using Sky satellite dish to work a free to air sat tv box

newportlad

Hi, got Sky installed today and just wondering would it be possible, as an alternative to multi-room, to just buy a free to air satellite tv box from Harvey Norman etc.. and connect this directly to the dish that Sky installed for me? This would be for one room only but just curious if this can be done? Thanks a mill for reading !

JADMIX

yes it is possible so long as you have a multi LNB on your dish (thats the little thing at the end of the rod sticking out of the dish) some you can only connect 1 cable others upto 4 if yours is the latter then just connect a cable to it and other end to the freesat and bobs your uncle

newportlad

JADMIX wrote: »

yes it is possible so long as you have a multi LNB on your dish (thats the little thing at the end of the rod sticking out of the dish) some you can only connect 1 cable others upto 4 if yours is the latter then just connect a cable to it and other end to the freesat and bobs your uncle

Hmm I think there is actually, had a close look at it earlier and there was a section with four connections, two of them free/empty. so guess I just connect a cable from sat box to either of them? And one last Q Could u recommend a good sat box or they all mostly the same? Thanks for your help and quick reply btw

JADMIX

i dunno about the best sat box but there are plenty on here who could help just read the forums, there is a box doing the rounds at the mo which you can use (along with the appropriate aerial) for both freesat and saorview, might be worth having one of those they are about 90 euro but im sure u can get just free to air boxes for under 50 quid, just make sure its not a "freeview" box you buy (they dont work by dish they are for uk etc via antennae), purchase either free to air or freesat

The Cush

newportlad wrote: »

And one last Q Could u recommend a good sat box or they all mostly the same? Thanks for your help and quick reply btw

I suggest a Freesat or Freesat+ receiver - similar to Sky in that they have a fixed channel no, 7 day epg, PVR available, channels are automatically added, deleted or updated as required.

List of available receivers here (RH column) - http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/

Sme Irish links, there are more (do a google search)
http://www.tvtrade.ie/satellite-receivers/freesat.html
http://satellite.ie/acatalog/Freesat.html

newportlad

JADMIX wrote: »

i dunno about the best sat box but there are plenty on here who could help just read the forums, there is a box doing the rounds at the mo which you can use (along with the appropriate aerial) for both freesat and saorview, might be worth having one of those they are about 90 euro but im sure u can get just free to air boxes for under 50 quid, just make sure its not a "freeview" box you buy (they dont work by dish they are for uk etc via antennae), purchase either free to air or freesat

Cool I'll prob go for a freesat and saorview combo box so, thanks again for your help, much appreciated !

zg3409

You can also use a "Sky Eye" to watch the Sky channels in another room without paying multiroom. However everyone in the house must watch the same channel.

Another option is an old Sky box. You only get a few free channels (no Irish ones), but you do get to use the exact same TV guide and remote.

Or a combination of the above, for example a freesat box AND a Sky eye. In this way you have a better choice of channels, yet no monthly extra fee.

Liameter

JADMIX wrote: »

so long as you have a multi LNB on your dish

There's "multi-output LNB" and "multi LNB bracket" but "multi LNB" is meaningless.

sgb

I am moving shortly and there is a sky dish on the wall, could I get a free to air box decoder and connect that up?

John mac

sgb wrote: »

I am moving shortly and there is a sky dish on the wall, could I get a free to air box decoder and connect that up?

yes,

as long as its pointed to the right satellite you will get all the free stations..