MySky HDi -- RF Modulators

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steve98

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#30369 5-Feb-2009 18:23

Hi GZers

I just called and ordered MySky HDi and chose to go the $600 install way, however I was then told I would need to pay a further $50 for a RF modulator to make my existing second outlet (not multiroom, just an RF feed from the main box) continue to work. I'm not too keen on paying that charge, it seems like a bit of a have. I do have a DVD recorder which I will also be feeding it through, and I'm pretty sure that since *it* has RF out I should be able to just route that to the second outlet instead. Would that work? And would it work even if the DVD Recorder is powered off or on standby, or would it need to be on?

Thanks all

Steve

smarsden

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#194360 5-Feb-2009 21:14

Hi Steve,

First off, a disclaimer - I don't have MySky HDi, so this reply is purely based on a quick bit of research.

Looking at the MySky HDi manual, it would appear that, unfortunately, Sky are indeed correct. The MySky HDi box is lacking both an RF input and (more importantly in this case) an RF output. Therefore, you won't be able to split the signal out, since there isn't one, from the HDi box to another outlet, as you're doing at present.

To get around this you need an RF modulator (like this), which you'd connect via RCA leads to the composite video (yellow) and audio (red+white) sockets on the back of the MySky HDi box, which would then output an RF channel signal, which you could then feed to a second outlet.

The only catch though even with this solution, that I can see, is that since there's no RF input either, then you won't be able to mix the RF (modulated) output with your standard aerial feed without adding in a diplexer to the equation too (which makes it even more complicated!). However, if Sky's supplied $50 RF modulator includes an RF input port, then that solves that problem.

As far as the DVD recorder side of things is concerned, I don't think that will even come into the equation at all, since, again, without the RF output from the HDi box, it won't be connected to the DVD recorder. So your current RF input to your current Sky box, will have to be disconnected and simply fed straight into your DVD recorder - however you then lose the Sky channel signal to the second outlet.

But if you did go down the modulator route, and the signal was mixed properly with your main aerial feed (reliant on the modulator having an RF input), then, in my view I think it should work even with the DVD recorder off, as the signal is already mixed in, and will simply be passed through just like a terrestrial aerial channel.

Sorry I can't quite give you the answer you're hoping for!! Hopefully the above helps though. :-)

Simon.

Edit: I do sympathise with your position though, as I would have the same problem if we ever upgraded to MySky HDi, and it seems like a rather odd ommission to me to exclude the RF input/ouput connections from the box. I can't understand at all why they've done it!

steve98

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#194424 6-Feb-2009 08:40

Hi Simon
Thanks for your reply -- I've been thinking about it some more and I'm pretty certain now that the DVD recorder will perform the same job as the RF modulator --
What I will need to do is connect the MySky HDi box to the DVD recorder via composite or S-Video and leave the DVD recorder switched on permanently. As long as I have the DVD recorder set to be 'viewing' that input, it will output it via the RF-out and the standard terrestrial channels will be carried with it as the DVD recorder has RF-in which my TV aerial is currently going into.
Can anyone see any flaws in my logic? Hope not! Actually I will give it a go this morning with my existing Sky box.
Thanks all again
Steve

smarsden

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#194430 6-Feb-2009 09:29

Actually, thinking a bit more about this too, I think your suggestion should work. If you go back to basics, and think of the days when a TV only had an RF input, then any composite signals input to the VCR/DVD recorder, must be output via a channel on the RF feed. As you point out though, the only catch is that you have to make sure that your DVD recorder is always on, and viewing that input. This might cause problems if you ever want to record something on the DVD recorder though, as it will have to change to a normal terrestrial input, so I think you then won't be able to watch Sky on the 2nd TV. (However, not having a DVD recorder I'm not totally sure whether they operate in quite the same way as a VCR!).

I'd be interested to know what you find in your tests!

Brunzy

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#194431 6-Feb-2009 09:39

steve98: Hi Simon
Thanks for your reply -- I've been thinking about it some more and I'm pretty certain now that the DVD recorder will perform the same job as the RF modulator --
What I will need to do is connect the MySky HDi box to the DVD recorder via composite or S-Video and leave the DVD recorder switched on permanently. As long as I have the DVD recorder set to be 'viewing' that input, it will output it via the RF-out and the standard terrestrial channels will be carried with it as the DVD recorder has RF-in which my TV aerial is currently going into.
Can anyone see any flaws in my logic? Hope not! Actually I will give it a go this morning with my existing Sky box.
Thanks all again
Steve

DVD recorders,tend not to have modulators,they are only a pass through.
I fthat is the case then,no,it wont work.
Now if you have an old VCR,that would do the job.

steve98

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#194474 6-Feb-2009 15:05

Bugger - Brunzy is right. Tried it out but the RF in and out do seem to be just pass-through. I do have a VCR but I put it away a couple of years ago and I really don't want to put it out again.

I am going to email Sky and have a bit of a moan -- the way I see it I paid them for a second outlet and if their new hardware 'breaks' that and requires a work-around then that should be their cost to carry. Seems to me they didn't get their requirements through to the manufacturer of the box correctly.

sbiddle

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#194477 6-Feb-2009 15:33

steve98: Seems to me they didn't get their requirements through to the manufacturer of the box correctly.

It's not so much that Sky didn't specify requirements - it's that RF based distribution is a very dated method of distributing video. For anybody who's concerned about picture quality and has a large screen TV's it's not something that most people would really consider due to the poor quality.

Sky were apparently using the modulators that Jaycar were selling and charging around $50 from memory for them.

steve98

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#194488 6-Feb-2009 16:34

sbiddle:
steve98: Seems to me they didn't get their requirements through to the manufacturer of the box correctly.

It's not so much that Sky didn't specify requirements - it's that RF based distribution is a very dated method of distributing video. For anybody who's concerned about picture quality and has a large screen TV's it's not something that most people would really consider due to the poor quality.

I'm not suggesting that RF is a high quality connection -- I'm not planning on hooking up my main display with it, as I said this is for the second outlet (in a bedroom). This is something that Sky have been offering for a long time and would have installed in a huge amount of homes. I still maintain that if they had thought about this properly they would have got pace to put RF-out onboard, I'm sure they'd rather not be dealing with RF modulators and that technology is not going to be rendered obselete by anything else anytime soon.

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sbiddle

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#194499 6-Feb-2009 17:45

A large majority of new STB's don't have RF, simply because it isn't used. It simply wouldn't make sence for Sky to get their STB (which really is just an off the shelf model) customised (which would cost big $$) just for them with a feature that most people wouldn't use.

Try hitting them up for a modulator - did they install Sky to the 2nd room initially using the RF out?