So the following blog has been taken directly from a Trainee guide written for our employees. I apologise for recycling content but as this has already been written for someone that has no idea what he is doing (he is still learning bless him, I’m not being critical) It means that anyone can pick it up and go with it.

There are some tips at the end in case you run into any bother, but by all means LEAVE A COMMENT at the bottom and I will do my best to help you.

Tom Smart

Here is your guide.

HOW TO INSTALL A REMOTE EYE FOR SKY BOX

Please use then following guide to show you how to install a remote eye to be able to view and control a Sky box in a second room. To be able to do this to more rooms you will need to install an amplifier or splitter that allows ‘DC pass’ from the input to the outputs. Please note that this method is not compatible with the latest Sky Q boxes as the necessary connections are not available on the box.

Tools you will need

Sky box with RF2 output

Stanley knife

Side cutters

Materials you will need

Remote eye

Coax plugs

Coax coaxial couplers

Coaxial cable (WF100 type)

i/0 link – For Sky boxes without RF2 output but a i/0 link connection instead

Process

1) First begin by identifying whether your Sky box already has an RF2 output connection, for the later models of the Sky+HD boxes this was removed and an i/0 link connection was installed instead. Where this is the case insert the i/0 link.

2) Where the customer has a TV aerial connection beside their Sky box, route the aerial input cable into the Sky box on the aerial input or the aerial input or the i/0 link connector. This is the female plug part where a male coaxial plug must be inserted. This will allow the TV aerial signal to be viewed in the other rooms as well as the Sky box signal.

You will then need to install an aerial loop cable between the Sky box or i/0 link and the TV beside the Sky box. This is a lead that as a male connection on one end and a male coaxial plug on the other end. This will allow the aerial signal to continue to supply the TV.

3) Install a coaxial plug on one end of the coaxial cable and insert a coax coupler plug and plug into the RF2 output on the Sky box or i/0 link connector, where routing cables through walls to reach other rooms this should be done first before putting the plug on the cable so that the cable can be routed through the hole.

4) Install the cable between the Sky box and the second room where the second TV is and fit a coaxial or F plug onto the other end, depending on what connection is on the remote eye itself. Again the cable must be route through the wall before installing the connector.

5) Plug the cable into the remote eye, the sensor part of the eye needs to sit in somewhere in view of the front of the TV so the infra red commands from the Sky remote can be relayed back to the Sky box.

6) Back in first room by the Sky box. Put the Sky box so it is visible in the TV screen.

- Press ‘Services’ This will take you to services screen

- Press ‘0, 0, 1, select’ This will take you into the hidden installer menu

- Scroll across to RF outlets

- Scroll down and pick a free RF channel, this should be changed from the factory present of 68 to something below 60 and ideally below 59 and away from neighboring transmitter frequnecies as this part of the UHF spectrum has been sold to 4G which can interfere with the signal.

- Turn RF Outlet Power Supply to On

- Press Green to save new settings

7) Go back to second room and check that the LED light on the remote eye is now brightly on. If this is not go back and check your connections as it’s possible you either have a cable short, broken connector or the cable has been wrongly inserted into the RF1 output instead of the RF2 output.

8) Go to the analogue setting on the TV and either manually tune to the channel number you previously set the Sky box or perform an auto scan on the TV.

Where an aerial has been connected into the Sky box first, you will also need to perform a Digital TV scan.

9) With the Sky remote check that the remote eye is working and that the Sky box turns over the second room. Once this has confirmed you can stick the IR sensor in position, try to pick a position that is discreet such as the underside of the TV but still viewable with the remote. You should check with the customer to agree the position with them first or give them the option of sticking it down themselves.

TIPS

Where the picture is very grainy

The picture will always be a little grainy when compared to digital picture which we have now become accustomed to as the analogue signal will never look as good unless on an older style TV. But where it is very bad you will need to spend some time changing the RF outlet channel setting on the Sky box (step 4) and then retuning the TV in the second room. (step 7)

If a clear channel cannot be found, this may be to do with a noisy aerial signal entering the Sky box in the first room, try dis-connecting the from the Sky box and then testing in the second room. If this helps you will need to “clean up” the aerial signal before it enters the Sky box. This can be done by removing any unnecessary amplification, attenuating very strong signals and filtering out any unwanted signals which may be drifting in form nearby transmitters. A recommended method it to install a bandpass filter on the aerial signal to allow the signals we want through and cutting out unwanted signals. Then placing the Sky RF out to a channel on a frequency that the filter had “cleaned up”.

Where running the Sky signal in more than one room

To do this you will need to intercept that cable that feeds the second TV and install an TV aerial amplifier that allows DC pass or install a DC passing splitter, the splitter MUST be able to pass a DC voltage from the inputs to the outputs as most models are diode protected and pass a voltage from the output to the input. It may make sense running the cables to a central position such as the loft and install the amplifier in this location.

If there is no mains power in this central location, a line power amplifier version with DC pass could be installed. When using an i/0 link a separate power supply may also need to be installed as the i/0 link itself may not supply enough power to power the amplifier and the eyes.