Is it worth changing to some find of digital connection on the face plate, but there again i assume you i can only connect to my secondary TV's around the house via RF or is this likely to change in the digital age
1) I dont know, guess the manufacturer's didn't think it worthwhile.
2) yeah pretty much, if you want full record functionality then yes two cables are needed although the humax hdr will work with limited functionality with one cable.
3) Because a satellite signal needs to be decoded/ converted by a stb into usable signal first
4)well i'd leave them as they are if your gonna continue using an aerial after digital switchover. But if you were to go downthe freesat route there's no reason you couldn't change the faceplates for satellite ones and use the existing cabling..
Andrew Everard:
Andy Clough:HD content will be available on Freeview later this year, but only in the Granada region.
So that'll be Corrie in HD, then...
Isn't it horrible enough as it is?
Imagine some of those wrinky old faces in HD. Be like inviting a nursing home into your lounge!
Dirt, grime and depression in HD.
Andy Clough:HD content will be available on Freeview later this year, but only in the Granada region.
So that'll be Corrie in HD, then...
Isn't it horrible enough as it is?
Imagine some of those wrinky old faces in HD. Be like inviting a nursing home into your lounge!
Dirt, grime and depression in HD.
SERIOUS NOW....lol
Im getting my humax pvr on monday (at last)
1.Does it matter which way around the cables connect to the back of humax ?
2.Is it possible as an experiment to leave my sky plus box connected with one cable and the humax with the other just to compare picture quality?
3.Is there anything else i need to have apart from a sky dish, the existing sky cable to have the humax working correctly any tweeking ?
Im getting my humax pvr on monday (at last)
1.Does it matter which way around the cables connect to the back of humax ?
2.Is it possible as an experiment to leave my sky plus box connected with one cable and the humax with the other just to compare picture quality?
3.Is there anything else i need to have apart from a sky dish, the existing sky cable to have the humax working correctly any tweeking ?
daveh75
Well-known member
1) No doesn't matter which feed goes to either lnb input
2) Yes you can run both boxes off one cable if you want to compare pq on them, although the sky box may start spitting "no sat signal" messages at you after a while, some sky+/HD boxes get a bit narky about being fed from one cable!
3) The only thing i would say is make sure you connect both feeds when you set up the Humax, as it may need to do an update to accept your postcode on set up, and it cant do updates from a single cable,Might also be worth fiddling with it's resolution settings, as i found my tv is a better scaler than the hummy, other than that you shouldn't need to do any tweeking.
2) Yes you can run both boxes off one cable if you want to compare pq on them, although the sky box may start spitting "no sat signal" messages at you after a while, some sky+/HD boxes get a bit narky about being fed from one cable!
3) The only thing i would say is make sure you connect both feeds when you set up the Humax, as it may need to do an update to accept your postcode on set up, and it cant do updates from a single cable,Might also be worth fiddling with it's resolution settings, as i found my tv is a better scaler than the hummy, other than that you shouldn't need to do any tweeking.
If you set the Humax up with only 1 feed to test it thats fine but be aware you'll need to reset the box and set it up again when you add the 2nd feed as it won't function properly if you don't as the box remembers how many feeds were connected when it was set up and adjusts itself to match.
Well i didn't need to compare it,it was obvious when i turned it on, the picture on the HUMAX is far better than sky, amazed and thats just SD channels, just a lack of channels and no sport ! i thought that eurosport was a freeview channel ? But im well pleased even the wife thought it was better plus she sacrificed loads of her programs, i never told her the bad news until i got it set up, grrreat!
It's not fair to say there's no sport. BBC has a sport multiscreen service 24/7 via the red button. This is quite limited outside of big events like the Olympics, Wimbledon etc., but you get good coverage of things like Snooker and Darts during tournaments.
Didnt mean to be unfair Denp, i didnt really know about BBC multiscreen, ive only had the HUMAX since yesterday, Thanks for the info.
Similar threads
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
-
Something is not right and I’m hoping a forum member will help me
- Started by Fuel4life1234
- Replies: 7
-
-
-
-
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram