SKY distribution unit

DJEPSON

New member
Jul 29, 2009
73
0
0
Visit site
I have just moved into a new house and during renovations, have had Cat 6 cabling run to all rooms and new twin coax run to all rooms (it previously had single coax going to the rooms). Can anyone help on the following :

1) I now need a satelite signal distributor in the loft to carry the feeds - can anyone recommend a good one ? what do i need to look for when I purchase one ?

2) In the lounge I am putting in a TV/FM/Satellite 1/Satellite 2 quadplexer 2 in /4 out fixing plate along with an RJ45 point, in the other rooms will I get away with a EuroFix plate with a satellite and RJ45 module ?

3) I will be upgrading to Sky Q later this year, do I need to worry about running any other cabling before I start getting redecoration works done ?

4) I have also noticed that the phone points don't have the usual 4 strand wiring running to them there is 8, could this be Cat 5 ? Can I do anything with these besides using them as phone points ?

Many thanks in advance
 

jjbomber

Well-known member
DJEPSON said:
3) I will be upgrading to Sky Q later this year, do I need to worry about running any other cabling before I start getting redecoration works done ?

No, because the box won't work after a week anyway. Seriously, this forum and others are full of people having problems with Sky Q boxes. Best to wait and see.
 

daveh75

Well-known member
I can make some recommendations, but a couple of questions

You say you're going to upgrade to Sky Q later in the year is this going to be an wholesale change?

Or do you intend to run Sky Q and 'legacy' sat boxes alongside each other?

Because the Full Band Capture systems like Sky Q uses and legacy systems aren't compatible with one and other. Sky have a solutions for converting legacy systems to support both, but they aren't commercialy available outside of Sky and it's IRS installation partners as far as I'm aware.

So if it's the former, you're going to be spending money on a system that will be largely redundant when you upgrade to Sky Q.

Also, if you do decide to go ahead anyway, how many satellite feeds would you require so I can recommend a suitable multiswitch?
 

DJEPSON

New member
Jul 29, 2009
73
0
0
Visit site
If I change it will be a wholesale change, SKY+ will go and SKY Q will take over, I will need feeds to 3 bedrooms and the kitchen, plus a couple of extras in case I want to run other rooms in the future.

I did all the cable runs, becuase if we ever move out I want to make sure that the house was future proofed as possible.

Many thanks
 

daveh75

Well-known member
DJEPSON said:
Can anyone help on the following :

1) I now need a satelite signal distributor in the loft to carry the feeds - can anyone recommend a good one ? what do i need to look for when I purchase one ?

OK, for your use there's two types of Multiswitch to be aware of;

Those that are only compatible with Quattro LNBs, and those that work with both Quattro and 'Standard' (e.g Quads or four outputs from an Octo) LNBs.

In case you're not aware, satellite signals are both horizontally and vertically polarised and operate in low and high bands, effectively giving you four 'sub-bands' or 'modes' i.e Horizontal Low, Horizontal High, Vertical Low and Vertical High.

LNBs (FBC LNBs as used by Sky Q excepted) are only able to output one of the four 'sub-bands' per output at any given time.

A Quattro LNBs outputs are fixed i.e one port will only output Horizontal Low, another will only output Horizontal High and so on.

Conversely a 'Standard' LNB can output any one of the four sub-bands on any port at any given time. Achieved by voltage switching and using 22KHz tones.

In your situation I would choose a Multiswitch that supports both types of LNB.

With that in mind i'd look at the EMP-Centauri Profi Clas Range.

They come in a number of configurations with multiple inputs and outputs, you need a 5 input one (four feeds for the four sub-bands, and one for the combined TV/FM/DAB feed) and however many outputs you need.

2) In the lounge I am putting in a TV/FM/Satellite 1/Satellite 2 quadplexer 2 in /4 out fixing plate along with an RJ45 point, in the other rooms will I get away with a EuroFix plate with a satellite and RJ45 module ?

Yes.

3) I will be upgrading to Sky Q later this year, do I need to worry about running any other cabling before I start getting redecoration works done ?

Given you're desire for future proofing and incompatibility of the two systems, I would run two extra coax feeds dedicated to Sky Q to whatever room you intend placing the Sky Q Silver box in when you upgrade in the future.

It will make upgrading to Sky Q easier too.

As Sky can provide an Hybrid LNB that has two FBC outputs for Sky Q and four for 'legacy' systems.

So all the installer would need do when you upgrade is swap the existing LNB for an Hybrid and connect the two dedicated feeds to the FBC ports and the four 'legacy' ports to the feeds going to the Multiswitch.

4) I have also noticed that the phone points don't have the usual 4 strand wiring running to them there is 8, could this be Cat 5 ? Can I do anything with these besides using them as phone points ?

Many thanks in advance

You can get 4 pair telco, it could be cat5/6 though. Does it not have any markings on it?

Sorry if that's all rather long winded and hope it makes sense...
 

daveh75

Well-known member
Chrome on Android. Though I think they were having server issues.

First time I got a server unavailable or busy message when I hit save, second time it just timed out and then returned me to a blank post.

Thankfully I'd copied the text the second time before hitting save..
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts