Switching to Sky Q

[martt]

I'm considering switching from my Sky HD box to Sky Q to benefit mainly from UHD when watching sports along with the other Sky Q benefits...

I currently have a Sky box in my main room with an aerial out feeding a loft box (in the loft) which in turn feeds 5 TVs around the house - all TVs have a magic eye and i've several remotes to operate them.

As Sky Q doesn't have the aerial out option, is there something i can do to get the signal out of the Q box via the basic aerial so i can continue to get the signal sent around the house using the existing wiring - i'm not massively fussed if the quality is reduced and i appreciate i'll have to buy some new remotes...?

Help - am due to upgrade in the next few days! (or perhaps not)

thanks

[Alucidnation]

If you are out of contract get haggling.

They will want to keep you, although sometimes to get decent offers you have to cancel and wait a month or two and then the offers will start coming in.

Anyway, whichever way you do it, it will cost extra money.

[OldGermanHeaps]

Hdmi splitter, uhd>1080p downconverter, 1080p dvb t modulator, global tvlink plus to take care of the ir repeating from the magic eyes. You can forego the downconverter but then the modulator would force the main tv down to 1080

[martt]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Hdmi splitter, uhd>1080p downconverter, 1080p dvb t modulator, global tvlink plus to take care of the ir repeating from the magic eyes. You can forego the downconverter but then the modulator would force the main tv down to 1080

So it can be done - i'm going to have to google all of those items though!!

[martt]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Hdmi splitter, uhd>1080p downconverter, 1080p dvb t modulator, global tvlink plus to take care of the ir repeating from the magic eyes. You can forego the downconverter but then the modulator would force the main tv down to 1080

Just googled some of that kit and it all looks very expensive - is this the best, cheapest, way of sending the signal to the loft box with my existing wiring?

[megaphone]

Really the only way is to get a digital HD modulator, no other way of sending the signal up the co-ax cables. They are coming down in price, example https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edision-HDMI-Modulator-Fu...

But as already mentioned, you need to split the HDMI coming out of the Q box, one HDMI to the TV and one to the modulator, you need a 4k compatible splitter if youre going to maintain UHD, the modulator probably won't pass 4k but will normal HD.

You 'might' be able to forgo the TV link plus IR unit as the Q has a second bluetooth remote, depending on range you may be able to use this in another room, but only one can be paired I think.

Sky have not made it easy, they want to flog you Q minis. If I where you I'd stick with the existing HD box.

Edited by megaphone on Thursday 21st September 14:50

Edited by megaphone on Thursday 21st September 14:54

[OldGermanHeaps]

martt said:

Just googled some of that kit and it all looks very expensive - is this the best, cheapest, way of sending the signal to the loft box with my existing wiring?

Well really you need to decide if you want best or cheapest for a start. That solution is neither, its in the middle.

[martt]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Well really you need to decide if you want best or cheapest for a start. That solution is neither, its in the middle.

The cheapest - am really not too concerned with the picture quality on the other tvs and given the hassle and complications I'm leaning towards a deal to renew my contract with my existing box. I've also read that once you swap to sky q it's difficult to go back as they have to do something with the wiring too

[skahigh]

I went the DVB-T route about 3 months before Q was announced, spent a fortune running coax around the house.

I've now got Q and replaced the coax with Cat6.

This is the modulator I bought, works well though only stereo sound, Dolby Digital didn't work.

Edision

[OldGermanHeaps]

Cheapest - keep what you have
Best mini boxes at every tv
Cheap, analogue modulator, hdmi-composite converter
Absolute best- cat 6 cables and blustream multicast uhd system.

[Welshbeef]

Were moving to Skq Q - install in a few weeks

Have opted for 4 mini boxes plus obviously the Q box 2 TB.
It works out £350 for the 4 boxes £49x1 +3*£99 not the cheapest but it sorts out the entire house / TV requirements for now.

[martt]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Cheapest - keep what you have
Best mini boxes at every tv
Cheap, analogue modulator, hdmi-composite converter
Absolute best- cat 6 cables and blustream multicast uhd system.

Just to clarify, when i said 'best cheapest' i meant the best way of doing this for little additional cost which would maintain an analogue output to other TVs via the loftbox - i didn't mean i was after the best which was also the cheapest! Apologies, i wasn't clear

Re a cheap analogue modulator, would this still allow a 4k feed into the main tv or, as i understood from your post earlier, would this send a poorer signal to all tvs?

Sounds like a major hassle to get not that much better a service - i find HD quality is very good when watching the footy and there's not much other 4k tv to watch

[megaphone]

Welshbeef said:

Were moving to Skq Q - install in a few weeks

Have opted for 4 mini boxes plus obviously the Q box 2 TB.
It works out £350 for the 4 boxes £49x1 +3*£99 not the cheapest but it sorts out the entire house / TV requirements for now.

