Can I use an existing sky dish with a freeview box? and if so can the two servic
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV No, you cannot use a satellite box to receive terrestrial programmes.
I don't want to use a satellite box I have a freeview box. I want to know if an existing dish for sky can be use with the freeview box.Can I use a cable splitter and run one end to the sky box the the other to a freeview box and get the freeview channels.
You cannot use a Freeview receiver with a satellite dish, only an aerial.
You also cannot split a satellite signal from a dish, if you want to run more than one box you must use a dual- or quad-LNB on the satellite dish and have a cable to each satellite receiver.
All questions
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Saturday, 4 February 2012
G
Gisoo6:27 PM
Altrincham
jb38: Thanks a lot for the advise.
I want to the map but still need some advise to make sure to get the best option. My post code is WA14 5YB.
Thanks
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Gisoo's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb387:15 PM
Gisoo: Well, indications are that you have a few possibilities for reception including what I had mentioned about PSB only (limited channels) stations, Haslingden indicated as one of them, although Winter Hill located @ 16mls away is your best for reception, and so I would say that its a reasonably safe bet that if you purchased a Freeview box (or PVR if you want to record programmes) and had an aerial installed that you shouldn't (in theory) have any problems.
Its just that when anyone moves into a property that doesnt have a normal aerial fitted but does have a dish, then the element of doubt is always there about the possibility of reception problems existing, and that is the reason for the dish and no normal aerial.
As a double check, and if at all possible, its always best to ask a neighbour if their reception is OK, as predictors do have their faults because they cannot cater properly for local problems caused by obstructions.
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Monday, 6 February 2012
T
tracy5:39 PM
got a freeview box for the telly upstairs but can't get it to work, don't think the aerial works. we've got sky + downstairs and have a spare sky box but without a viewing card. is it possible to get a cable runnin from the dish to the spare sky box and receive basic channels for free or do i need a viewing card.
was advised by my local tv electrial shop to by a freesat box for £60 and connect to the dish, but don't really want to do this if i can use old sky box. Just want basic channels.
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Wednesday, 8 February 2012
tracy: Yes, you can use the old Sky box, but a Freesat box will be able to provide you with an uncluttered programme guide and also HD if you want it.
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Sunday, 12 February 2012
G
Gisoo5:44 PM
Altrincham
Hi. As JB38 had advised I asked a neighbour regarding the reception in the area. They have an arial (as well as a sky) and said that they get freeview channels fine.
Now can I connect a FreeSat box (or PVR) to the already existing sky dish (as it has more channels than Freeview)or do I still need to install an arial?
Thanks for your advises.
Gisoo
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Gisoo's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
maggie6:47 PM
Grays
The ariel is in the loft. I actually share an ariel with my next door neighbour; when i moved into the property, the previous owner was the sister of my neighbour, whose ariel it is; The cables are run from her ariel in the loft, to my prorerty, through the wall direct into my tv. I get a good analogue reception, plus i have sky saterlite . ost of the time i can't get any reception at all for freeview,I want to end my subscription with sky and use just freeview..how can i get a signal, any ideas plz? Thank you
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maggie's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb387:26 PM
Gisoo: Provided your neighbours are indeed using Freeview (via normal aerial) for reception then its a Freeview box you require and "not" a Freesat one, if you wish to be able to record one channel whilst viewing another, or alternatively record two channels at the same time, then purchase a twin channel Freeview PVR, as that's really just a Freeview box with recording capabilities, you can of course get Freeview single channel PVR's but they are very limiting in what you can do.
You will though require an aerial to be installed, but you are predicted to have good reception across the board from Winter Hill, and that's likely where you neighbours aerial is facing.
In other words just abandon the Sky dish as far as using it for reception is concerned and concentrate on Freeview.
Just as a matter of interest have you got a Freeview TV? or is it an older analogue TV that you are intending to use purely as a monitor, the Freeview box (or PVR) coupled into it via a scart lead.
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J
jb387:55 PM
maggie: Why don't you just end your subscription with Sky and use the box to view normal channels? as that's what lots of people do, although if its a Sky+ box you wont be able to use the recording side of the box without a subscription, apart from that you will still be able to view most (but not all) that's available on proper Freesat, as Sky's "free to view" isn't exactly the same as Freesat as far as channels are concerned.
If though you prefer to use Freeview (via the normal aerial) then Crystal Palace (@ 18mls) is indicated as your main station, and although the signal may be bad just now things should (in theory!) vastly improve in April 18th when Crystal Palace goes over to high power operation.
That said though, I still think you should cancel your subscription with Sky and just use Sky's "free to view" channels as it doesn't cost you anything to do this, but if for some reason you wish to start using Freeview, then you could purchase a Freeview box, or better still a Freeview PVR for recording as well as viewing, keeping the Sky box for use in another room.
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Monday, 13 February 2012
J
jb387:53 AM
Gisoo: Just to further clarify the issue, if you want the easier option as well as avoiding the expense of having an aerial installed then buy a Free"SAT" device (standard box or PVR) and just use the existing Sky dish.
However, as your neighbours also use Freeview (via normal aerial) as well as Sky and don't have any reception problems with the former, and "if" your TV already has Freeview built into it then having an aerial installed is all you would require to do, as if you decided at a later date that you would like recording facilities you simply purchase a Freeview PVR.
It really depends on your TV as to which system is the easiest option, as is mentioned in the first paragraph.
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Wednesday, 15 February 2012
G
Gisoo9:23 AM
Altrincham
jb38: Thank you for your advise.
I've never used Freeview box and in previous houses I had no problem watching the channels, although we did get different channels in different houses.
I'm going for the option for Free SAT box just to be able to get more channels and also not to have to hire an installer. Is there really much difference between Freeview and Free SAT ?
Thanks
Gisoo
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Gisoo's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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