Technomatic UHF digital modulator for Sky Q box

[M100pgc]

I am thinking of replacing my Sky + box system with a Q box but my current system distributes the signal to 3 other rooms via the plug in UHF modulator. I do this with an HDMI splitter box and run cables to 2 other rooms so can get HD quality picture in them. Also have a UHF splitter box that sends the terrestial TV signal to all 4 sets and use magic eyes on all of them to control the Sky box. One room is to far for HDMI cable run so just use the modulated analogue signal from the Sky box and quality is acceptable.

As Q box has no optional moculator  thinking of using the Technomatic digital modulator with inbuilt IR magic eye in place of the Sky modulator which of course will no longer work. Plan to use IR signal to the Q box and have individual remotes in each room.

Now should have HD in every room and basically same sytem as have today.

What could possibly go wrong???

Any one done this or have experence of Technomatic?

Regards,

Peter

[PandJ2020]

Silly question - why change?  I can only see it giving problems.

Obviously only the one (same) channel can be distributed.  I'm wondering if HDCP is going to be an issue on the Q?

Sky have a solution for this with mini-boxes - lots of extra functionality but obviously at some cost.

[M100pgc]

I went ahead and purchased a Technomatic TM-RF IR box and it is fantastic.

The Q box installation went great and I simply feed the HDMI output to this  box, it has HDMI out which connects to main TV. The UHF cable then goes to distrubution bocx and on each of the 4 outputs have my old magic eye's.

The UHF cable carries the HD digital channel and is easy to tune into. I think it is difficult to tell difference between this and the HDMI image so could get rid of my HDMI splitted altogether ( pity it was expensive!)

I did need to buy a 3 output IR sender on Amazon for £3.50! so could send signel to Q box, AV amp or DVD via any magic eyes. This just plugs into the 3.5mm  Technomate in place of its own.

Each of the 3 other rooms now have there own IR remote found on E bay at very low cost and match the Bluetooth remote very well so no confusion on buttons.

This was one of the best updates I have ever done but admit only good if you are happy with same program on in each room.

I was very reluctant to upgade from the HD+ as thought would have problems with distribution to other rooms but this has not been the case

[Doc5907]

@M100pgc  Find it difficult to imagine 4 different people in 4 rooms wanting to watch exctly the same program at same time BUT.. it obviously works for you otherwise you wouldn't have done it... so good for you !

[Ccb85]

Hey,

I'm interested in your setup. I currently have a sky plus box and want to upgrade to sky q. My setup is similar, 1 sky box and I use a magic eye to change the channel in 3 different rooms (same channel).

What equipment did you require for your setup? I'm going to purchase the Technomatic TM-RF IR box, will my current magic eyes work with the sky q box or will I need something different? Also, am I missing anything else to get the same setup as yourself? 

Appreciate your feedback.

[M100pgc]

For me this has proved to be an excellent device and the system has worked very well. After some tests I found that the picture quality of the digital UHF signal was almost as good as the HDMI signal so simplified the system by removing the HDMI distribution box and sendin the other 3 TV.s a UHF signal only. 

I now feed the Q box HDMI signal directly to the Technomatic box and has this has passthrough so can now feed this to my Main TV via the AV amp. Note it will only pass through 2K signal and not 4K but do not pay the extra for Sky HD option anyway. Have checked cables are all 4K but Sky Q box refuses to change to higher output unless cable is direct to TV.

One nice feature of Q box is will allow you to switch off Dolby sound on the HDMI output but allow it on the optical output which I use to feed my AV amp for full surround sound.

None of my other TV's need surround sound so no issue

The old magic eyes work very well, I purchased a new 3 ouput lead for the Technomate (£3.50!) and this controls the Q Box, AV amp and DVD. my only niggle is the 0.5s delay for the command to be sent which needs to be allowed for.

For a bonus can send signal from my new Broadlink smart IR tramsmitter in the bedroom to switch on the Q box plus the bedroom TV in the morning via Alexa.

