Home suggestions - need guidance tbh!

Butters

Butters

Butters

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22 Apr 2007
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Ripping out the inside of the house and having it rebuilt.

So far I am plumming for Sky Multiroom with the full 4LNB (4 boxes is the max of the one dish).

42" LCD Sharp in the lounge (its above the gas fire so plasma is a no no).
50" LG 100Hz in the cinema/relax room upstairs
32" Samsung in the master bedroom
2 x 26" Samsungs (kitchen and guest room).

Now. I've run all the cabling but I would like to know the best way to connect sky to a Media Centre so I can get it to record, etc.

I am only making one media centre which will be in the relax/cinema room.

In what way could I access the music, recorded programs and movies on the screen downstairs?

Thanks
 
Personally would run at least 2 Sky feeds to each point. You can run far more than 4 outputs off of a single dish.

I cannot recall a Video Input card with anything better than SVideo so would use that to record from Sky.

DVB-S PCI cards, last time I was playing with them (over a year ago now) nothing worked well with Sky and NDIS.
 
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Ahh yes, you can run multiple points but only decode 4 from one dish (so a different channel in 4 rooms). Otherwise you have to show the same thing across all the rooms.

Can you tell me why you'd run at least 2?

Also, are you saying just run Sky through a normal analogue card via S Video?
 
Butters said:
Ahh yes, you can run multiple points but only decode 4 from one dish (so a different channel in 4 rooms). Otherwise you have to show the same thing across all the rooms.
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No, you can decode many more from one dish. Get a quattro LNB and a multi switch. I would probably get a 5 input 12output for your scenario. This would also distribute your aerial feed.

Butters said:
Can you tell me why you'd run at least 2?
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Incase you ever wanted Sky HD or +.

Butters said:
Also, are you saying just run Sky through a normal analogue card via S Video?
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Yes. Personally I would use Sky HD boxes to record instead of bother with a HTPC for recording off of satellite. Sky + or HD just works so well.

You could connect the Sky HD HDMI output to one TV and run the component and audio out's to a second TV.
 
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ok, thanks Tesla. Here is some more info.

Sky box in the lounge, sky box in the relax/cinema room, sky box in the master bedroom and one sjy box to cover the guest bedroom and lounge (so what ever channel is set in the guest lounge shows in the guest room) if that makes sense.

Is the 5 in 12 out still OK?

What multiswitch would you recommend?

You say run two in case we ever wanted HD or +. But wouldn't I just remove the current box and replace it with the +/HD one?

TIA
 
Butters said:
ok, thanks Tesla. Here is some more info.

Sky box in the lounge, sky box in the relax/cinema room, sky box in the master bedroom and one sjy box to cover the guest bedroom and lounge (so what ever channel is set in the guest lounge shows in the guest room) if that makes sense.

Is the 5 in 12 out still OK?

What multiswitch would you recommend?

You say run two in case we ever wanted HD or +. But wouldn't I just remove the current box and replace it with the +/HD one?

TIA
Click to expand...

SkyHD and Sky+ boxes need 2 feeds - one for each tuner. They'll work from one feed, but you'll lose the ability to record one channel whilst recording another - the whole point of the boxes.
 
ah haa! Of course. Thanks

Ok, So I'm about to call sky tomorrow to get some info. What am I asking for? Quattro LNB and then get a multiswitch. Can they provide this?
 
DONT get Sky to install this if you want it done neatly and properly. They would use an Octo LNB which imo are not good. 8 cables coming off of one mini dish is just a mess and no way to do it tidily.

Go to a decent independant, where are you based I may be able to recommend someone.
 
I'm down south. Wiring is not really an issue for me, its just knowing the best route to take and going from there.

Feel free to recommend though, its always good to get ideas from others.

One last question. In the current house we have two normal sky boxes. I was thinking about cancelling my contract with Sky and setting it up again at the new address and taking these boxes with me and use one in the master bedroom and one in the guest room/lounge.

In which case, I assume I could still use a multi switch and have 6 outputs from it 2 for the lounge, 2 for the relax room, 1 for the master bedroom and 1 for the guest room / lounge.

questions are: Is this viable? and what about the sky box "phone home" situation?

Thanks
 
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If you have Sky multiroom then all boxes must stay hooked up to the phone line 24/7.
 
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