HDMI Modulator help - complicated setup

[Dave123456789]

Hi all

I have setup as per below

Living Room Chimney Recess has:
Aerial from roof into old VCR in (has built in modulator)
VCR RF out to Sky box RFin
Sky box RF1 out to TV in lounge (lets me watch freeview in that room)
Sky Box RF2out -> splitter -> other two rooms (DINING ROOM AND BEDROOM) (splitter has dc pass type as both rooms have magic eye)

RF frequencies on VCR and Sky box adjusted best I could.

This essentially lets us watch tv in 3 rooms in total - choice of freeview/sky/virgin.

Now - the pictures in the Dining room and Bedroom are decent (SD).....but I am just wondering if they could be HD via this thing called a HDMI modulator that I've heard about?

Yes we need Tivo AND Sky - it serves the needs of the family better than say sky with multiroom for example. so this isn't an option lol

Therefore, is there a way to improve the picture in the dining room and bedroom and still keep freeview/tivo/sky available in each? if so can anybody please explain?
and if this HDMI modulator is indeed the right thing?

Regards
D

 

[Lucid]

So you're currently paying for subscriptions to both Sky and Virgin. Okay, but are you aware of Sky Q and its ability to record several channels at the same time as watching and/or playing back?

Anyway, back to the modulator....

Yes, the device you're describing will take the HDMI out from a Sky box/Virgin Tivo/Blu-ray Player/Media Streamer etc etc and turn it in to what is in effect another Freeview HD channel. This signal is mixed with the analogue and digital RF signals in your current system. The RF modulator does this. There's an RF loop through.

For Sky Eye compatibility you should buy the Edison HDMI modulator and connect it between the Sky box RF2 out and the feed going to the rest of the house.

 

[Dave123456789]

do you have a link to a compatible HDMI modulator please? ie a product that will serve my needs?
i googled Edison HDMI modulator but got many different product types....

the main reason for virgin and sky is cos virgin Broadband is best in my area - sky and bt are awful.
but sky tv is by far best to use and has most channels lol
so happy to pay that bit extra but obviously means i have to think about things like this hdmi modulator

 

[Lucid]

Edision HDMI modulator

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edision-HDMI-Modulator-Full-Distribution-Black/dp/B00KBXKJ2A


Don't forget to use the THANKS button on any posts you found helpful. It's a great way to say thanks and it costs you nothing.

 

[Tigercubrider]

you do know that you don't need virgin tv to have BB?
i have my phone on Virgin, and Broadband. But use free view.
Having both Sky and Virgin TV seems a bit of a waste unless there are specific programmes that you must have

 

[Dave123456789]

yes its for specific programmes and it works out cheaper than having sky multi room when i do the maths

i think i'll just keep it as is anyway it seems to much hassle. thanks for advice however

 

[Lucid]

i think i'll just keep it as is anyway it seems to much hassle. thanks for advice however

What; connecting a HDMI cable and looping the aerial cable through..... That counts as "too much work"? God help you then if you ever have to change a fuse.

[Walks away, shaking head in disbelief ]

 

[Dave123456789]

maybe i misunderstood just how easy it is to use one of these then....lol

can you please explain how it would all connect up? im not sure what ports are in this modulator

if you can do in style as per below it will help me understand....which cables go where.......

current setup is as follows:
Living Room Chimney Recess has:
Aerial from roof into old VCR in (has built in modulator)
VCR RF out to Sky box RFin
Sky box RF1 out to TV in lounge (lets me watch freeview in that room)
Sky Box RF2out -> splitter -> other two rooms (DINING ROOM AND BEDROOM) (splitter has dc pass type as both rooms have magic eye)
hdmi from sky box to living room TV
hdmi from tivo box to living room TV

 

[Lucid]

The HDMI Modulator has the following signal connections:

RF IN
RF OUT
HDMI IN

The best way of connecting will be via a two-way HDMI splitter, so that the HDMI OUT from the Sky box feeds both the local lounge TV (HDMI IN) and sends the same signal to the HDMI modulator (HDMI IN). For this you will also need two extra HDMI leads. The 'Amazon Basics' range is inexpensive and decent enough for this job.

