Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

Virgin 'technician' came yesterday and changed us over.
Decent chap, ran cable where I asked and answered a few question I
could think of at the time.
I knew I'd have issues later, regardless.

Made the change for a number of reasons, but mainly due to poor
performance of Sky signal during bad weather,
leading to kids playing up, at a time, when, due to poor weather, all
they can do is watch their programs... viscous circle!

My Philips flatscreen TV is wall hung in the lounge, and is connected
to my AV components [which are located in a cupboard, in the kitchen]
through a hole in the wall behind the TV. In that cupboard, I have the
V+ box and a Philips combined DVD player and surround sound processor.

Before the V+ box, I had a Sky+ box at this location, and both devices
were operated from the lounge via a magic eye (Blue Delta) device. The
Virgin installer immediately told me that this would no longer work
with the V+ box, as it didn't have a powered RF outlet. I've also read
about problems using a replacement system because it requires use of
the V+ box's SCART output, and not the HDMI port!

I want to (obviously) get the best out of the kit, so using HDMI is a
must.

Can I do this, and hook up the rest of the house to the V+, and
control it using additional SD RF transmitters?
I must admit, I'm a bit confused on the best route to go.

Also, my V+ box, my Philips DVD player AND my laptop use HDMI to
connect to my TV, which only has 2 HDMi ports! Can I get a hub that
allows additional inputs?

Thanks.
d.

Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

In article
s.com, scribeth thus
Virgin 'technician' came yesterday and changed us over.
Decent chap, ran cable where I asked and answered a few question I
could think of at the time.
I knew I'd have issues later, regardless.

Made the change for a number of reasons, but mainly due to poor
performance of Sky signal during bad weather,
leading to kids playing up, at a time, when, due to poor weather, all
they can do is watch their programs... viscous circle!

Didn't anyone check the alignment of the dish?..

--
Tony Sayer

Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

wrote in message
...

Before the V+ box, I had a Sky+ box at this location, and both devices
were operated from the lounge via a magic eye (Blue Delta) device. The
Virgin installer immediately told me that this would no longer work
with the V+ box, as it didn't have a powered RF outlet. I've also read
about problems using a replacement system because it requires use of
the V+ box's SCART output, and not the HDMI port!

I want to (obviously) get the best out of the kit, so using HDMI is a
must.

Can I do this, and hook up the rest of the house to the V+, and
control it using additional SD RF transmitters?
I must admit, I'm a bit confused on the best route to go.

The latest software upgrade to the V+ box enabled the 'backup recordings
scart socket' when using the HDMI option so you can use that for a AV
transmitter/receiver setup for your other TV's around the house. The V+
works happily with the IR extenders that come with most AV senders and Ebay
has additional remotes for the V+ boxes quite frequently listed. The only
snag with the 'backup' scart socket is that it only outputs sound and
vision - there is no EPG info etc.displayed (as you wouldn't want it to
appear on any recordings!).....
HDMI hubs are available and there are some that can be operated by remote. I
switch mine via my surround amp which has 3 HDMI inputs and 1 output.

Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

On 29 Nov, 11:37, tony sayer wrote:
Didn't anyone check the alignment of the dish?..

--
Tony Sayer

Many times Tony.
I was even up there in October, when it snowed, clearing snow of the
dish and LNB.
Maybe it's my locale, and a couple big trees in the way, but my
reception was always
dodgy during heavy rainfall, wind or storms!

Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

On 29 Nov, 13:53, "Vic" wrote:
The latest software upgrade to the V+ box enabled the 'backup recordings
scart socket' when using the HDMI option so you can use that for a AV
transmitter/receiver setup for your other TV's around the house. The V+
works happily with the IR extenders that come with most AV senders and Ebay
has additional remotes for the V+ boxes quite frequently listed. The only
snag with the 'backup' scart socket is that it only outputs sound and
vision - there is no EPG info etc.displayed (as you wouldn't want it to
appear on any recordings!).....
HDMI hubs are available and there are some that can be operated by remote. I
switch mine via my surround amp which has 3 HDMI inputs and 1 output.

Cheers, can you expand a bit?
What products would you suggest?
As I said, my BlueDelta has a sender connected (inline) to the TV coax-
in port,
the other end of this cable went into the RF2-out port on my old Sky+
box (and now
into the port on the V+ box) it has the "transmitter" end of the
BlueDelta on it, which
sends out the IR signal to all devices, in that locale, by bouncing it
off walls etc.
This device used to be powered by the RF2-out port on the Sky+ box,
but the V+
box can't do this! There is also a mini-jack socket on the
"transmitter" cable... am
I right in thinking this could have a transformer plugged into it,
thus providing power
that the V+ can't supply?
It's hard to explain without pictures, and there's little info
available online for the BlueDelta
stuff.
cheers
d.

Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

In article
s.com, deano scribeth thus
On 29 Nov, 11:37, tony sayer wrote:
Didn't anyone check the alignment of the dish?..

--
Tony Sayer

Many times Tony.
I was even up there in October, when it snowed, clearing snow of the
dish and LNB.
Maybe it's my locale, and a couple big trees in the way, but my
reception was always
dodgy during heavy rainfall, wind or storms!

Did you try a "Region 2" dish?.

'Tho trees can clobber 10 odd Ghz signals of that level;(...
--
Tony Sayer

Sky+ to Virgin Media XL Migration... best use of kit?
 

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article
s.com, deano scribeth thus
On 29 Nov, 11:37, tony sayer wrote:
Didn't anyone check the alignment of the dish?..
Tony Sayer

Many times Tony.
I was even up there in October, when it snowed, clearing snow of the
dish and LNB.
Maybe it's my locale, and a couple big trees in the way, but my
reception was always
dodgy during heavy rainfall, wind or storms!

Did you try a "Region 2" dish?.
Tony Sayer


I use nothing less than a 60cm Zone 2 unless i have to

45cm Zone 1 just don't cut it when there's a cloud in the sky,
or north of Luton, or both.

Steve Terry