If you’re signed up to Sky’s digital TV service, you may be considering connecting Sky to other rooms in your house. We explain the options.
Watching Sky in multiple rooms…
If you’re considering getting Sky in different rooms of your house, there are basically three ways you can do this:
- Connect your Sky box to a second TV with high-quality co-ax aerial cable, or
- Connect your Sky box to a second TV with a wireless video sender, or
- Get an extra Sky box for the second TV set
Next, we’ll explain all of the options:
Option 1: Connect your Sky Digibox to a second TV set with aerial cable
Upside: With this option, you won’t need to get an extra set-top box, or get an extra subscription to Sky.- Downside: You have to run an aerial lead through your house to the other TV.
- Downside: A Sky box can only display one thing at a time. You will only be able to watch whatever the main Sky box is showing (i.e. you can’t watch one Sky channel in one room, and a different Sky channel in another).
For this option, you will need to run co-ax aerial cable from the back of your Sky box to the back of the second TV set. Ideally, you should try to use high-quality double-screen co-ax aerial cable to reduce interference.
You can buy extension kits in different lengths at Maplin and Argos. See below for an example of an extension kit.
Pictured: TV aerial extension kits (15 or 25 metres) under £20 from Maplin.co.uk
If you don’t want to use an aerial extension kit, you will need to use a suitable length of co-ax aerial cable, a bag of cleats to nail the aerial cable to your skirting board and a co-ax aerial plug for each end.
Once you have the aerial lead in place, on the back of the Sky box, you will find two aerial output sockets, labeled RF1 and RF2. Connect one end of your aerial extension lead to the RF2 socket, and the other end to the second TV set.
The RF2 socket at the back of a Sky+HD box
With the connection in place, the last step is to tune the second TV into the output of the Sky box. By default, your Sky box should be broadcasting on Channel 68, so tune a spare preset on your telly to that channel, and you should be in business.
More than one TV? If you want to connect to more than one TV, consider a splitter or booster:
 Aerial Splitter. Handy for splitting a single aerial to feed two TVs. Available from Maplin |  Aerial Booster with multiple outputs, handy if you get signal loss over a long cable run. Available from Maplin |
Problems?
If you can’t tune your TV in, or you need to change the default channel number that the Sky box uses, you can check the RF output settings from a hidden menu option on your Sky box:
- Press ‘Services’ on the Sky remote, then type 4 0 1 and press ‘Select’ (HD boxes: ‘Services’ , 0 0 1 then ‘Select’)
- Select the “RF outlets” option
- Change the RF channel number to a number of your choosing (between 21 and 68). It’s important not to clash with a TV service on the same number. If you find that one of your TV channels goes fuzzy, change the RF channel number again.
The RF Outlets setting on a Sky+HD box
Also note that if you’re feeding to lots of TV sets, or have a very long cable run, you may need either a splitter or booster to allow you to split and amplify the aerial co-ax output, without too much quality loss.
Changing Channels with a Sky TV Link…
If you’ve made an aerial connection from your Sky box to a second TV, the next thing you may want to do, is be able to change channels on your Sky box remotely from the second room.
To do this, get a Sky TV Link/Eye. This plugs in between the aerial cable and your second TV set, and has a little infrared eye that you position near your TV. When you point a Sky remote at the eye, the signal shoots down the aerial wire to the Sky box, and changes channel.
Sky TV Links are available from Maplin or Argos (as are spare Sky remote controls).
Full details on how to use one of these on our Sky TV Link FAQ
Option 2: Connect your Sky Digibox to a second TV wirelessly
- Upside: With this option, you won’t need to get an extra set-top box, or get an extra subscription to Sky.
- Downside: A Sky box can only display one thing at a time. You will only be able to watch whatever the main Sky box is showing (i.e. you can’t watch one Sky channel in one room, and a different Sky channel in another).
With this option, you don’t need to run cables. Get a Wireless Video Sender kit, which has a transmitter and receiver. These connect to a spare SCART socket on your Sky box, and a SCART socket on your second TV set.
Wireless AV senders are available from Maplin.co.uk.
See our Video Senders page for more on AV senders.
Option 3: Get a second Sky Box
Getting a second Sky box for the other room is normally the more expensive option, but it does give you the flexibility to watch a different digital TV channel in each room.
- Upside: You can watch one Sky channel in one room, and a different Sky channel in the other room.
- Upside: Sky will come and hook it all up for you – no effort on your part.