[Ccb85]

Hi,

I got my SKY Q installed today and just about managed to setup the modulator. I can watch sky in different rooms and change the channel via magic eye, but I can't get normal digitla TV? When I scan for channels, only the SKY channel will appear (BBC, ITV etc don'tappear).

Did you face this issue or do I have to play about with the settings again?

Thanks for your feedback.

[Nige159]

Have you got your TV aerial connected to the RF input ( one of the F-type connectors on the Technomate) ? Your problem suggests that the TV aerial signal is not being combined with the Sky signal (from the HDMI output from the Sky Q box). 

[Ccb85]

Hi,

I have my aerial going into RF IN, HDMI from sky Q into HDMI In.

I'm lost to the reason for this not working.

[TFenton1]

Hi

I have a similar issue and wondered if anyone can help?

I have Sky Q > HDMI Splitter > Output #1: Main TV, Output #2: Technomate Modulator > From Modulator COAX > Distribution AMP > Second TV.

I managed to get it to work so I know it can, but I regularly get on second TV “Check signal from TM-RF HD”.

Any ideas why?

[eab7776]

Hi I'm going to try the exact same setup as M100pgc

I will have a main SKYQ box in the living room, and I will just want to watch the same Sky channel on 2 other TVs (bedroom and kitchen), just as I did before with SKY+ HD 

(dont need them to be on HD or on a separate channel)

So I'll be getting the Technomatic TM-RF IR  modulator device as recommended by you.

To continue to use my existing magic eyes on the other TVs, I assume I'll just need some new SkyQ remote controls which I can get from Amazon/ebay.

Will I need anything else?

Thanks,

Alex

[M100pgc]

Your do need to get new Sky Q box remotes as the old Sky HD+ ones do not work.  You do not need to pay extra for Blue tooth version as you would have to switch it off anyway and of course voice activation will not be available .  Plenty on E bay at very cheap price. 

Only downside is that there is a slight delay of 0.5 seconds for commands to reach the Sky Q box so searching at X30 can be a bit tricky.

[eab7776]

That's ok I can definitely cope with a slight delay, not a problem!

Another question, currently I also am able to watch digital freeview in the kitchen and bedroom (the sky channel is analog). Will I be able to continue watching freeview in these rooms (in case simeone is already in the lounge watching sky)?

Last question, is the technomate TM-RF HD IR going to be the only piece of hardware (apart from extra remotes) that I'll need? Or will I need anything else? (Any other cables/splitters etc?)

many thanks,

Alex

[M100pgc]

I do not use the terrestial signal at all as have a poor signal but you are able to plug one in and will distribute this as  normal Freeview channels, The Technomatic adds a new channel (Default 800) which contains the Sky signal in full HD on it from the HDMI input. If you have any issues you can alter the Channel number but I have never needed to change anything from the default setting.

You mention other equipment, of course you need a terrestial (UHF) amplifier / splitter box that you feed directly from the Technomatic UHF output and then take each output to the relevent rooms. Make sure it has a bypass to allow the control signal to pass though and should also provide the power for the magic eye.

I suggest you use the technomatic HDMI output (pass through) to feed your main TV directly although the signal quality is little changed (much to my suprise) from the UHF one.

I will mention that the Q box does not recognise the Technomatic as 4K so will only send the 2K signal out, but I will not pay the extra for this and have superb 4k signal and better sound via my 4K fire stick via Prime  but that is another story.

Regards,

Peter

[eab7776]

Thanks everyone for your replies and support with this. 
For now I've cancelled my skyQ order and will stick with the current setup which is working as we want it.
Seems a lot of expense to only have a box which ony really enables me to record more channels at once.

I already have Netflix/prime/Disney+ anyway, so don't think I can justify the expense on buying extra hardware to get my main skyQ box displaying on 2 other TVs, when it's already working now with my current setup.

do you think I made the right decision in cancellation the install of SkyQ?

thanks,

Alex