Few things are more frustrating than sitting down to watch TV in the back room or upstairs and finding that the link from your Sky box has stopped working. The TV in the main room is fine, the Sky box itself is fine, but the second TV on the other end of the link is showing the wrong channel, the wrong picture, or no picture at all.
This guide walks you through the steps we at R and G Satellite Services use to diagnose and fix a single TV link that has stopped working. Most of the time you can resolve the issue yourself in a few minutes. If you cannot, we will tell you exactly when it is time to pick up the phone.
A Quick Refresher on How a TV Link Works
A “TV link” or “magic eye” is a small infrared receiver that lets you control your Sky box from a second TV in another room. The signal from the Sky box is sent down the same coaxial cable that carries the picture, on what is called the RF2 output. The cable runs from the Sky box to the second TV, plugged into the aerial socket on the back of the set.
You then tune the second TV to a specific channel (called the RF channel) where the Sky signal is being broadcast. Point your Sky remote at the TV link device plugged into the second TV, and the infrared command travels back down the cable to the Sky box, which responds as if you were sitting in front of it.
When this works it is a brilliantly simple way of getting Sky in a second room without paying for an additional subscription or running multiple boxes. When it stops working, it is usually one of a small number of things.
Step 1: Check the Red Light on the TV Link
Every TV link has a small red LED on the front of it. This light is your first diagnostic clue.
If the red light is off completely, the TV link is not getting any signal at all from the Sky box. This is almost always a cabling issue. Go to the back of the Sky box and check the connections.
- The Sky box has two RF outputs labelled RF1 OUT and RF2 OUT
- The cable going to the TV link in the second room should be plugged into RF2 OUT
- The TV in the same room as the Sky box, if it is using RF connection, should be plugged into RF1 OUT
It is surprisingly common for these to be swapped, especially after a TV has been moved, a Sky box has been replaced, or someone has been behind the unit doing other work. Check the labelling carefully and make sure the cable to your TV link is in the right socket.
Also check that the cable is fully seated. RF plugs can work loose over time, particularly if there is any weight pulling on the cable. Push them firmly home and see if the light comes on.
If the red light is on, the TV link is powered and the system is at least partially working. The problem is most likely on the TV side rather than the cable side. Move to Step 2.
Step 2: Check What the Second TV Is Actually Tuned To
When the red light is on but the picture on the second TV is wrong, the most common cause is that the TV is showing the wrong channel.
Modern TVs can pick up two completely different sources from their aerial input. They can show Freeview digital channels (DVB-T) and they can show analogue RF channels, which is what the Sky box sends down the cable. The TV link uses the analogue RF channel, but if your TV has retuned itself or someone has scrolled through the channels, it may be displaying a Freeview channel instead.
Here is what to do:
Press the analogue button on the remote. Some TVs have a dedicated analogue or “AV” button. Pressing it switches the TV out of Freeview and back to the analogue source where Sky is being broadcast.
If there is no analogue button, try the source button. Press it repeatedly to cycle through the available inputs. You are looking for an option labelled “TV”, “DTV”, “Analogue”, “ATV” or something similar. Some TVs split these out, others combine them.
Try the trick of typing channel 1 twice. On some older TVs, pressing “1” once brings up BBC One on Freeview. Pressing it again toggles between digital and analogue sources. When you do this, watch the picture. If it changes from BBC One to your Sky picture, you have found the analogue source. Save it as a favourite or note the position so you can return to it easily.
Some remotes have a digital/analogue toggle button. Check around the navigation pad or near the source button.
The aim is to land on the analogue channel where your Sky signal is appearing. Once you find it, that becomes your “Sky channel” for this TV.
Step 3: The Sky Box Reset
If the red light is on, the second TV is tuned to the right analogue channel, but the Sky picture is still missing or wrong, the next step is a reset of the Sky box itself.
Turn the Sky box off at the mains. Not just standby, all the way off at the wall socket. Leave it off for about 30 seconds. Then turn it back on and let it fully boot up. This can take a couple of minutes on a newer Sky Q or Glass box.
You would be amazed how often this fixes a TV link issue. The Sky box’s internal RF modulator can occasionally lock up, particularly after a firmware update or a power glitch. A full power cycle clears it.
Step 4: Tracing the Cable
If you have worked through the steps above and still nothing, the next thing to consider is the cable itself. The coaxial cable between the Sky box and the second TV runs through your walls, attics or under floors, and over years it can develop problems.
Things that go wrong with cabling:
- Connectors come loose at either end, particularly the screw on F connectors used on Sky boxes
- Cables get damaged by other tradespeople drilling, nailing or stapling near them
- Water ingress at outdoor wall plates or unsealed connections
- Pests chewing through cables in lofts, particularly mice and rats
- Splitters and amplifiers failing or losing power
Visually inspect what you can see. If both ends look fine and the cable is properly seated, the next thing is to test the cable end to end with a meter. That is normally where DIY diagnosis runs out and an installer takes over.
Step 5: When the Issue Is Bigger
If you have a TV link that has never worked properly since installation, or the picture is grainy, snowy or weak even when everything is correctly tuned, the issue is more likely to be a signal level problem. The RF2 output on a Sky box is fairly modest, and if the cable run is long, or there is a splitter in the path feeding multiple TVs, the signal can be too weak by the time it reaches the second TV.
The fix in this case is usually a small RF amplifier installed near the Sky box. This boosts the signal before it heads off down the cable to the remote room. Done properly, this gives you a clean strong picture even on long runs.
When to Call R and G
The steps above will sort the majority of TV link issues. If you have worked through them and you are still without a picture, or you suspect the cabling itself is the problem, we are happy to take a look.
We diagnose TV link faults regularly across Walsall, Wolverhampton, Cannock, Dudley, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. With over 20 years of experience and the right testing equipment, we can usually pinpoint and fix the issue on the first visit.
To book a visit or get a quote, please call our friendly team on 01922 302129 or 01922 302195. You can also drop us an email at info@randgsatelliteservices.co.uk or use the free quote form on our website.
We also offer extra TV points and sockets if you have decided you want a more reliable setup than a single TV link can provide, including running fresh cabling and installing proper splitters and amplifiers where they are needed.