Mixing Freeview and Cable TV to domestic disbn sys?

Hi All,

Once I had an TV aerial in the loft, distribution amp in the bedroom and TV outlets in most rooms and all was well.

Then NTL came along and gave me my std terrestrial chans again (+ Ch5 FWTW) plus a few more, so removed the aerial connection and fed the distribution amp from the cable box and all was well (and because it was a nice analog STB we could watch any terrestrial chan or the 'Cable' chan on any set / video in the house) ;-)

Then came Freeview ..

I bought one specifically that had a modulated RF output but I now have a dilemma re sources and outlets ...

By definition I have to take the initial *cable* feed into the STB and from there it could go to (through) the Freeview box and that would pass through the std terrestrial and decode the digital chans and add it's own UHF channel from that but I assume the Freeview signal wouldn't be present on the cable?

Both the Freeview and Cable boxes have SCART outputs which are fine for getting either signal to the non SCART TV in the lounge (near all the boxes) via the video player.

So, is there a (semi domestic priced) distribution amp thingy that would say take a SCART input and 'inject' (for want of a better description) it's own additional UHF slot into the existing system please?

Maplin do this which I think might fit the bill:

formatting link
to use that I assume my system would go ..

Aerial > Freeview box > Modulator with Cable box SCART'ED in >

distribution amp > house TV's ?

The Freeview box would 'add' the decoded digital chan output to the base analog signals then the modulator would add the output of the Cable STB to that (but I could only view the base terrestrial channels plus the single selected Freeview chan + single Cable chan on all the remote TV's).

But would the entire digital TV band be passed through everything for the Freeview decoder cards in the PC's (also off the (fairly old) distribution system)?

All the best ..

T i m (now with a headache). ;-)

Reply to
T i m
Loading thread data ...

My goodness. *Can't you find a relevant group*? Is it beyond your ken? Apologies to anyone in u.t.d-tv, but IME you're the best.

Reply to
Chris Bacon

Thanks again for your valuable input Chris.

I was *hoping* I would have been in your killfile by now but alas .. ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Look - are you really that much of an twerp? I had thought not, hence my cross-post to a group where you might get some reasonable advice. Hopefully next time you ask something, about knitting, perhaps, or hot water bottles, boots, nuclear physics or cutting- edge surgery, or something to do with farming, you'll consider that there are tens of thousands of newsgroups which exist for the benefit of all. Cross-post to uk.d-i-y if the question is relevant! Great!

Reply to
Chris Bacon

Probably?

You are too kind Chris ;-)

I am subscribed to u.t.d-tv but a Find > 'modulators' and a quick visual scan didn't reveal anything promising. So I asked here because I know there are several folk who know this game pretty well who might have been able to throw another angle on my question. I wasn't asking about satelite muxes, channel availability or receiver specs but the more practical aplication of basic signals / principals. We have yet to see if the posting in either group gets *us* any real answers but I doubt your copy of my question in u.t.d-tv (with that glowing 'introduction') will yeald much (but would be happy to stand corrected).

Hopefully the next time I post anywhere you will resist the temptation to reply (moderate, again?) Chris. Had you *just* suggested u.t.d-tv then that would have been fine, but what did you expect with all the other patronising stuff?

The reply to your (crossposted, however well meaning?) 'input' was the first time I have knowingly cross posted anywhere.

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

I simply have added freeview boxes/TV's to the loft mounted UHF antenna via a labgear thingie.

I did a cost benefit analysis on piping various signals round the place, and frankly, it aint worth it, One TV, one freeview box,and share the aerial.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

I think the amp unit I have is also a Labgear. I think they have stopped making Freeview boxes but are still doing the amp stuff?

Well that's sorta what we are doing (except they are Freeview PC cards) but it's getting the NTL Cable box into the loop (and possibly the hdd/dvr) that's the issue here?

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Freeview boxes are dirt cheap so you don't have to limit yourself to one channel at a time. Just have one box per set.

You can use the modulator in your VCR to inject the cable channels. Feed the VCR with the rf output from the freeview box. Run your dist amp from the video rf output. The VCR will inject the cable box via the SCART. Just make sure the video is always selected to its SCART input.

If you really want the decoded freeview as well, then this setup will still work fine. Just make sure it has a different rf output channel to the video. Alternately, if the video has 2 SCARTs, you can plug it in there and you won't need a freeview box with rf output, although you could only watch either Freeview, Cable or video at the same time, not multiples.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Bought out by Philex ...

But still in the same game it seems

-- Adrian C

Reply to
Adrian C

Interesting, cheers Adrian.

Maybe they are going back to their roots?

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Spose. But it still means 'distributing' the freeview signal to all the rooms and that's not availavle via our current primary feed, the cable service?

Ah, cunning ;-)

Clever, the only restriction then is that we can't record a different channel on the video ('she' hasn't mastered the DVR yet) can we?

(we have that alread so ok there)

Hmmm, and something I was hoping to retain as 'she' often likes to cath up on the soaps via Freeview and the 15yr old likes BOX in her room at the same time?

That has given me thought re the order of things though Christian ..

If it went .. Aerial > Freeview Box > Modulator for cable box >

distribution amp > room TV / vid / FV Cards in PC's that might work?

The Cable TV box does have a modulated RF output but no 'though' facility so has to be the start of the chain, unless we use something as the 'through modulator' (like the video as you suggest).

Now do we want the DVR in the chain ... ? ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

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