Anyone offer some satellite tv help? Options

[james]

We are considering getting Freesat at home (want better reception, some of the free channels but don't want full Sky, can't get Freeview as the coverage doesn't get us), Freesat is basically Freeview through a minidish and settop box for a one-off charge rather than a subscription.

The question is - how could we pipe that around the house to different tv's so each is independent (i.e. changing the channel doesn't affect the other tv's) - do we need to get a set-top box for each tv?

Any help/advise greatly appreciated

[neil]

Distribution kits are available from Homebase etc but will require lots of coax. I've got a infra red link in my house to send Sky to my bedroom, works like a charm and only £14.95!!

[james]

Yeah but that only mirrors the same channel selection from the STB to the 2 tv's (doesn't it?) - what we are looking for is the ability to view different channels independently - is that possible?

[neil]

No expert, but i don't think so.......

[camsmith]

To do that, you need a tuner for each TV set. In your case, I would guess that a box for each TV would be the simplest way to go.

I haven't researched it much, but I think the only boxes with two tuners are Sky+ equivalent, where one tuner is used for recording and one for playback. I don't think there's one that allows two different outputs.

Could easily be wrong though.

[paul]

I have been looking in to this for our SKY tv at home. We want to run it upstairs and like you have two controllers which change the channel independantly.

You can run two tv's off one box but like you say you have to watch the same programme.

The only way I have found to do it through sky is by getting another box which is then wired to the same dish but acts like a seperate receiver.

Dunno if it will be the same but I would have thought so. Sky do a deal on the second box so I am sure everyone else will too!

[womble]

Yep you need a tuner for each TV and an LNB with an output for each TV. The standard package from Sky wont be able to do this unless they do a custom setup which I doubt.
You need to pop into bagshot to Digicams-uk (opposite the mariners) or cheaper Maplin
Ask them for a mini dish and a Quad with 3 Tuners LNB (I guess you want 3 TVs 2 bedrooms and a lounge). The wiring for all this is obvious and easy. ie LNB cabled to each room. It is a costly thing to do it via sat.
Maplin do a starter kit for £79. gets you one tv so replace the LNB with a quad £40 and 2 more tuners at £79.
Buy the freeview cards from Sky or from online distributer and bobs your gran you have multi freeview sat TV.
Parents has similar thing but with full Sky subscriptions on both.

This post has been edited by womble: Nov 30 2005, 09:15 AM