Options for getting Sky in second room

[Diapason]

I'm mulling over the idea of getting a TV for the bedroom, and I'm trying to figure out the best way of getting a signal to it. We already have Sky (HD) so here are the options as I see them:

1) Call the good people at Sky, sign up for multi-room and pay even more money every month than we already do. Advantage is that it's a true independent second system, major disadvantage is the cost and the need to have a telephone line connected.

2) Get a HDMI splitter of some description, run the HDMI signal from the Sky box (via Cat 5 cable and boosters if necessary) to the bedroom, and use an off-the-shelf remote extender so I can control the box from upstairs. Advantages are that reception is more-or-less guaranteed and it would be possible to view HD content upstairs. Disadvantages are that we could only have the same channel upstairs and downstairs, and more importantely, we're running new cables all over the place.

3) Get a wireless AV sender. My brother and father are both using this and claim it's great, but I've read stories online about significantly reduced picture quality and interference from Wifi and microwaves being a problem, although paying up for a 5.8GHz version may alleviate this. Advantages are that it's really simple, no cabling required, not too expensive, and designed so that you can use the remote upstairs to operate the box downstairs. Disadvantages are potential interference, image quality and the fact that it won't transmit HD properly. Some experience problems with interference from neighbours, etc, with reports of neighbours changing your channels in some circumstances!

4) Get a Magic Eye. Disadvantages are that it's RF only (so picture quality suffers) and it requires cabling. Can't see many advantages here, although a lot of people seem to use them judging by forums.

Has anyone been through this process and come to any conclusions? I started by assuming I'd go for option 3, but the more I read the less sure I become.

- If I go for option 2, could I run the cabling externally? Is it difficult to get a HDMI signal to its destination (I'd be beyond the 10m mark, I'd say).
- If I go for option 2, will the picture quality be bad enough that it'll drive me mad? Do these things actually work as advertised through walls and ceilings?
- Are there any other options I haven't considered?

[DaveF]

Option 2: I know a lad who done this and everything as far I'm aware is working fine.

He went for active HDMI cables, these have 'booster chips' embedded in the receiving end of the cable.
Alternatively you could use normal passive cables but with a seperate booster box at the end. Unlike the first option these dont hijack the power from the cable so in theory they can deal with longer lengths. Like any hdmi cable, these will give you perfect pic or whats called a 'broken' pic, i.e sparkles, green tint, digital breakup etc. There is no inbetween, you will not get nonsense such as deeper blacks, better sound etc etc by changing cable or using a more expensive one.

The HDMI to Cat5 (usually called 'balluns') is a good option too but I've heard of pic problems in some cases when the bandwidth requirements are high i.e full HD pic + HD 7.1 sound.

Long HDMI cables tend to be expensive though. What lengths are you talking about?

These guys have come recommended before. http://ukhdmi.com/
Dont mix them up with ukhdmi.co.uk whom I know nothing about.

[Diapason]

Thanks Dave, I thought you might have some suggestions alright!

I think I'd be in the 10 -15m range or thereabouts, depending on whether the cables have to go around obstacles or whether then can be chased, etc. I think this option is probably worth thinking about further!

[DaveF]

You can get flat hdmi cables and right angled adaptors too which together will offer more flexibilty in the cable obviously and a neater install.

[Fran]

Do you need the full suite of sky channels (sport, movies nat geo & adult!) upstairs, or would the standard set from free sat work Ok? A combined sat/saorview decoder will give you all for about a hundred euro but none of the above services. Although you can record, pause live TV, rewind etc etc, none of them have 7day EPG (only now and next) nor can you series link.


Fran

[Diapason]

Since I posted first I've been looking at those options Fran (for both upstairs and downstairs) and I'm actually thinking I should consider it anyway. Now, to be honest I'd probably want the full spectrum of Sky channels (except for Adult, goes with saying...!) but I'm thinking I should rig up a freesat/Saorview too just to have it. I don't think it would cut it as an overall solution though, since we watch a lot of the Sky channels (and Sky Movies).

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I have 2 free slots on my Sky dish LNB (which I assume I can use for Freesat) and living in Dun Laoghaire we also have a dirty great aerial on the roof which may work just fine for Saorview. I'm thinking a sensible plan would be to get one of the combo boxes for downstairs, possibly with an external harddrive. At some future point I could decide whether I still think Sky is worthwhile, but in the meantime I wouldn't mind having RTE2 HD prior to the Six Nations...

Since I'd be buying a new TV for upstairs, there's a sporting chance it'll have integrated Saorview anyway, and if the aerial works for that, there should be an old aerial connection in the wall anyway.

Can I use the dish and existing aerial in this way, do you think?

[Ivor]

Since I'd be buying a new TV for upstairs, there's a sporting chance it'll have integrated Saorview anyway, and if the aerial works for that, there should be an old aerial connection in the wall anyway.

I don't know if the existing aerial would work (I have my doubts) but a digital aerial is small, I have one in the shop and it's only a little bigger than a paperback book upright.

[Diapason]

So what you're saying is, bigger isn't necessarily better in the bedroom?

[Ivor]

So what you're saying is, bigger isn't necessarily better in the bedroom?

Particularly with digital.

[Fran]

I have the freesat/saorview boxes set up in my place, so if you are coming down anyway sunday week, you can have a look.

******************

Fran