Considering Virgin - 'Magic Eye' Essential

[PieOPah]

Currently I have Sky with a Magic Eye running to the bedroom.

This consists of a cable (co-ax? - ariel cable) running from downstairs connect to the sky box which then plugs into a little box to send the IR signal.

I want to move to Virgin to save myself money. Because of this, I don't want to pay the £9 a month for a second box.

Having read around, I know that there is currently no Virgin specific solution like Sky has, but I also know that there are products that will let me do what I want.

So, what is the best solution with my current setup? I don't want to have to add any different cabling. Is it possible to watch AND control virgin from a different room?

Any and all help appreciated.

Many thanks.

[SMG]

There are video senders on the market that will do the job, however, the Virgin remote uses a different signal than sky. Unless someone else can help, I don't know of any remote "signal" sender that will accept the Virgin remotes.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by SMG

There are video senders on the market that will do the job, however, the Virgin remote uses a different signal than sky. Unless someone else can help, I don't know of any remote "signal" sender that will accept the Virgin remotes.

This only applies to the early pace boxes. The later pace boxes (and all later V and V+ boxes) use standard protocols.


For the others, have a look at http://www.redremote.co.uk

[PieOPah]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

This only applies to the early pace boxes. The later pace boxes (and all later V and V+ boxes) use standard protocols.

So in your opinion, what would be the best solution?

[SMG]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

This only applies to the early pace boxes. The later pace boxes (and all later V and V+ boxes) use standard protocols.


For the others, have a look at http://www.redremote.co.uk

Thanks Stuart,

Pie,
In that case, any good A/V sender & the red eye will do.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by PieOPah

So in your opinion, what would be the best solution?

Consult redremote.co.uk. If your box is one of those listed on the site, you need their device to make an AV sender work. If it's not, a standard AV sender should work.

[Bob]

Add SA4000 & SA4200 to the list of incompatible remotes (they can be made compatible with the Red Remote solution linked to above).

I got a really cheap set from Argos (around £25) a few years ago - worked brilliantly

[PieOPah]

I will wait until I have my Virgin Box then and see what I get.

In the meantime, I should at least still be able to use my Sky Box for Freeview....

[Bob]

I'm pretty confident Reading is an original NTL area so you can go out and buy any AV sender you like and it will work

Side note: If only there was a copy of that map which used to tell you which areas were ex-ntl and ex-cwc...

[PieOPah]

Forgive my ignorance, but what has Reading being ex NTL got to do with the type of AV Sender I would use?

---------- Post added at 15:16 ---------- Previous post was at 14:32 ----------

Would this be sufficient without the need of anything else?

Thanks,

[Bob]

I don't know how familiar you are with the history of cable in the UK.

Basically before 2000 there were three cable companies deploying different STBs: Cable&Wireless (CWC), NTL & Telewest.

Both Telewest and Cable&Wireless deployed boxes and remotes using a less common infra-red protocol called IDRA (Pace 1000s, 2000s & 4000s in both and Scientific Atlanta SA4000 & SA4200 in Telewest only).

NTL deployed boxes and remotes that used the much more common RC5 infra-red protocol (Pace 4001s and 4010s)

The various mergers (NTL & CWC and then NTL & Telewest) have left a legacy of boxes with different protocols.

Some boxes and remotes depolyed since to all areas use the more common RC5 protocol (Samsungs, silver Paces & TVDrives/V+s). I say some because some refurbed older models do their rounds.

If you are in an ex-NTL area you hopefully see why there is no problem whichever AV sender you pick, and in contrast, you can see why it is harder to advise if you are in an ex-Telewest or ex-CWC area.

As for your second question I don't know - I'm not too familiar with that system. Hopefully someone will be able to advise

[PieOPah]

Thanks for that info Bob.

I'd hope that I get something compatible. Fortunately I do have the fallback option of having freeview through my Sky Box

[RamJet]

I've been down this road

I found that the TriStar £27 Video sender acts as an excellent 'redeye' - it's got 3 infra red senders so you can control eg DVD VCR etc as well as the Virgin STB or V+

check this out
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...DEO+SENDER.htm

can also be used to send a very good video channel eg what's on the TV or the RF output of the V+ box

a real winner in my view - if it doesn't work for you you can always get your money back

RJ

ps what they say on the argos page isn't true - mine worked for both STB and the V+ box as a IR sender - I even bought a second remote control which I leave in location 2 !

[PieOPah]

Does that TriStar AV Sender need to have line of site to the V+ box? Wouldn't want somthing that looks that big sitting infront of my TV stand...

[RamJet]

no

I've got it hidden behind one of those ferny houseplants

it has quite a long cable with 3 yes 3 mini IR senders I use a small blob of blutac to keep them in place pointed towards 1. V+ box 2. DVD recorder 3. VCR etc etc I really don't notice the small IR senders

in location 2 I put the other TriStar thingy next to the TV - because you have to be able to point the V+ remote towards it