New Home TV and Satellite Distribution System

[Antony2008]

I recently bought a 100m reel of double screened PF100 and want to wire four rooms that will allow the channels of digital TV/Satellite/DAB to be watched/listened to, independently in each room.

Looking at several wiring diagrams on the internet suggests using a loftbox/distribution amplifier that will triplex the signals, allowing a single cable to be run from the loftbox/distribution amplifier to each room. The satellite is shown connected to a receiver (in the living room); the receiver is then connected to the loftbox/distribution amplifier on a return path.
Does this mean that each of the outputs of the loftbox/distribution amplifier will transmit the satellite channel that is set by the living room receiver, hence all the satellite receivers in the other rooms will be watching the same program, or have I just lost the plot.... . Ultimately, I just want independent DTT/Satellite channel selection in each room.

I'd be eternally grateful if someone could clarify the situation and advise me/recommend what needs to be done/bought to achieve my aim.

PS I'm just looking at freesat and not SKY (for the time being).

 

[plugwash]

If you want seperate receivers in each room (as opposed to one receiver feeding multiple sets) things get a little trickier.

An LNB output can be in one of four states and this means that each tuner needs it's own feed. Boxes that have two tuners (e.g. most satellite recorder boxes) will need two feeds.

For up to eight feeds you can use a multi output LNB. If you want more feeds than that you will have to either have multiple dishes or a quattro LNB with a multiswitch.

 

[Antony2008]

Many thanks for the reply Plugwash. I'll have a root round the internet re: a quad lnb and multiswitch setup.
Any recommendations of good websites/suppliers would be more than welcome.

Best regards.

 

[ericmark]

Satellite and TV feed can share the same coax but this means using combiners and splitters.

I have a Sky+ box in main room with the signal from that with coax going to loft with amp splitter with dc through to work digi-eye in bedrooms so I can change channel on Sky box in bed.

I also have free to air boxes with individual feeds from LNB in each room so I can watch different program in bedroom if I want.

I also have a RF box which send signal from Hard Drive/DVD recorder to bedrooms with same coax as sky and it also carried signal from aerial.

Main problem is to select a frequency which will not interfere with freeview signal or visa versa.

I use cheap booster splitter which does not combine satellite and terrestrial signals so 4 coax cables go to living room TV set up.

Do be careful to select a booster that will allow digi eye signal to pass through it some block it.

 

[Antony2008]

Grateful for your comments ericmark - sure they'll come in use when I begin the work.

After searching the internet I found the following sites useful for explaining the in's & out's of the points in question, not to mention some good, clear wiring schematics.

http://www.cyberselect.co.uk/range/1693
http://www.letsautomate.com/10567.cfm?
http://www.satsig.net/lnb/explanation-description-lnb.htm

All that remains to do is find some decent equipment - I'd appreciate anyone's recommendations for an appropriate dish, quad LNB / quattro LNB & multiswitch, other ancillary bits and receivers to suit.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[ericmark]

Because Maplin had a special offer on the Digi Eye and second sky+ remote I got both splitter/booster and Digi Eye from there. I though if both come from same place and it did not work easier to take back.

I used This amp 6 way and This digi eye but the price has changed on the latter when I got it Sky+ remote with eye was cheaper than standard sky which since a sky+ remote can be configured to work with Sky seems a bit odd.

It however was not plain sailing at first digi eye would not work in spite of the LED being lit. It transpired that the booster gives out a DC feed even when it do not get one in. And one of the TV plates had de-coupling capacitors in it which needed shorting out.

As to dishes these were installed by sky so I had no option.

 

[Antony2008]

Thanks once again ericmark.

Any recommendations from other members/guests regarding decent equipment would also be appreciated.