Sky via RF input to plasma screen?

[admin_exported]

Hi

I'm thinking of getting a new plasma and the room it will go in will not have the Sky+ box in as that is in another room so I'll have to connect it via the wall-plate that is fed via the powered distribution box in the loft. This will mean relying on a RF connection using coax cable to get Sky into the plasma.

Just wondering if this is a big issue? I've been told that I really should try and get the box itself physically connected to the plasma so that I can use a Scart connection at least but this will be impractical for now.

Is it something to worry about or more a case of 'this is what you should do' where the difference will be hard to see?

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

RF is just about as bad as can be in terms of signal quality, and a 50" panel will really show this up, and probably still the case you won't get stereo sound.

You can get wireless transmitter/reciever kits but cheap ones will only give you composite video so still not ideal, you're probably looking at a couple of hundred or more for something that'll handle component. A long HDMI lead or second sky box would be the desirable solution.

Whats are you using now, another large panel connected directly? If so, try it via RF for yourself and compare...

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

At the moment the Sky+ box is connected to a 36" Philips CRT via a Scart lead. The CRT is our only TV at present hence why the box is in that room and all the other rooms have wall-plates connected to the distribution box to supply analog; Sky and Freeview to each room.

Cheers

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

Can you not place the Sky+ in the same room and redistribute via the wall plate? Not sure how you're set up so don't shoot me down if this ain't possible. Might mean changing wall plates or swapping them over?

Alternatively swap TV's around? Presume your room is where the plasma is going? £10/month plus installation would fund a 2nd Sky+ box...

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

If I placed the Sky+ box in the same room as the plasma then I think (not sure yet) that I would need to get some additional cabling done (the return cable from the box for one). This wouldn't be the end of the world but I don't want to spend the money unncessarily if the picture using the wall-plate to the plasma will be ok.

can't swop TVs from one room to the other as the CRT is in what is meant to be the kids room.

I get that the picture using coax from a wall-plate to the plasma won't be optimal but how bad is it likely to be? Not really sure how it can be described.

Cheers

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

Best bet before trying to shift anything would be to sit the plasma in the kids room with the Sky+ and view the picture (connected via scart). Then take it into the other room and hook it up using the coax and see what difference there is and if you can live with any apparent degradation of the signal.

If you can live with it, no need to move anything. If you can't you need to tailor the available options to suit you best. Most of the cabling will already be there as you should be able to pull the feed to the kids room back through the wall if trunking is there. Then feed it down the walls to the main room and change over faceplates? Again this may only work if length of cables are same although the cost of cabling would be the least expensive part.

You are leaving control of the Sky to the kids and you are making do with freeview? Very generous parent.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah that probably makes sense - to try it out and see if its something that is enough of a difference to warrant changing things around.

I guess one thing that confuses me is that the dish and the initial feed to the box are all made by coax cable (and then the box is connected via Scart) so why would the signal degrade so much (even if its theoretical) when you run it out via coax to another outlet? Is it because of the decoder and its place in the chain?

Not an expert on this by any means (as you can tell)!

As for the kids having control of Sky - well during the day they do rule the TV!

Cheers

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

My tuppence worth -

From the dish to the decoder is a strong signal (usually) - from the decoder the shortest and best path to follow (in your case) is via the scart socket which will give optimum picture quality. The RF output is the weakest way to transfer the signal from the decoder. You are going to place a large TV at the end of that chain and as 'unconditional' states above, you really don't want to do that. The picture will be blown up to whatever screen size you buy and will show up the limits of the current TV system we have in the UK (625 lines). Your TV will probably have a minimum of 720 or 768 and may have as many as 1080.

I also think that SKY coax is different to ordinary aerial stuff and may be more resistant to interference and signal degradation but I aint no expert on this either.

Hope that puts it across correctly - my head is still trying to focus this morning and someone else may have a better way to put it!

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.