Do I need to get an aerial or can I connect my old sky dish straight to an aeri
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Unlike with analogue or Freeview which use ground-based transmitters, satellite systems require a unique connection from each digibox to the satellite dish. If you want more than one digibox (or have a personal video recorder like Sky+ that requires two connection) you will have to upgrade the LNB on the dish to a multiple-output variety (a "quad LNB" as they are known) and have a satellite grade cable run in for each digibox.
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Wednesday, 12 June 2013
J
jb3810:21 AM
Liam: Just to add to that said by MikeP, remember that although this device can receive Freesat channels its not a dedicated Freesat receiver with a Freesat EPG, this meaning that the channels received will not be listed in the correct order and you will have to use the boxes edit facility to move them around so that they appear as would do in a Freesat EPG, a rather time consuming job!
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Monday, 1 July 2013
L
Laura6:00 PM
Hey,
I've just moved into a new house and there are no wall sockets for a tv aerielin the entire house . The previous tenants always had SKY, so there is a dish. We just want to watch Freeview, but can't get a signal through an indoor aeriel. Any suggestions?
Thanks. Laura.
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J
jb389:27 PM
Laura: No one can possibly offer assistance with queries of this nature unless they have knowledge of your location, this in the form of a post code or one from nearby, e.g: a shop / post office, this being necessary in order to gain access to info on the transmitters that cover your area.
Apart from that, a simple Freesat box would work perfectly OK on the Sky dish, and which you might have to resort to using as judging by what you have said would suggest that you are not located in a good signal area thereby requiring a loft or even rooftop mounted aerial.
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M
MikeB10:23 PM
Laura: If you put your postcode into the box near the top, you can see what transmitters and signal you should get. Even better is to include your postcode on any future message - one of the reception gurus will help.
Have a look at what your neighbours have - aerials or dishes? If they have aerials, then there is a good chance you could have one too (and check the loft, you never know, there might be an aerial or a coax system).
If you live in a valley, or just one of those Freeview blackspots, then you'll have to look at Freesat. There was possibly a very good reason the previous occupants went for Sky.
Don't put great store by the signal you get from a portable aerial - they are often pretty ropey at best. Much better to find out what other people in the road are doing, although remember that the strength of digital signals went up hugely after switchover, so just because it was rubbish three years ago doesn't mean its rubbish now.
If you get a good signal (and a good local installer should be able to tell you) - then you can have Freeview, which would make life easier. Read A.T.V (Aerials And Television) FM DAB TV Aerial, plus poles and brackets - it will tell you all about them, and even if you don't want to do it yourself (I must admit I wouldn't like to go up on my roof), you know what your looking for. Expect to pay around £150 for a basic install.
Assuming that Freeview is not possible, then its Freesat. Have a look at the dish - how many wires does it have coming out of it? If its just the one, does it have any extra connections you can use? If its got two wires, then you can watch and record, but if there are extra connections, even better.
The normal thing to connect to your twin dish is Freesat PVR (and usually its a Humax) - so you can watch and record at the same time. But check your TV - many Panasonics, some Samsungs, LG's and one lone Sony have Freesat built in. Even if you've got just one LNB, you could use it to at least watch.
For more info on dishes, etc - see SatCure UK satellite and Freeview information - you can upgrade the LNB, put in an extra dish, etc - and again you can do it yourself or get someone to do it. If your going to upgrade the LNB, get a quad - the problem with Freesat is that its not especially flexible - if you want to add a TV in the kitchen, bedroom, etc, then its much easier having spare LNB's ready.
So first - find out about Freeview.
If no Freeview - find out what connections you have on your dish - are they enough? If not, you can upgrade them. (PE12QN)
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Tuesday, 24 September 2013
T
Tina 9:50 PM
Hiya, A simple question that I can't find a straight answer for! Be lovely if you can help! I've currently got Sky (not HD) and want to stop it. If I buy a freesat box can I just simply plug the new freesat box into the sky connections and it'll work? There's no one I can ask advice from, and the reason I'm stopping sky is because I can't afford it, so don't want to have to spend more money on buying a new dish. The sky one that's up is 7 years old. Hope you can advise me!! Thank you : ).
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Wednesday, 25 September 2013
MikeP
9:26 PM
9:26 PM
Tina
Yes, just disconnect the Sky SD box and connect the FreeSat box in its place. The coaxial cable from the LNB on your dish should have a screw on connector that will fit onto the Dish input of the Freesat box. There is no need to adjust the dish position, assuming your we getting good results on Sky.
Hope that helps?
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Monday, 30 September 2013
S
Steve Mann 8:55 AM
I have a sky dish and box but no telephone line, I'm thinking of getting au humax box so I can record etc , is it possible to plug in a memory stick in the humax box and play music and films ? I also should add that I have a iPad that is connected to the internet as well but connection is scarce on times cheers Steve
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Monday, 11 November 2013
M
Mandy10:57 PM
Hi I've just moved into a flat and want to know if I can take my sky plus box and plug it in, will my tv work? It's got a satalite dish and the 2 sky leads? Just want to know if my tv will work when I put the leads in
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J
jb3811:12 PM
Mandy: If the flat has twin input feeds from the dish then provided the dish has been operational when the previous occupier moved out then the Sky box should work exactly the same as it was in your old residence.
As far as the TV is concerned, it will of course also work exactly as before if coupled into the Sky box, but however not on any other mode such as Freeview unless the flat is fitted with a normal aerial connection.
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