Sky Shared Dish in Apartment - Will freesat work?!

Compudaro

Hi guys,

Sky sent me a letter informing me that my apartment block has now been fitted with their "shared dish" system. On closer inspection my
their installers have run 2 cables down from the roof and taped them to each apartment balcony, presumably awaiting the prospective customer to phone for an install. My question (well 2 actually!) is:

What's the probablilty that the line at my balcony is connected to the dish on the roof and couldn't I just run it into a freesat box?

mjsmyth

If the apartment is wired correctly and the dish alligned correctly, then yes, it will work. I just setup 2 receivers for a family memeber in a similar situation.

Compudaro

Thanks MJ, is there any way to know (with a multimeter maybe?) that the line is "live" as such? Don't want to go shelling out on a Freesat box to only then find out that the line isn't connected. Thanks in advance.

mjsmyth

I would have though that the wiring would be complete, it would save the installer getting back up on the roof....

I don't know if you can tell whether the cable is connected using a multimeter, perhaps one of the pros here can tell you that.

mj

Compudaro

Tested for resistance between core and braid and multimeter reads 0 or thereabouts.Is that good news?1 would indicate no connection right?

Compudaro

I tell a lie! The braid was actually in contact with the core when I tested it - D'oh! The actual resistance reading on the cable is 1. (The Sky installers have run 2 cables to my balcony and the second cable also reads 1) Can any techies tell me is this good or bad news?

Martin_F

I don't think you can reliably confirm a sat signal with a basic meter. However, if the coax is unterminated then you should get 'infinite' on a resistance test between core & shield. I'm not sure what '1' means in your posts... 1 ohm, 1k etc - or if 1 = infinite ojn your meter. At best a resistance test can only infer some kind of equipment connected at the far end - not that it is working.

Your best bet is to beg or borrow a working sat receiver (FTA, Freesat or Sky box) from a friend to test it for real before purchase.

clueless007

Good day,

I also have the same problem here. I'm staying in an apartment block with basic cable (BBC1-4, ITV3, and etc) and shared dish provided. I connected the satellite plug to the wall socket but no signal was observed. Does this mean that I can't get freesat channels? Could you guys help me on this? Cheers.

Compudaro

Thanks Martin. The "1" Reading on my multimeter means infinite resistance which (going on what you advise) is a good thing?!

Martin_F

I'm not sure if that is good or bad. You should get an infinite reading on coax that is not connected to any equipment. Like I said a reading when it is plugged in is unlikely to be reliable - if the reading was something other than 0 or infinite it might infer 'something' connected at the far end. Your best bet is still to borrow a sat receiver that is already set up for the Astra 2 channels (freesat, sky box etc).

snaps

clueless007 wrote: »

Good day,

I also have the same problem here. I'm staying in an apartment block with basic cable (BBC1-4, ITV3, and etc) and shared dish provided. I connected the satellite plug to the wall socket but no signal was observed. Does this mean that I can't get freesat channels? Could you guys help me on this? Cheers.

Cable or satellite....They are 2 different things?

clueless007

Hi snaps, thanks a million for your input. I understand that the cable and sat are different. What I meant in my last email the commual dish in my apartment is working hence I can get the basic cable. The building managment in my apartment block emphasises that we can get the cable tv through them at a "little more cost without having to connect a phoneline" despite I do have a working phoneline. I'm reluctant to do so.

clueless007

clueless007 wrote: »

Good day, I also have the same problem here. I'm staying in an apartment block with basic cable (BBC1-4, ITV3, and etc) and shared dish provided. I connected the satellite plug to the wall socket but no signal was observed. Does this mean that I can't get freesat channels? Could you guys help me on this? Cheers.

clueless007 wrote: »

Hi snaps, thanks a million for your input. I understand that the cable and sat are different. What I meant in my last email the commual dish in my apartment is working hence I can get the basic cable. The building managment in my apartment block emphasises that we can get the cable tv through them at a "little more cost without having to connect a phoneline" despite I do have a working phoneline. I'm reluctant to do so.

Good day, could you guys please help me on this? I tried searching any related discussion on every forum but still don't know what has gone wrong. I don't want to drive back to newry just to return the satbox. Thanks a million.

Tony

clueless007 wrote: »

. What I meant in my last email the commual dish in my apartment is working hence I can get the basic cable. T

If you are gettng channels directly to your tv without using a separate receiver then its not a satellite signal to your apartment. What may be happening is the dish on your block is fed to a number of satellite receivers which are then being sent as cable channels to your apartment. You should talk to your management company and find out exactly what type of service they are sending to your apartment.