Sky HD and a SCART sender

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Here is the issue - none of the aerial sockets in my flat are hooked up to a central aerial (i.e. no tv reception but for Sky HD box) and I want to put a television in the spare bedroom. Obviously, I can use a scart sender, but the question is --> when I am watching an HD channel (which cannot be sent via scart sender) what (if anything) will be on the second television? Nothing? Or, does the scart socket downgrade the HD material to SD and allow the sender to work?

Alternatively, could I run an aerial cable from the Sky HD box to the television (thus linking the television with the dish) allowing the television to use its own tuner, independent of the Sky Box?

In short, I don't want some ghastly indoor aerial attached to the television!

 

[Gozaradio]

Not actually owning Sky HD, I can't double check this but the box should output all channels (including scaled down HD channels) to any of the SD outputs such as scart, so you could use some form of scart sender to do what you want (some just send a picture, some allow remote control signals to be sent back so you can control the Sky HD box). Picure quality can be variable and as you live in a flat, you may find that you get interference from wireless computer networks (including your own if you have one).

Alternatively, you can use the second RF output on the Sky box and plug that into your second TV which will also give you a reasonable picture via your aerial socket on second TV. You can also get a 'magic eye' unit to send remote control signals back to Sky box. However, you will need a cable from Sky box to bedroom TV for this.

In both cases, you will only be able to watch whatever is on the Sky HD Box at the time so it's no good for one person to watch the footy while the other wants to watch a flick.

Aside from all this, if there is a central aerial and you have aerial sockets in your flat, you should be hooked up to it - assuming you pay some sort of monthly building management fee for your flat then they should sort this out for you if other flats have a connection. If you're renting, then get your landlord onto it.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Much appreciate the help. Didn't realise there could be interferance with the senders v. wireless internet (the latter being a priority for me).

Whilst the block is wired for a roof aerial - there isn't actually one on the roof. So, what I was thinking is to either a) run the RF from SKY HD to the "centre box" of my flat's aerial connections (i.e. where lounge, BR1, BR2 feed into) and use that as the "aerial source" by reversing the wiring; b) do as you suggest a run the RF cable direct to the TV (limited channel selection / doesn't allow TV to BR2); or c) solve the limited channel selection in b) by running the cable directly from the Sky Dish to a Freesat box in the bedroom.

Or, as the g/f would prefer, do none of the above and don't have a television in the BRs!

 

[Gozaradio]

Didn't realise there wasn't an actual aerial on the roof! I still think you should put the management company onto it - do none of the other flats complain about lack of aerial?

As for your other options - If, you have access to where your aerial cabling goes, then option (a) is a good tidy option but not actually any different from (b) - you're still taking the RF output of the sky box to your 2nd TV and you won't be able to watch a different channel from the one chosen on the box. However, you could run the signal to both bedrooms this way, either by simply splitting the signal (if the cable is good enough and the signal strong enough), or you could get a splitter which allows a magic eye to be placed in each bedroom.

If you want to be able to watch different channels in the bedroom and living room at the same time, you will either have to get an aerial fitted, or get a second sat box (freesat or sky) and take another cable from your dish. If an aerial would work from the building loft and you can get access to it, the aerial option might be cheaper as you could watch analogue TV in both bedrooms with no further expenditure and basic freeview boxes can be had for under £20 these days.

As for what your gf says, she has a point; I'm of the same mind - I don't have a TV in the bedroom, it's just for sleeping and... exercise. It's cheaper too