- Downside: You will have to take out a Multiroom subscription for each extra box.
To get a second Sky box, you’ll need to order Sky Multiroom. There will be an installation fee and a monthly Multiroom subscription – For current prices, or to order Sky Multiroom, go to sky.com/shop/boxes/sky-multiroom
With Sky Multiroom, you will have a separate Sky box for each room. Each box will be cabled to your satellite dish. You won’t need a second dish – it’s possible to have up to eight boxes running from each dish (the dish has to be fitted with an Octo LNB. Sky+ and Sky+HD boxes need two feeds from the dish, which means that one dish can’t support more than four Sky+ boxes, or eight standard Sky boxes. More on LNBs.
More details at sky.com/shop/boxes/sky-multiroom
Your questions answered
Q. How do I get HD from my Sky+HD box into a second room?
The RF output is not capable of sending HD, neither is SCART, so a video sender is out of the question. Your two options are
- Run an HDMI cable to the second TV (a long cable run will be very expensive) – as the Sky+HD box only has one HDMI out, you will need an HDMI splitter, or
- Go for Sky Multiroom and get a second HD box installed.
Q. Can I change channels if my Sky box is in another room?
Yes. You have two options – use a Sky TV Link (connected via a co-ax cable between the TV and Sky box), or get a wireless remote control extender.
Q. My Magic Eye TV link is not working!
Here are some things to check:
- Socket: Make sure that you have connected the TV Link to the RF2 socket on your Sky box, as the RF1 socket is not powered.
- Power: You must ensure that the RF2 socket has the power turned on to it. This is a setting in the secret engineers menu. To get to this, press ‘Services’ on the Sky remote control, then type 4 0 1 and press ‘Select’. (Sky+HD boxes, it’s ‘Services’ > 0 0 1 > ‘Select’). Go to RF Outlets, and tun on the power to RF2
- Booster? Some users may have problems if using a signal booster and a Magic Eye TV link, as these can block commands from the Sky RF2 socket. Look for a booster with a Digital Bypass
- Last resort: If you still have no luck, check that the cables are connected correctly, power off the Sky box and try again
HELP? – Got a question on getting Sky in another room? Ask in our satellite TV forum
On our other pages:
- Satellite TV in the UK – General information on services in the UK
- Free Satellite TV – A summary of what’s available for free
- Subscription-free TV – What can you get for free
- Sky Digital – Details on what Sky’s pay-TV service has to offer
- UK Satellite TV forum – Talk about satellite TV in the UK
FAQs
Can I have Sky in two rooms? ›
For a fee added to your monthly subscription, you can activate Sky in more than more room, and the digital feeds are separate, so you can have different channels on at the same time. You will need at least one Sky Q Mini box, as well as your main Sky Q 1TB, Sky Q 1TB UHD box or 2TB Box.
Can I watch Sky Q in different rooms? ›Sky Q Multiscreen is a paid-for add-on available with a Sky Q TV subscription that enables you to watch your Sky TV content in more than one room of your home. It costs extra on top of your Sky TV package and comes with one Sky Q Mini box as standard so you can watch TV in a second room of your choice.
How can I watch Sky in another room without paying? ›Unfortunately, there's no way that you can get Sky Q multiroom without paying the additional monthly fee. Although there are alternatives for you to consider, the way that multiroom is set up makes it impossible to hack or trick your way into a free service. What is this?
How can I watch Sky Q in another room without multiroom? ›Re: Sky Q mini without multiroom Subscriptions for Single home occupant. You can use the sky q remote control app on your phone. It hooks up to the same WiFi as your sky box so as long as your WiFi reaches your other room whatever you press on your phone will happen on your second tv.
How do you distribute Sky Q around the house? ›- 1- The Sky playback system no longer works. ...
- 2- Sky Multi-room boxes can no longer be used. ...
- Distribute Sky Q Wirelessly. ...
- Distribute Sky Q Over Wired LAN. ...
- Sky Q Over Coaxial Cabling With A HD Modulator. ...
- Sky Q over HDMI-Cat5/Cat6. ...
- HDMI over Coaxial Cabling. ...
- HDMI over LAN/ Network.
Existing Sky TV customers moving to Sky Glass:
You can only have one Sky TV subscription at your address, so if you already have Sky Q or Sky+ , you will need to take a new TV subscription and choose a new TV package for Sky Glass.
The Sky Q remote uses Bluetooth which does not require line of sight with the box so you should be fine.