You are aware that only two mini boxes can watch live tv at time?

[VEX]

megaphone said:

Welshbeef said:

Were moving to Skq Q - install in a few weeks

Have opted for 4 mini boxes plus obviously the Q box 2 TB.
It works out £350 for the 4 boxes £49x1 +3*£99 not the cheapest but it sorts out the entire house / TV requirements for now.

You are aware that only two mini boxes can watch live tv at time?

And are only 1080p, meaning they can't show anything you've recorded or downloaded in 4k

[Welshbeef]

VEX said:

And are only 1080p, meaning they can't show anything you've recorded or downloaded in 4k

Currently.
An update is coming to increase it from the 2mini boxes.

Re 4K our main TV isn't yet 4K and we will rotate the older TVs so no issue st all re mini box tv rooms not being 4k

[VEX]

I wouldn't hold your breath!

They have been promising that from day one.

I'll try to do some ferreting and see what 'people' say.

V.

[AndStilliRise]

Welshbeef said:

VEX said:

And are only 1080p, meaning they can't show anything you've recorded or downloaded in 4k

Currently.
An update is coming to increase it from the 2mini boxes.

Re 4K our main TV isn't yet 4K and we will rotate the older TVs so no issue st all re mini box tv rooms not being 4k

Do people really have 4 TVs? At the moment we have two, neither one connected to an ariel/sky/virgin and one of them has a crack.

You guys need to join a gym or start running/cycling.

[Welshbeef]

AndStilliRise said:

Do people really have 4 TVs? At the moment we have two, neither one connected to an ariel/sky/virgin and one of them has a crack.

You guys need to join a gym or start running/cycling.

We don't throw TVs away so upgrade every so often and end up with more and more. Note that "upgrade cycle is currently 8 years.... but we have no CRTs anymore.

Lol join a Gym /cycling. We have 3 kids all under 6 so thinking about cycling on the weekend away from kids you don't see whilst in work is pretty crap ditto Gym Parents need to share the workloads + actually play and do things with the kids not just enjoy yourself down the gun or on a nice long bike ride.

[AndStilliRise]

Welshbeef said:

AndStilliRise said:

Do people really have 4 TVs? At the moment we have two, neither one connected to an ariel/sky/virgin and one of them has a crack.

You guys need to join a gym or start running/cycling.

We don't throw TVs away so upgrade every so often and end up with more and more. Note that "upgrade cycle is currently 8 years.... but we have no CRTs anymore.

Lol join a Gym /cycling. We have 3 kids all under 6 so thinking about cycling on the weekend away from kids you don't see whilst in work is pretty crap ditto Gym Parents need to share the workloads + actually play and do things with the kids not just enjoy yourself down the gun or on a nice long bike ride.

what kind of things do you do with your kids and so many TVs?

Sat schedule:
09:30 Son 1A Football
10:00 Son 1B Tution
10:15 Morning run
11:00 Pickup Son 1A
11:30 Pickup Son 1B
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Son 1A Tution
13:00 Son 1B Swimming
13:10 Gym session
...
...

I have two boys and manage ok.

[Welshbeef]

AndStilliRise said:

what kind of things do you do with your kids and so many TVs?

Sat schedule:
09:30 Son 1A Football
10:00 Son 1B Tution
10:15 Morning run
11:00 Pickup Son 1A
11:30 Pickup Son 1B
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Son 1A Tution
13:00 Son 1B Swimming
13:10 Gym session
...
...

I have two boys and manage ok.

Son 2 is 7 months
Son 1 is just 3
Daughter is 5.

We have 2x TVs currently. It a couple more are coming partly due to an extension meaning those new rooms need TVs

Sat schedule
8:45am Ballet
10:30 swimming baby lessons
11:45 different swimming pool swimming lessons the other 2 back to back

The. Back home make lunch for the kids.
Baby then try to get to sleep and son 1 as he is just in pre school is shattered so get him to sleep too.
Art and craft with oldest daughter.

Wife and I split doing house chores.
When they wake I go for the shopping or if no shopping cut the lawns with the kids trying to help.

This age group it's not viable to go for a run unless of course I assume the wife does the whole lot herself after a week of doing it all so not fair IMHO. Actually many times the wife is so shattered from so little sleep me doing the above and occupying them on Sunday let's her get a bit of sleep.

I'd love to go for a run or gym but right now I'd be royally taking the piss yours sound older and fewer so doable.

I'll be taking the two oldest skiing dry slope weekly either sat or sun depends on lessons in Wokingham but trying to do that plus kids parties and activities + some time to myself = it's not easy.

Oh we try to bake something with the kids every week usually Sunday and we always do a big family roast dinner mainly so we can sit and eat together as working week I'm not home early enough fortheir tea time.

I cannot wait to take them to start playing rugby at my local club.

Edited by Welshbeef on Saturday 23 September 08:03