Multiple Sky HD boxes with Magic Eye link to same TV - Remote Control setup

[Rawdon51]

Hi all. First post so please be gentle! Complicated one to explain. I have 2 hd boxes, one in lounge, second in the "family room". Coax throughout the house back to a Philex distribution amp in the loft. Each bedroom tv is capable of receiving pictures from either hd box through RF2 link by either switching to analogue channel 6 or 7 respectively. Magic eye receiver on each bedroom tv, and each room has 2 sky remotes - one to control lounge hd box through magic eye, one to control family room box. One of the remotes was broken and I have bought a replacement. However it isn't working! I cannot for the life in me remember "programming" remotes in each room so that one controls the lounge hd box, one the family room box, but I suppose I must have done otherwise each RC would be controlling both boxes simultaneously wouldn't it?! Any thoughts on what I need to do please? Also would I be better getting a programmable RC to replace 2 * sky RCs in each room, and if so any idea of cheap but decent options? Thanks. Jon.

[Isitme]

Have you tried the remote directly controlling the HD boxes?

There must be a way to do it, as you have been, but I thought an HD remote would control any HD box and could not be configured to control one specific box. I will be interesting in seeing a 'real' solution to your problem.

[Rawdon51]

Hi Isitme. OK, here goes!

- The "bedroom" remotes (standard Sky remotes as far as I'm aware) control each box through the magic eyes (any of the magic eyes, any bedroom). We have a black "HD" remote and a slightly older grey "Sky+" remote in each room, the former controls the family room box, the latter the lounge box. Oh, and yes, both boxes ARE standard HD boxes. Originally one was HD and one was Sky+ but we swapped the Sky+ box out some time ago.

- The bedroom remotes DO NOT work directly in front of the boxes, i.e. take them down to the lounge & family room and they do not change channel, display guide etc.

- The "native" lounge & family room sky remotes DO NOT work through the magic eyes when they are taken up to the bedrooms

I established this setup with a friend who I'm out of contact with right now, and it's possible (probable) he did something "clever" when I wasn't looking.....can't find any "programming sky remotes" info other than TV codes anywhere though....

[Isitme]

It is a bit complicated isn't it. Maybe one of the TV gurus like Ken will pick your thread up and make a contribution, I am afraid I am lost..

[Woodster]

I think you need to set the RCUs up to work an HD box. Press Yellow and select together for 2 secs, then press 1 for a HD box, 2 for a sky+ box or 3 for a standard box (I think, it may be a different order), then select again.
Another thought, you may have an SPC or an SPC4 in your setup, in which case you will need to assign each remote to a port on the SPC4. Since you only have 2 boxes, it would be Blue and Select together, then press 0 for port 1 and then select, then Blue and Select again followed by 1 for port 2 and then select again.

[Rawdon51]

Woodster - after reading your response and in the first place thinking "....you have GOT to be joking!...." (...I've been in IT for 20 years and didn't understand a lot of what you were saying) I opened up the loft an indeed there sat an SPC4f by Global Invacom. Don't remember buying it, installing it or even seeing it there before, but there you go!! So I think you've put me on the right track with that so many thanks and I'll let you know how I go on.

[Kenedin]

SkyEye Multi HD - FAQ