How much is Sky multiroom per month UK? ›Sky Multiscreen – Summary of terms and conditions
Multiscreen subscription: £15 per month. Requires Sky Q box, Sky Signature and Multiscreen subscriptions and Sky Q Mini(s) connected to home broadband. One-off costs apply to view on 2 or more additional TVs.
Re: Connect 2nd TV to SKY Q box - what accessories are needed? @anneDRon you will need a sky q mini box and multiscreen subscription both of which are available from Sky.
How do you pause one room and watch in another Sky Q? ›On the Home screen, you'll see a Continue watching section, and the latest content that you were watching (recording or live TV that you've just recorded) will appear in this section. Just select that and you'll continue watching from where you left off, with a couple of caveats.
How do I connect my Sky Q multiroom box? ›
- Press the “Select” button on the remote. ...
- Go to the nearest Sky Q Box or Sky Q Hub and hold down the WPS button for 3 seconds.
- The button should flash amber.
- Now go to your Mini box and wait for two minutes for the WPS setup to complete.
- Your box should now connect to your main Sky Q box.
Sky Glass continues to have a rather rocky rollout, with users complaining that the flashy new TV's playback feature is faulty. Problems were first reported back in November, with UK early adopters recording screen flickering and recording problems on their devices.
What happens to my Sky Q If I get Sky Glass? ›Once you've got your Sky Glass, just plug in, pair and play. Switching from Sky Q or Sky+ is simple. We won't turn off your current Sky Q or Sky+ service until you activate Sky Glass.
How many Sky pucks can you have? ›On your account, you can have up to: three Sky Glass TVs; and. six Sky Stream pucks.
Does the Sky box have to be visible? ›You may or may not already be aware, but the Sky box doesn't have to be on show and it can be hidden away and still be controlled and accessed as normal.
Does Sky Q need magic eye? ›You can't use a magic eye with Sky Q I'm afraid. If you want Sky in another room you need to order yourself a Sky Q mini and if you haven't already get a multiscreen sub added to your account. If someone has helped you then please click on the LIKES button in their post.
Can a TV remote go through a wall? ›RF remotes use specific radio frequencies, typically a license-free 2.4 GHz bandwidth, to transmit a signal to a receiving device. The signals are able to be sent through objects like walls and furniture, extending the remote's range.
Can I have Sky TV in 3 rooms? ›With the 1TB and 2TB UHD Sky Q boxes, you can connect the same number of Mini boxes, watch Sky on up to three TVs at the same time (the main box plus two Mini boxes) and stream on up to two other devices at home. You can also record six shows at once.
Can I just add another Sky Q mini box? ›Re: How to buy an additional Sky Q Mini Box
You cannot buy them. All Sky Q hardware is loaned to you and must be returned to Sky at the end of your contract. You just have to pay an admin fee.
Can you get Sky Q Multiroom without paying?
Sky In Your Home
Can you run two TVs off Sky Q box? ›
A tvLink lets you connect a second TV to your Sky+ box so you can watch Sky in more than one room. However, unlike Sky Multiscreen, you'll have to watch the same thing on both TVs as they're sharing a Sky box.
Does Sky Q multiroom work in a different house? ›Your utilisation of Sky Multiscreen relies on you being on the same network as your main Sky Q box in order for the Mini boxes to communicate with your main Sky box. Taking your Mini boxes out of the house and trying to use them elsewhere without the Sky Q box would not work because of this.
How many rooms can you have Sky Q in? ›Subsequent boxes for additional rooms are £49.00 each (available after joining online). How many Sky Q mini boxes can I connect? You can connect up to four Mini boxes and watch on three TVs at the same time. Additionally, you can watch on up to 4 devices anywhere.
How do you pause one room and watch in another Sky Q? ›On the Home screen, you'll see a Continue watching section, and the latest content that you were watching (recording or live TV that you've just recorded) will appear in this section. Just select that and you'll continue watching from where you left off, with a couple of caveats.
How do you watch 2 screens on Sky Q? ›SPLIT THE SCREEN
To make this happen simply head to Sky Sports Main Event and press your red button on the remote. You'll then get the option to choose which other Sky Sports channel you want to watch and you'll never miss a goal again.
Sky Go and Sky Go Extra customers can stream on two devices at a time. Sky Q Multiscreen and Sky Glass/Sky Stream Whole Home customers can stream on four devices at a time.