Free to Air - Set up?

squire1

Ok, a bit of a satelite noob here so bear with me.

I currently have a sky subscription and want to keep that but I'd also like to have FTA chanells in another room (so the kids can watch Cbeebies etc).

I have read a lot of the threads on this forum but am still not sure if what I want to do is possible.

What I plan to do is purchase:
a FTA satelite receiver
a LNB quad for sky mini dish
satelite grade cable
F connectors.

So, do I just get up on the ladder, disconnect the existing single output LNB from the dish, replace it with the quad LNB and connect one output back into the existing sky box and another output into the FTA receiver.

Is it as simple as that or am I missing something?

TheDriver

Before you do all that, plug out your skybox as its sending up a small current. Then do exactly as you say, yuo can bring in the 3 extra wires and have the option of using your fta box at any of the points or indeed buy another box again after that.
Yes, simple as that.

squire1

Great. Thanks for the quick response. Yeah, I'll probably run the two spare connections into other rooms while I'm at it to give that option in the future.

Any idea where I'd get the listed equipment at a good price. Any make of receiver better than others etc?

TheDriver

online is as handy as anywhere, recommend www.satellite.ie and theres a www.freesat.ie at moment started too, not much idea about receivers, keep away from Maplin metronic crap. I have a SAB also which is great to use but hard to find to buy. They all do the same job, just the menus etc can be annoying in some. Best of luck!

squire1

Thanks again.

byte

Technomates are good boxes. Topfield, Strong and Drake are OK also, though I haven't seen Drake boxes for a long while.

squire1

Satellite.ie and freesat.ie seem to only offer the Ferguson AF3100CK as a basic receiver. Is this good quality or where would I go about sourcing the ones you mention byte?

RobbieMc

Hi,

I bought two boxes on Ebay from the UK, priced at 10 sterling each.
They came already setup for FTA channels and all I di was join up to my existing cable and away it went.
I did update the ETG software.

Look out for the Pace 2200 or 2500 in Black or silver

Enjoy,
Rob

TheDriver

Have you got a link for them Rob

Tony

squire1 wrote: »

Satellite.ie and freesat.ie seem to only offer the Ferguson AF3100CK as a basic receiver. Is this good quality or where would I go about sourcing the ones you mention byte?

Its an excellent quality easy to use receiver which is programmed by us at the factory specifically for the Irish market. The technomates are an excellent receiver but unless you want pay tv services theres no reason to look beyond a well priced FTA box. When you look at the features of the Ferguson such as digital audio and RF out its hard to describe it as a "basic" receiver . (maybe I should put the price up )

squire1

Tony wrote: »

Its an excellent quality easy to use receiver which is programmed by us at the factory specifically for the Irish market. The technomates are an excellent receiver but unless you want pay tv services theres no reason to look beyond a well priced FTA box. When you look at the features of the Ferguson such as digital audio and RF out its hard to describe it as a "basic" receiver . (maybe I should put the price up )

Sorry no offence meant . A bit of a satellite noob as I already said. What I meant by basic was that it does not have the facility to take a card. Which is a facility I do not require anyway.

So it's a good quality, high spec, with all the proper knobs and buttons reveiver then.

Dont put your price up just yet.

Edit: Are they back in stock yet?

Tony

No offence taken Its useful to hear reactions to products. Yes they are back in stock. I promise I will not put up the price

squire1 wrote: »

Sorry no offence meant . A bit of a satellite noob as I already said. What I meant by basic was that it does not have the facility to take a card. Which is a facility I do not require anyway.

So it's a good quality, high spec, with all the proper knobs and buttons reveiver then.

Dont put your price up just yet.

Edit: Are they back in stock yet?

squire1

Thanks Tony. I just placed an order so get busy packing.

Tony

squire1 wrote: »

Thanks Tony. I just placed an order so get busy packing.

Yes Sir

TheDriver

On that note, I actually found it very difficult to get recommendations on cheap basic FTA boxes especially as its near impossible to get same brands in 2 shops e.g. the SAB I got is great but can't find it to buy anywhere since CorkSat changed hands and don't talk to me about the maplin rubbish, very difficult to get reviews that compare them or indeed where to buy them.

Tony

Yes I can imagine it was difficult, took me many years to find a manufacturer to respond to what I think the marketplace needs. I think there are so many different brands out there as its so easy to get a company in China or elsewhere to do a small production run with any name of your choice on it.

TheDriver wrote: »

On that note, I actually found it very difficult to get recommendations on cheap basic FTA boxes especially as its near impossible to get same brands in 2 shops e.g. the SAB I got is great but can't find it to buy anywhere since CorkSat changed hands and don't talk to me about the maplin rubbish, very difficult to get reviews that compare them or indeed where to buy them.

NWM

Another noob question:

I want to do exactly the same thing - ie put in a quad LNB and send the signals to a FTA receiver as well as the digibox.

However, I seem to remember that when Sky + is installed, a quad LNB is fitted.

Is this true? And would that prevent the use of the FTA receiver?

Thanks

Tony

NWM wrote: »

However, I seem to remember that when Sky + is installed, a quad LNB is fitted.

Is this true? And would that prevent the use of the FTA receiver?

Thanks

Yes its true. Nothing to stop you using a FTA receiver