The HDMI connections will be:

• Sky box HDMI OUT to HDMI Splitter HDMI IN.
• From HDMI Splitter OUT #1 to lounge TV HDMI IN (as used previously for Sky)
• From HDMI Splitter OUT #2 to HDMI Modulator HDMI IN

Next is the RF connections. The modulator sits in-line between the Sky box RF2 Out and the 2-way RF splitter. To make these connections you will need one new RF cable with ends appropriate for whichever side of the Sky box-HDMI Modulaltor-RF Splitter chain requires a connection.

• The RF connections will be as follows:
• Sky box RF2 Out to HDMI Modulator RF IN
• HDMI Modulator RF OUT to 2-way RF Splitter In

The Modulator looks like it uses F sockets for the RF IN OUT connections, same as fitted for the satellite dish signal inputs on the back of a Sky box.

The connection's sound far more complicated written out than they will be in the flesh.

None of the other connections in your system will change. They'll stay the same. The way you use the TV in the lounge won't change either.

Once you have the connections in place theN follow the modulator instructions about setting it up and retuning the TVs.

 

[Dave123456789]

thank you! seems simple enough . but remember i have tivo too!
and freeview signal from lounge needs to reach dining room and bedroom too......

it does seem like it would work great tbh but i cant justify that much money at this time so would rather stick to the SD picture its not bad in grand scheme of things.

wireless HD senders seem the best option of all tbh if i did have some extra cash at this time. wire free and can change channel too.
theres that ethernet style cat 5 baluns thing i have seen mentioned too but that is cabling require too i believe.

thanks again!

 

[Lucid]

thank you! seems simple enough . but remember i have tivo too!
and freeview signal from lounge needs to reach dining room and bedroom too......

it does seem like it would work great tbh but i cant justify that much money at this time so would rather stick to the SD picture its not bad in grand scheme of things.

wireless HD senders seem the best option of all tbh if i did have some extra cash at this time. wire free and can change channel too.
theres that ethernet style cat 5 baluns thing i have seen mentioned too but that is cabling require too i believe.

thanks again!

Well, how are you distributing and controlling Tivo right now? Other than mention of a HDMI connection to the main lounge TV it doesn't feature explicitly in your wiring plan for RF.

"current setup is as follows:
Living Room Chimney Recess has:
Aerial from roof into old VCR in (has built in modulator)
VCR RF out to Sky box RFin
Sky box RF1 out to TV in lounge (lets me watch freeview in that room)
Sky Box RF2out -> splitter -> other two rooms (DINING ROOM AND BEDROOM) (splitter has dc pass type as both rooms have magic eye)
hdmi from sky box to living room TV
hdmi from tivo box to living room TV"​

If fact, do you know what, this thread feels like a wind up. You say you can't justify the money, yet you're spending on two platform subscriptions. I am sceptical that it works out cheaper than Sky multiroom.

Then you go and say that you'd consider Wireless HD Senders. Well good luck with that! I'll let you find out for yourself the pitfalls there.

You know, if you're just kicking round some ideas as a pricing exercise then have the courtesy in future to say so up front. Once you had a good link to the Edision then you could also have said then it was more than you wanted to spend.

There are solutions for distributing Sky and Tivo in HD, but I'm not going to give you any more of my time. If anyone else wants to jump in then feel free.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do, Dave

I'm outta here

 

[Dave123456789]

Hi Lucid

I'm not sure where all the skepticism comes from! I'm just a regular bloke who isn't techy but wants the better his viewing pleasure...but is also on a regular salary!

I don't even know what a pricing exercise is lol

In answer to your question, sorry i forgot to mention there is a scart lead connecting tivo to VCR - which is a modulator. so the signal for virgin feeds out from there. and joins with sky

sorry if i have come across in any other way!
genuinely just dont want to spend that much money and happy to stay on co ax SD.

if i come across a 2nd hand hdmi modulator then i may consider. and have the great knowledge on this thread to come back to!

chill out mate!!! life's too short!

thanks again!

 

[Dave123456789]

p.s assure you its cheaper and better.

virgin broadband is much much better. sky tv is much much better.
sky is used mainly for large array of foreign channels.
virgin has all the footy.

changing channels -
sky - magic eye
virgin - iphone app