Can RF be converted to another connection ie Scart, AV etc?

[Blasphemous]

Have to admit I didn't realise DIYnot had an AV section! I posted this over on AVForum but have had no reply at all! Just done a general search and DIYnot came up!

Right, bit of background info so you know the full picture (no pun intended). The other week I purchased a Samsung LE40C650 LCD TV. It's now sitting in the Kitchen waiting to be mounted on the wall. I've been given some advice on the 'hack' to get PVR working on it. I assume you guys will be aware of this but the info is here for anyone that isn't aware:

http://wiki.samygo.tv/index.php5/Enabling_the_PVR_for_C-Series

I've also bought this 500Gb USB Hard Drive from Currys to use with that 'hack':

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/wester...b-black-02950021-pdt.html?srcid=369&xtor=AL-1

I've connected an aerial to the TV. The SD picture is good, the Freeview HD is excellent in my opinion.

Previous to all of this I purchased this TV Distribution Kit:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philex-SLx-Digital-Distribution-pass/dp/B001GXQUJK/ref=pd_cp_ce_2

The reason for that was we have the Sky+ box set up in the front room connected to my Panasonic Plasma. But the wife wanted a TV on in the back room (it's a cosier room to be fair), and then my son wanted to have access to Sky in his bedroom in the mornings (cartoons etc). As there is only 1 RF out on the SKY Box, I purchased the distribution kit. So that all works well but the TVs it serves are all CRTs. This new Samsung is an LCD.

Here's where I'm stuck!

What I want to do is have access to both Sky and Freeview (if possible), on the LCD in the kitchen but obviously there is only 1 Aerial socket on the back of the TV and as I say, I've connected an aerial to that to get freeview HD. I ran a coaxial cable from the Philex distribution unit to the Samsung LCD TV and used this splitter

to connect both the feed from the Philex distribution unit (sky), and the external aerial to the LCD TV. I then retuned the TV but it doesn't seem to see the SKY input. Also, when the 'Sky' coaxial is connected it is interfering with the picture of the Freeview (the picture is breaking up at times). If I disconnect the SKY feed the Freeview is fine.

Our Sky+ box is a HD box but we don't subscribe to HD now. I tried just having the Sky feed connected (from the distribution unit), but the picture quality is no where near as good as the freeview via the aerial. HD channels (the free ones on Sky), aren't anywhere near the quality of the freeview HD either. Though I appreciate that the RF out on the SKY+ HD Box is NOT feeding a HD quality signal so that is understandable.

As you'll appreciate, if someone (my lad), is watching Cartoon Network (or whatever it is they watch now!), in his bedroom and I'm in the kitchen, I'd like to be able to flick the Kitchen TV over to Freeview and watch something else (especially the HD channels, even though they are limited!). However, there are times when we all sit in the kitchen together and being able to watch a sky movie etc, would be great and that is the reason I want access to both Sky and Freeview HD on that TV.

So my questions are:

1. I don't have a long enough lead to test this so thought I'd ask before purchasing more cable; If I connected the Aerial directly to the Sky+ HD Box would I get the same level of picture quality that I'm getting with the freeview HD when it is connected directly to the TV? (It would still need to be run through the Distribution Unit).

2. Failing question 1, is there a way of converting the coaxial feed from the Distribution Unit to a different input ie Scart, AV etc at the LCD TV end of the cable? This would allow me to have Freeview via the aerial and sky via 'another' input, scart or similar.

Hope that all makes sense guys. Sorry to ramble on but wanted to try and give as much info as possible.

Thank you in advance.

 

[ChrisFrost]

HD picture quality: If the TV is using its own tuner for the HD Freeview signal then Sky HD won't look as good sent over an aerial cable.

Converting the Sky HD signal to something other than HDMI will compromise the HD quality. The only way to maintain the quality is to keep the signal as 1080i that you would connect via a HDMI socket.

 

[Blasphemous]

Thanks for the reply Chris.

I wasn't trying to keep the HD signal, I just want SKY on that TV. As I mentioned above, we already distribute the SKY programs around the house with the Philex Distribution Unit so the picture isn't HD anyway at any TV other than the one the Sky Box is attached to.

