Sky Multiroom - how does it work

Forums › Home Theatre (incl HTPC) › Sky Multiroom - how does it work

mailmarshall

243 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 4

Topic # 23955 11-Jul-2008 18:00

Hi sorry for the silly question but does sky multiroom need 2 Satellite dishes?? I already have Sky digital which is being upgraded to MySky HD at teh end of July but the Sky CSR also managed to convience me to get sky for another room.

Does the installer run a cable from the main sky decoder (which will be the MySky HD ) box to the secondary box in the bedroom?

Thanks

James Bond

876 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

Subscriber

Reply # 146947 11-Jul-2008 18:52

mailmarshall: Hi sorry for the silly question but does sky multiroom need 2 Satellite dishes?? I already have Sky digital which is being upgraded to MySky HD at teh end of July but the Sky CSR also managed to convience me to get sky for another room.

Does the installer run a cable from the main sky decoder (which will be the MySky HD ) box to the secondary box in the bedroom?

Thanks

No. The technician runs a secondary cable from the satellite dish to where you want the second decoder placed.

cyril7

6312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 293

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 146953 11-Jul-2008 19:17

Hi, as 007 says the feed from the dish is simply split to feed as many boxs as desired, if more than 4 or 5 boxs then an amplifier may be needed, but only one dish is used. A single dish in theory (practice actually) could feed hundreds of STB.s

Cyril

wazzab

84 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

Reply # 147676 14-Jul-2008 10:14

With regards to this setup. I have Sky Digital, with Addtional Room (using the RF output from the lounge STB to the bedroom). I am upgrading to SkyHD and getting the 4 months free multy room using my exisitng Sky Digital decoder for the bedroom.

My questions is - do the sky instllaers (who can be extremely rough) have to run another complete cable run from the dish down to the secondary Multiroom STB location. Or can the use a splitter of some description at the existing Sky Digital Location, and then use exisiting cable run from that location to the bedroom

cyril7

6312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 293

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 147680 14-Jul-2008 10:24

Assuming the cable from the current STB to the bedroom is RG6 (and preferably Sky approved duobond) and in one piece (ie not got several joins in it) then there is no reason why they would not just split behind the HDi and send a feed to the other/extra STB.

Cyril

wazzab

84 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

Reply # 147681 14-Jul-2008 10:39

Thanks cyril. Yes we only had Sky installed a year ago. We did two clean runs of new RG6 Sky approved cable - one from roof to STB, and one from STB to bedroom. So we should be able to re-use these. Some installers a rather rough - huge drill bit straight thru the side of the house with a bit of silicon if you are lucky. At the install I asked him to leave me 15 meters and come back after his next job - which he did. I ran it all nicely from the STB to the bedroom, with minimal damage and cable-tied up nicely under the house. He popped back and put the connectors on the end. Nicer setup that the way he was going to do it.

cyril7

6312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 293

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 147685 14-Jul-2008 10:43

Hi, well should all be plug and pray.

Cheers

mailmarshall

243 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 4

Reply # 147728 14-Jul-2008 13:23

Hmm thanks for the responses.

I was actually hoping that the installer would take a completely new wire from the Satellite, around the house and to the bedroom.

Splitting at the HDi end and running the cable inside the house will be a damn pain as I have no roof cavity. Wonder if I can get installer to run the cable on the outside of the hosue rather than inside.

Past experiences have taught me the installers tend to be a bit rough, but then their services are actually subsidised..

richgamer

224 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 147733 14-Jul-2008 13:31

it'd be interesting to see if they can run the cable outside the house rather than inside. you should post here on the outcome of this.

mailmarshall: Hmm thanks for the responses.

I was actually hoping that the installer would take a completely new wire from the Satellite, around the house and to the bedroom.

Splitting at the HDi end and running the cable inside the house will be a damn pain as I have no roof cavity. Wonder if I can get installer to run the cable on the outside of the hosue rather than inside.

