Little help to a newbie

[SkavenUK]

Hi guys,
I registered the other day just to see what all this fuss is about on the sky one thing!

Anyways, to the point - if anyone could answer this i'd be very greatful!
To cut a long story short, we've had analogue cable for the past 10 years or so, and still have the old style 99 channel black boxes with the dimmly lit green lcd display - remote doesn't work anymore <grin>. As our roof aerial is compleatly broken all our tv's in the house are currently running off the main tv cable box using a Y-splitter. The tv's can all get the terrestrial channels 1-5, and the odd cable channel like sky news (well, not that now obviously :P) whist still being able to pick up the channel that the cable box is currently tuned to.
My question is, can I still use this setup If I conveted and went for a digital package? or am I going to be forced into paying the extra £10 a month or whatever it is to be able to view any kind of tv such as the terrestrial etc in any of my other rooms? Ive searched the forum for similar posts but can't seem to find anything similar.

Thanks alot in advance!

[DrXerox]

I have had cable tv almost from its launch in this area and quickly moved to digital when it was available.

My current digi box, which is the older Pace type, has an RF output (aerial socket). I use this and a splitter to send terrestrial channels around the house.

Not sure if the newer Samsung boxes have the same output but I don't think the V+ boxes do. I'm sure someone will confirm.

[dontpannic]

Originally Posted by DrXerox

I have had cable tv almost from its launch in this area and quickly moved to digital when it was available.

My current digi box, which is the older Pace type, has an RF output (aerial socket). I use this and a splitter to send terrestrial channels around the house.

Not sure if the newer Samsung boxes have the same output but I don't think the V+ boxes do. I'm sure someone will confirm.

All Virgin boxes have RF out, but it's only a passthrough - i.e. you need an aerial going in first. You used to be able to do this with an analogue bypass, but you may as well go for digital multiroom, as analogue transmissions (especially over cable) will be stopping in digital areas pretty soon (2 years?). If I remember correctly you could do this with an "analogue bypass" bolted on to the back of the digital box - whether it's still available I don't know - probably worth asking the engineer when he comes to install your digital box.

If not, aerials are very cheap and easy to install, but with the imminent analogue switchoff, it's probably better to install an external aerial for freeview boxes in other rooms. Good to start thinking and planning this now rather than being caught short in a few years time...

Nick

[DrXerox]

Originally Posted by dontpannic

All Virgin boxes have RF out, but it's only a passthrough - i.e. you need an aerial going in first. You used to be able to do this with an analogue bypass, but you may as well go for digital multiroom, as analogue transmissions (especially over cable) will be stopping in digital areas pretty soon (2 years?). If I remember correctly you could do this with an "analogue bypass" bolted on to the back of the digital box - whether it's still available I don't know - probably worth asking the engineer when he comes to install your digital box.

If not, aerials are very cheap and easy to install, but with the imminent analogue switchoff, it's probably better to install an external aerial for freeview boxes in other rooms. Good to start thinking and planning this now rather than being caught short in a few years time...

Nick

I don't have a terrestrial aerial on my property so I am getting the analogue signals from the cable feed. This comes out of the Pace box via the ""analogue bypass" bolted on to the back.
I suspect that this will stop sooner or later and so will have to make other arrangements.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Virgin Media have stopped fitting the analogue bypass to any STBs that are installed or replaced. If you have an analogue bypass and need it, make sure you hold on to it when an engineer arrives. However one day, the analogue services over cable will be turned off and the passthrough becomes redundant. It's ini anticipation of that they are no longer supplied.

Realistically, to get back to the OP's question, if you currently have analogue, with passthrough for the terrestrial channels 1-5, you will loose that passthrough ability with any upgrade to digital. At that point then, if you don't have an abiity to do an external terrestrial aerial your best option would be to try an indoor aerial, or alternatively have more than one digital STB installed.

[SkavenUK]

Sorry for the late reply.

Thanks for all the responces, guess it looks like i'll be having to pay the old multiroom subscription then