I want/need to be able to connect the Coaxial from the Aerial and the Coaxial from the Distribution Unit. The problem is the TV (like all TVs), only has 1 Coaxial connection. If I use the Splitter (above), then the SKY signal isn't seen by the TV but it interferes with the signal from the Aerial.

In summary; As I cannot connect both Coaxial cables to the TV, I need to know if there is a way of converting the one from the Distribution Unit to another type of input ie Scart, AV etc?

 

[ChrisFrost]

The way we in the trade would normally do it is to take the roof aerial feed to the Sky box, then thake RF2 out from Sky to your distribution amp. This gets you Freeview + Sky to every TV that receives an RF feed from the amp.

I haven't come across a stand-alone RF Demodulator for a long time now

 

[Blasphemous]

Thank you once again for your time Chris.

So considering my first question above:

1. I don't have a long enough lead to test this so thought I'd ask before purchasing more cable; If I connected the Aerial directly to the Sky+ HD Box would I get the same level of picture quality that I'm getting with the freeview HD when it is connected directly to the TV? (It would still need to be run through the Distribution Unit).

If I did run the Aerial straight to the Sky Box, would I get the same quality in terms of the Freeview HD when it is connected via the Distribution Unit to the TV in the kitchen as I do now when the Aerial is connected directly to the TV?

I could just buy some more Coaxial cable to test this but thought I'd ask first.

Thank you in advance.

 

[ChrisFrost]

Each time you have a connection in an aerial cable the signal level drops a bit. As long as the drops aren't enough to stop the TV's own tuner from working correctly then the Freeview SD or HD signal shouldn't be affected.

Get a bit of cable and give it a go

 

[Blasphemous]

Thanks Chris, will do and will let you know how I get on.

 

[Sam Gangee]

Each time you have a connection in an aerial cable the signal level drops a bit.

That's slightly misleading. If you feed the aerial signal through (for example) a Sky Digibox, the RF output signal strength will be slightly higher.

However, the selected Digibox programme signal will be added, together with some unwanted noise, so the resultant signal will be slightly poorer quality, even though it is stronger.

BTW if you want to change channel remotely on the Digibox, you'll need a SkyLink "magic eye" (there are several manufacturers so I used the generic name). If the cable run is long, you might need a SkyLink compatible amplifier.

 

[Blasphemous]

Well just to update you; I have left it with a direct aerial connection. If/when the the TV is moved through to the back room and the CRT TV is dispensed with, I am thinking of running an HDMI lead (from a HDMI Splitter), from the Sky+ box to the TV.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Blasphemous]

And to update again, I have now done the above. The 32" Sony CRT is in the garage. It's still a great TV (flat screen too), but need to get rid of it. Apart from the local tip, anyone got ideas/suggestions for it?

 

[Sam Gangee]

1. Freecycle.
2. Advertise in local paper for the cost of the advert.
3. Donate to a charity.
4. Donate to a TV repair shop.
5. Recycle.

Disappointingly, the trend is to throw away perfectly good equipment then boost the Chinese economy by buying a replacement. Then complain about the recession.

 

[Sam Gangee]

Can RF be converted to another connection ie Scart, AV etc?

Yes RF to Scart Adapter

 

[braychurchmouse]

Can RF be converted to another connection ie Scart, AV etc?

Yes RF to Scart Adapter

Haven't really read through all the fine detail of this thread, but for anyone with a similar problem a cheap way to convert RF to SCART (if you have space) is to feed the RF into an old video recorder. You usually find a Scart composite output on one of the Scart sockets. If you don't have a video in the loft, try Freecycle or car boots.

The interference you mention may be because the Skybox RF out channel is close to or even overlapping with one coming down the aerial. You can choose a different channel in the "engineers" menu. (Google should find that for you.) If you decide to use a powered magic eye you may also need to set the "power on" for that too in this menu.

But the HDMI solution is a far more elegant solution giving you HD quality and stereo sound (RF output is mono). Just remember if you are using an HDMI splitter, buy a good quality one as the "cheapos" often don't handle the HDCP handshaking well. The "fountain of all knowledge" - satcure.com is very good on these sort of things. (no connection)

 

[Sam Gangee]

You can choose a different channel in the "engineers" menu.

No such thing. It's in the "Installer Setup Menu".

Press services 401 select (or services 001 select for an Hd Digibox).