Past experiences have taught me the installers tend to be a bit rough, but then their services are actually subsidised..

motogpnz

112 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 147759 14-Jul-2008 13:53

mailmarshall: Hmm thanks for the responses.

I was actually hoping that the installer would take a completely new wire from the Satellite, around the house and to the bedroom.

Splitting at the HDi end and running the cable inside the house will be a damn pain as I have no roof cavity. Wonder if I can get installer to run the cable on the outside of the hosue rather than inside.

Past experiences have taught me the installers tend to be a bit rough, but then their services are actually subsidised..

What cabling do you currently have to your bedroom? If there's a TV aerial cable that you don't require (either from an external aerial close to the satellite dish or from your existing Sky box to your bedroom TV) then this can be used to carry the satellite signal instead. Otherwise you'll need a new cable into the bedroom. The installer can fit a splitter anywhere along the existing cable between the dish and your current Sky box.

cyril7

6312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 293

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 147768 14-Jul-2008 14:04

I was actually hoping that the installer would take a completely new wire from the Satellite, around the house and to the bedroom

Exactly how the installer (I refuse to call them techs its an insult to qualified guys as opposed to folk dragged in off the street and given a 2hr run down on installing dishs and boxs), runs the cable will most likely be the path of least resistance (ie time/effort). If you are insistant on a split at the dish and it seems a straight forward job, I am sure he will do it that way, from a technical standpoint it makes no diff.

Cyril

stuzzo

534 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 5

Reply # 147775 14-Jul-2008 14:17

Exactly how the installer (I refuse to call them techs its an insult to qualified guys as opposed to folk dragged in off the street and given a 2hr run down on installing dishs and boxs), runs the cable will most likely be the path of least resistance (ie time/effort). If you are insistant on a split at the dish and it seems a straight forward job, I am sure he will do it that way, from a technical standpoint it makes no diff.

Cyril

Ah come on...we could at least call them Media Access Facilitators!

cyril7

6312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 293

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 147779 14-Jul-2008 14:25

I should make it clear that there are some good installers who are also technicians, well qualified and experienced, however the majority are not.

Cyril

wazzab

84 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

Reply # 148176 15-Jul-2008 16:43

On a slight variation of this setup. If I have a splitter feeding the new HDi box and also my 4 months free Multi-room Sky Digital, when I cancel multi-room after 4 months, can I use the existing cable runs to put in Freeview STB where my Multiroom Sky Digital STB was.

cyril7

6312 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 293

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 148184 15-Jul-2008 16:50

Yes most certainly, there are no issues with this. Skys T&C say that you may not tamper with their equipment, this includes the wiring, however with the advent of FreeView DTH (Sat) Sky have publicly stated that they have no issue with home owners or FreeView installers splitting a feed from their dish (or using a existing split feed). However if in doing so the home owner or installer causes the sky service to suffer, then Sky will bill the owner the complete amount to have it recitified.

The reality is, there are no issues with you connecting a FreeView Satellite box, there are no compatibility issues, a Sky STB uses all the very same parts (or similar), technology and standards as any other DVB-S STB, which are all designed to operate in such situations. Just make sure any work you or a 3rd party installer does is of good quality (all installers sky or not should easily be able to do this) and you should have no issues.

Sligntly OT but, in relation to my comment above, I was recently called to a customers home to sort out the installation of a new Home Theatre unit, in doing so I noted that a common splitter had been used to split a single coax feed from the roof to both the Sky box and a VCR RF input, intruiged I followed the coax feed and found a similar basic splitter used to combine both the LNB feed and a V/UHF antenna feed. I asked the home owner if this was done by them, (they are not the climb a ladder and connect cable type of folk) she said no it was done by the Sky man when Sky was installed. A quick run through the transponders on the sky box I noted wildly varying signal levels, and the RF getting to the VCR was wayy low in level to be on the verge of watchable, replacing both splitters with diplexers returned both systems to excellent working solutions. So yes there are turkeys out there that are doing jobs they have no right to be doing, and its show time at your place.
Cyril