A few really quick questions before a switchover...

panda516

Hi all, so I'm a beginner to all this but have read through lots of threads in the forum and feel ready to switch over from Sky to a Saorview/FTA Satellite combo box. I guess we just need a few pointers/reassurances...

So we currently have sky multiroom. We immediately plan on getting rid of our second box, saving the €15 and then eventually ditching the sky altogether later in the year. When you cancel with sky do they take away your dish? I'm assuming it's just the box, right? If it's left there and only feeding one Sky subscription, is there any chance the old connection/cabling also feed a FTA satellite box without touching the dish?

The second TV we plan to install the combo box to already has a UHF co-axial and then if we are able to leave the sky dish and co-axial connection then we only need to fit the box? I assume the dish pointing at 28.2* east just stays the exact same?

I've read through lots of pointers here and it seems the best option may be the Triax TSC114 or the Ariva 250.

It's for a family use so we'd like a relatively simple to use box with PVR options and the ability to play mp4/avi/mkv through a usb if possibe. We're not too worried about the 7-day EPG on the UK channels as it seems to be a barrier. Do some of the boxes connect to home wifi networks offering streaming options (i'm talking about things like youtube or even netflix)?

Thanks so much in advance, I know there's oodles of posts on similar problems but hadn't seen anything about the Sky dish...

NUTZZ

panda516 wrote: »

When you cancel with sky do they take away your dish? I'm assuming it's just the box, right? If it's left there and only feeding one Sky subscription, is there any chance the old connection/cabling also feed a FTA satellite box without touching the dish?

Normally you get to keep the box and dish when you cancel your subscription. The current cabling and dish will work perfectly with a FTA box, all you'll have to do is swap the boxes out.

The second TV we plan to install the combo box to already has a UHF co-axial and then if we are able to leave the sky dish and co-axial connection then we only need to fit the box? I assume the dish pointing at 28.2* east just stays the exact same?

That's correct yes.

I've read through lots of pointers here and it seems the best option may be the Triax TSC114 or the Ariva 250.

It's for a family use so we'd like a relatively simple to use box with PVR options and the ability to play mp4/avi/mkv through a usb if possibe. We're not too worried about the 7-day EPG on the UK channels as it seems to be a barrier. Do some of the boxes connect to home wifi networks offering streaming options (i'm talking about things like youtube or even netflix)?

There are a few options for FTA combo receivers, the Ariva's are a popular choice, very easy to set up and use and are quite cheap. The likes of the Amiko Alien 2/GM Triplex offer services like YouTube and Interactive TV trough WIFI connection. All of those boxes have PVR capabilities via external USB

panda516

Thanks so much for replying. So in the short terms it will be possible for that one existing Sky dish to feed both the current active Sky+HD box and then the new Combo box for FTA (formerly regular Sky Multiroom) at the same time? This is really ideal! Hopefully then when we cancel the sky subscription they don't look to take the dish...

NUTZZ

panda516 wrote: »

Thanks so much for replying. So in the short terms it will be possible for that one existing Sky dish to feed both the current active Sky+HD box and then the new Combo box for FTA (formerly regular Sky Multiroom) at the same time? This is really ideal! Hopefully then when we cancel the sky subscription they don't look to take the dish...

Yeh that's pretty much it once you have a cable running from the dish to each receiver!

Peter Rhea

Sky won't take the dish. Also, your 'UHF co-axial' output will only get you anything if it's connected to a cable & there's an aerial of the right kind on the other end of the cable.

panda516

@Peter Rhea - So we have an old-fashioned co-axial cable just like this one http://www.astra247.com/ProductImages/9062.jpg which runs from an aerial which used to get us RTE, RTE2, TV3 and TG4. Do we need something else before connecting to the box? Sorry for the silly questions, this is what happens when you let Sky charge you €70 a month to look after all this stuff...

Peter Rhea

If you have an aerial that got you decent reception on all 4 of the analogue channels & everything is still in good condition, it should just be a matter of plugging it into the relevant input on your receiver.