Creating a HPTC - advice required

funkey_monkey

Hello,

We are in the process of installing a TV setup in a new build. There are 5 TV points in the property and each one is serviced by 2 sat connections, phone connection and a network connection.
These all feed back into a centralised comms room.

The rooms are divided into 2 living rooms and 3 bedrooms. The TV's in the property are all LG TV's with their own built in tuners. The two living rooms have similar LG TV's (LG 49UJ670V & LG 55UJ670V). One Bedroom has a much older LG and the other rooms are not equipped with TV.

We are trying to install the Sky Variety package including the Irish channels available on Saorsat.
The desire is to have the Sky Variety (or equivalent) plus Irish stations in both living rooms. Ideally with the option to view recordings in both locations. It would be even better if the interface across the rooms could be standardised. Preferences is for all boxes to be centralised.


Currently our options are:

• SkyQ (main room) + Sky Q mini (second living room - gives the option to move to other rooms as required) + Freesat in bedrooms
• SkyQ (main room) + Freesat/Saorsat combination in other rooms
• HPTC setup to replicate Sky Variety

As the main occupants in the property will be pensioners I don't want to install something complex for them in terms of maintenance and especially usability.

I've already posted about this on the Satellite forum (New Build - Satellite TV Installation queries).


As they are elderly one of them requested the ability to view the Sky channels in the bedroom if they were unwell. However, I'm not sure how much of a 'must have' as opposed to a 'nice to have'. If I was going for a HPTC setup them I would expect the install to be consistent throughout the property.

Can you help me define a suitable alternative here for Sky Variety?

jester77

Can't really help you too much with the TV setup as I am not familiar with sky variety. Is the cabling already done?

1 ethernet point is very limiting, especially if you want to also setup a HTPC. Your TV or sky box will already be using that 1 point, and streaming over wi-fi can have issues. I have 6 points behind my main TV and they are all used. If the people that will be using it are not too tech-minded it could be potentially frustrating when streaming.

When you say HTPC, do you want to build a an actual PC? I used to have this and always having to keep it updated just got annoying. I now have an Apple TV and it is idiot proof and very easy to use. Sky ticket, Amazon Prime, Netflix are all available over it and they would easily provide plenty of entertainment. Android TV is also a good option and provides much the same level of service.

I only went with the apple tv as itunes is far superior than google play when it comes to purchasing movies/tv shows here in Germany. Might be different in Ireland.

Plex is also a good option, it now supports live TV. You can connect DVB-T or DVB-C devices to the network and plex will pick them up and make them available for viewing across the whole network. It does require a premium subscription though.

funkey_monkey

jester77 wrote: »

Can't really help you too much with the TV setup as I am not familiar with sky variety. Is the cabling already done?

Yes, cabling is complete.

1 ethernet point is very limiting, especially if you want to also setup a HTPC. Your TV or sky box will already be using that 1 point, and streaming over wi-fi can have issues. I have 6 points behind my main TV and they are all used. If the people that will be using it are not too tech-minded it could be potentially frustrating when streaming.

I could use a network switch to extend the single point, if necessary. Or Home plugs. My aim/hope/desire is to have all the boxes held in the comms room so that there is minimal additional devices at the TV points, reducing the need for a vast number of points in each room.

When you say HTPC, do you want to build a an actual PC? I used to have this and always having to keep it updated just got annoying. I now have an Apple TV and it is idiot proof and very easy to use. Sky ticket, Amazon Prime, Netflix are all available over it and they would easily provide plenty of entertainment. Android TV is also a good option and provides much the same level of service.

Yes, the maintenance of the system is why I want something simple that the elderly parents can use. Continually messing about with something is not what I want.

I was actually thinking of using an Enigma2 box as suggested in the other thread. However, I'm at a bit of a loss in relation to the architecture of getting this system put into place.

Johnboy1951

My preference as you now know is for an IP distribution over the LAN cable from a central media press, but I am only interested in Free to Air, and trying to integrate some Sky channels into that would be difficult.

I have ignored all the tuners in the TVs, and I use a cheap client box at each one running Kodi and connected via HDMI to the TVs.
The Kodi channel list and EPG is done in the backend, and propagated to the clients, so all TVs see the same thing.

Each TV can start a recording and it is stored in the media press backend.
All client devices - at TVs as well as phones, tablets and laptops & PCs can access all live and stored content.

I arranged the channel list to suit 'the boss' and once she is happy all is well.

I have not yet set up a bouquet for my channels, but am presently investigating that and sorting out what I need to do to get the channels in her preferred order. When that is done I should have little or no maintenance as channel frequency changes will be automatically followed.

I use for the most part very low powered devices, particularly for clients, and use a discarded old Dell PC to house some tuners and HDD for recordings etc. I added a 4 tuner Digibit R1 Sat>IP device for extra tuners recently which is working out well. The backend server manages all tuner functions and allocates tuners as required to the clients needs.

The big question is:
What do they mean when they say watch 'Sky' in the bedroom?
Do they really mean Satellite channels or do they mean specific Sky exclusive channels?
Most people I meet seem to equate Sky with Satellite and do not seem to realise that the vast majority of channels on the basic 'Sky system' are actually Free to Air satellite channels. Of course the extra channels such as sport, box office, films etc which cost extra are all Sky exclusive.

Once set up it is definitely easy to manage, change or modify, because most all of the system is in the media press.
I do any changes I want over LAN connection, so very easy access etc.

While this system is not for everybody, I am very glad I changed to it a few years ago, and am very happy with how it has behaved and worked.

funkey_monkey

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

The big question is:
What do they mean when they say watch 'Sky' in the bedroom?
Do they really mean Satellite channels or do they mean specific Sky exclusive channels?
Most people I meet seem to equate Sky with Satellite and do not seem to realise that the vast majority of channels on the basic 'Sky system' are actually Free to Air satellite channels. Of course the extra channels such as sport, box office, films etc which cost extra are all Sky exclusive.

They really mean the Satellite channels. They don't really watch Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Sky Movies etc.
Only really care about Discovery & Nat Geo.

Johnboy1951

funkey_monkey wrote: »

They really mean the Satellite channels. They don't really watch Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Sky Movies etc.
Only really care about Discovery & Nat Geo.

Neither Discovery nor Nat Geo are Free to Air channels, unfortunately.
They come under the Sky subscription.