New Tv(s) installation - update

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Hi all, I'm after some advice if you would be so kind...

We have our tv viewing currently set up as follows - the lounge has sky+hd which feeds the main tv via hdmi. The rf out (io link) from the sky box goes upstairs to the main bedroom which has a second tv + magic eye. There is a third tv in another bedroom which is a smart tv that also has free view via connection to an aerial on the roof. This 3rd tv has no sky.

We are in the process of refitting a new kitchen and have bought another smart tv for this room and want to have sky and freeview combined for the kitchen. We're quite happy for this new tv to display the same sky signal as the main tv, so no need for multi room and the smart features will be accessed via wireless.

So, what sort of additional equipment is required (e.g. loftbox etc) and what cables should I run to the new tv? Ideally, the new kit would allow the addition of further smart tvs in other bedrooms in the future.

Thanks for your expertise,

Best Regards

Anton
 
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Use the labgear HDU618S its a 8 way distribution, with sky-uplink and eye pass through, so you need one cable from the skybox up to this distribution panel. and of course one cable down for tv signal
 
There's nothing wrong with the HDU681. Technically it'll do the job you want so if you decide to buy one of those then it'll be fine. However, from what you've written it doesn't seem like you really need all the bells and whistles that the 681 offers. It does have the capacity to handle quite a bit of stuff, but that might be a bit overkill in your situation. Here's a picture of the 681:


HD681_quadplex.jpg



Unless there's other things you haven't mentioned, then all you really need is something to take the signal currently going to the bedroom TV and then make that available to all other TVs except the lounge. Well you can do that with any number of products.

If the Sky receiver's i/o box has its own power supply (which you'll need to run multiple Sky eyes anyway) then you can use something as simple as a ProCeption 1 in: 4 out amp. They do something bigger too; it's a 10-way which also includes features to take in and mix FM and DAB aerial signals to the aerial signal. What I really like about these products is that they're compact and they can be powered either by a normal transformer or from the same supply feeding the i/o box that makes the Sky eyes work. That really simplifies an installation because it means there's no need for a 240V device to be running unattended in the loft.



Here's a close-up of the 4-way. The signal that currenntly goes to the bedroom TV would go in to the "IN" socket. The rest of the TVs are fed from the "OUTs" and they'll get exactly what the bedroom TV got. Simple really.

x-amplifiers-dual-mode-freeview-or-return-path-ir-amplifiers.jpg




Here's a couple I used on a small 10 bed hostel install just before Christmas. For this one I needed something small but that also had earth bonding points to comply with wiring regs for multi-dweller accommodation. I could have done this with commercial gear but it would have made the job too expensive. These worked nicely and give great results.




Distribution%20gear.jpg
 
Thanks both for your replies, very informative. Having spoken to the Mrs, I'm going to go with the 4 way PROception. This will give us sky+ in the kitchen and optionally, 2 other rooms in the future. This was the most important feature. I'll install the new tv with a 'shotgun' cable and a 2 outlet plate so at some point (if required), I can get another PROception (powered) to distribute freeview. Thanks again.
 
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Ok, had the PROception delivered and made all connections. I can get a good picture on the 2 'slave' TVs, but the magic eyes don't work. I'm using 2 quite old magic eyes and I'm convinced that it's a voltage issue.

I measured 9v coming out of the sky IO link into the PROception and 3v coming out on all 4 outlets. Both magic eyes have the red light illuminated but it's quite feint. Should I get new magic eyes or is there something else I need to look at.

Again, thanks for any further advice

Best Regards

Anton

*edit* - looks like I should be seeing 8.5-9 volts on each of the 4 outputs. Looks like it could be a faulty unit
 
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Have you got a power supply connected to the I/O link?

Have you checked your wiring for shorts between the shielding braid and the centre pin? The braid wires are thin. They're easy to miss. Just one touching on the centre pin will mess up the voltage for the Sky eyes.
 
Lucid, thanks for your reply. I'm definitely getting 9v out of the IO link into the PROception, so I'm going to remake all the f-connections and try again. I'll post results, probably tomorrow. I need a cool drink, it was quite warm in the loft this afternoon!

Thanks again,

Anton
 

Couldn't resist checking...

First picture shows 9v from the IO link. I checked this f connector and there were no shorts.
Second picture shows this connector going into the PROception and only 3v coming out of it.

I think it's faulty :(

Couldn't resist checking...

First picture shows 9v from the IO link. I checked this f connector and there were no shorts.
Second picture shows this connector going into the PROception and only 3v coming out of it.

I think it's faulty :(

Isn't the output for a IO link supposed to be +ve on centre pin? You appear to have -ve.
 
Isn't the output for a IO link supposed to be +ve on centre pin? You appear to have -ve.

Watching this with interest then......

The potential difference (P.D) is the same for a battery measured either way.
 
I measured 9v coming out of the sky IO link
It has to be measured under load.

So it's definitely a Sky IO-Link and not the Triax IO-Link that I recommended?

I don't know anyone who has got a Sky IO-Link to work with a splitter - powered or otherwise.

Hang on, your photo with the 3 volt reading shows clearly the Proception amplifier without a power supply connected! It definitely won't work like that in conjunction with a Sky IO-Link and it will work with a Triax IO-Link only if the latter has a power supply connected.

So your 3 volt reading is what you get from the Sky IO-Link when it's powering the Proception amp. (Clearly it can't.) There's nothing wrong with the Proception amp.
 
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Hi Sam, thanks for your reply. Yes, it is the Sky IO Link. If the replacement PROception doesn't work, the Triad IO Link will be the next option to try... and here I am, thinking this would be a simple upgrade
 

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