Equipment involved: Beovision 8, Beovision 5 Remote, Sky Plus (one feed without multiroom).

Hi peeps, i'm new to this site and have a techy problem. I have recently purchased a Beovision 8 (32") and live in an apartment with one Sky feed. My Sky+ is in the front room and my Beovision 8 is in the bedroom. I have connected my Beovision 8 via the RF output on the Sky+ box and the cable length i needed was 20 metres. I used a quad shelided Ixus digital coaxial (along with a Magic Eye) which produced the best results you can expect from an RF. However my problem lies with the Beovision 5 remote. It's not compatable with Magic Eyes running via RF. After speaking to a B&O guy in Bramhall, he said the Bevision 8 has to be linked to the Sky+ box via a scart cable then added as a device before finally installing the B&O IR Blaster. Problem being the IR Blaster is only 3 metres long, does anyone know if i extend it with a cat5 cable to 20 metres would it work? Have also been advised you can do it another way round by utilising 1 of the spare (unused) scart pins at each end?

 The easiest option would be to install Sky Multiroom so i've got a Sky box in my bedroom locally to the Beovision 8. However living in apartments is a grey area as they only give you 1 feed and it's almost impossible getting planning permission to allow a dedicated sat dish to be installed.

 Hope somebody understands what i'm trying to say as i basically the end result im looking to achieve is to be able to use the Beovision 8 remote to change channels on my Sky+ from the bedroom. At present im using Sky Remote to change channels and Beo 5 remote to do volume, power & picture settings etc.

I'm also aware i'm only receiving a mono sound from the RF, and the scart would be stereo sound and better picture quality so i'm all for it. It's just the remote IR issue.

 Someone pls help! 

I take it that the set in the main room is not a B&O or you could just masterlink it. I control my Sky+ which is in the living room from the bedroom that way. I don't think you will have any problem extending the IR blaster wire - mine is actually about 10m I believe. However the scart will be more of a problem as these should really be kept as short as possible. I do have a 10m one but I have not seen a longer one.

The issue is that Bang & Olufsen remotes operate Bang & Olufsen TV's not 3rd party products, the television is the part that operates the Sky box.

All B&O TV's use the scart cable as a means of control and if you tell the BV8 that a SKY+ box is connected to, say AV1, it will periodically send a signal down pin 8 of the scart to check that the box is still there, if it gets no reply it will switch the SKY+ box off via the IR blaster.

Peter is correct that there are longer IR cables available and I have known people to use some ML or PL to extend them but again as Peter point out, the real issue is the length of your Scart run, the video quality will seriously degrade after 10 mtrs.

If you can go for multi-room, it would seem like the most sensible solution.

meandmyshadow:

The issue is that Bang & Olufsen remotes operate Bang & Olufsen TV's not 3rd party products, the television is the part that operates the Sky box.

All B&O TV's use the scart cable as a means of control and if you tell the BV8 that a SKY+ box is connected to, say AV1, it will periodically send a signal down pin 8 of the scart to check that the box is still there, if it gets no reply it will switch the SKY+ box off via the IR blaster.

Peter is correct that there are longer IR cables available and I have known people to use some ML or PL to extend them but again as Peter point out, the real issue is the length of your Scart run, the video quality will seriously degrade after 10 mtrs.

If you can go for multi-room, it would seem like the most sensible solution.

The scart wouldnt be a problem, i'm spending about £300 on one, see link below.

http://www.futureshop.co.uk/ixos-xht6012000-ingot-scart-to-scart-lead-20m-p-318.html

Tell me your thoughts, it's bound to be a better picture than a 20 metre Digi Coax?

With regards to the extension of the IR blaster would you recommend using the unused scart pins or just extending the original cable? What would send more power?

Rob 

 

meandmyshadow:

The issue is that Bang & Olufsen remotes operate Bang & Olufsen TV's not 3rd party products, the television is the part that operates the Sky box.

All B&O TV's use the scart cable as a means of control and if you tell the BV8 that a SKY+ box is connected to, say AV1, it will periodically send a signal down pin 8 of the scart to check that the box is still there, if it gets no reply it will switch the SKY+ box off via the IR blaster.

Peter is correct that there are longer IR cables available and I have known people to use some ML or PL to extend them but again as Peter point out, the real issue is the length of your Scart run, the video quality will seriously degrade after 10 mtrs.

If you can go for multi-room, it would seem like the most sensible solution.

 

What is ML & PL mate? See my reply above regarding length of scart issue. 

I don't think that ther is much question that even at that length, you will get a better picture with scart than with coax.  But it does seem to be a lot to pay for a scart cable regardless of quality, especially when you could buy a sky box for £99 granted it's not Sky+ but if you get it as part of a multi-room package there is even a chance that they will do an offer where you get a Sk+ box with a big subsidy.

As for the IR blaster, personally if I was spending nearly £300 on a scart cable I would not be soldering anything to it.  Instead buy some masterlink (ML) or I don't see why you can't use Cat 5 or 6 for the same purpose which would be a cheaper option.

What I would say before you go buying you scart cable, make the IR cable and test it, otherwise you could be parting with a large chunk of your hard earned for very little gain.

Good luck

meandmyshadow:

I don't think that ther is much question that even at that length, you will get a better picture with scart than with coax.  But it does seem to be a lot to pay for a scart cable regardless of quality, especially when you could buy a sky box for £99 granted it's not Sky+ but if you get it as part of a multi-room package there is even a chance that they will do an offer where you get a Sk+ box with a big subsidy.

As for the IR blaster, personally if I was spending nearly £300 on a scart cable I would not be soldering anything to it.  Instead buy some masterlink (ML) or I don't see why you can't use Cat 5 or 6 for the same purpose which would be a cheaper option.

What I would say before you go buying you scart cable, make the IR cable and test it, otherwise you could be parting with a large chunk of your hard earned for very little gain.

Good luck

Good advice i will try the IR extender first of all, could i just get a 3.5 jack male to female lead to use as an extender on the existing one to test?

Also i know the addition of a Sky box multiroom would be ideal but i need planning permision as live in a rented apartment. 

I suggest you shop around a bit! Try here! Or here! Or even here! I don't believe in spending huge amounts on cables - get one which is decently shielded and fully wired. And if it has locking scarts , even better!

Peter :

I suggest you shop around a bit! Try here! Or here! Or even here! I don't believe in spending huge amounts on cables - get one which is decently shielded and fully wired. And if it has locking scarts , even better!

 

I take it locking scarts are one where the end can be removed? Which is what i need really to save drilling a massive hole in the wall! 

No Bert, I think locking scarts means they don't work lose from behind the TV, Especially handy for B&O TVs that rotate.

Andy T.