Can I Join Cable + Aerial To One Coax?

steo2k9

Hi. I am getting rid of the Horizon Box I have as it's costing a fair bit but I still receive the analogue channels. I'm planning to use an aerial to get the free Irish channels digitally through my TV but it only has the one tuner that can do both analogue and digital. My question is can I combine the aerial and analogue cables into one feeding into the TV using some sort of joiner/splitter and have both work? My TV has both analogue and DVB modes and each cable works individually but joining them would be great to be able to get the Irish channels digitally even some in HD while still being able to switch to the analogue ones like nick/comedy central etc.

The Cush

A basic splitter/combiner like this would combine both http://www.freetv.ie/saorview/tv-splitters/passive/

Which transmitter is recommended for your location, if Three Rock, a problem is VM analogue Channel 4 shares the same UHF frequency (UHF Ch. 30) as Saorview Mux 1 carrying RTÉ2, TV3, TG4 etc. so there is a conflict there that you can do nothing about when you combine both at the TV input.

If Kippure, then this one, a Triax UHF Diplexer TFC 3537, with this diplexer Input 1 (VHF & UHF to channel 35) would connect to the VM coax and Input 2 (UHF 37 - 69) for the Kippure aerial input. Three Rock (UHF 30 & 33) would be filtered out on the aerial input 2.

Check here for the recommended Saorview transmitter for your location - https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

steo2k9

The Cush wrote: »

A basic splitter/combiner like this would combine both http://www.freetv.ie/saorview/tv-splitters/passive/

Which transmitter is recommended for your location, if Three Rock, a problem is VM analogue Channel 4 shares the same UHF frequency (UHF Ch. 30) as Saorview Mux 1 carrying RTÉ2, TV3, TG4 etc. so there is a conflict there that you can do nothing about when you combine both at the TV input.

If Kippure, then this one, a Triax UHF Diplexer TFC 3537, with this diplexer Input 1 (VHF & UHF to channel 35) would connect to the VM coax and Input 2 (UHF 37 - 69) for the Kippure aerial input. Three Rock (UHF 30 & 33) would be filtered out on the aerial input 2.

Check here for the recommended Saorview transmitter for your location - https://www.saorview.ie/en/get/coverage

It's Kippure I'm closest to (I'm from Clondalkin) so basically just get the splitter you have linked and plug the antenna into the second input and it should be good?

The Cush

steo2k9 wrote: »

It's Kippure I'm closest to (I'm from Clondalkin) so basically just get the splitter you have linked and plug the antenna into the second input and it should be good?

You could test the basic splitter I linked to, but if Threes Rock's signal also comes in via the aerial it will cause problems on UHF Ch 30. The Triax diplexer would filter out these lower range signals via the aerial input.

Just to note, Kippure frequencies will be moving down the band in less than 2 years and that Triax diplexer will become redundant. Also at some point in the future VM will be switching off their analogue cable signal.

steo2k9

The Cush wrote: »

You could test the basic splitter I linked to, but if Threes Rock's signal also comes in via the aerial it will cause problems on UHF Ch 30. The Triax diplexer would filter out these lower range signals via the aerial input.

Just to note, Kippure frequencies will be moving down the band in less than 2 years and that Triax diplexer will become redundant. Also at some point in the future VM will be switching off their analogue cable signal.

How would I go about getting a satellite dish for Freesat just to at least have a few channels for when that does eventually happen? I'm hoping you can just get a very basic package from vm when it happens. I don't understand why you can't get the same basic analogue channels in digital through the tv tuner nowadays anyway.

The Cush

steo2k9 wrote: »

How would I go about getting a satellite dish for Freesat just to at least have a few channels for when that does eventually happen?

If you can't install a dish yourself you'll have to get an installer to do it. Tony from http://www.satellite.ie/ is a regular poster here and based in Tallaght and is recommended by others here who have got him.

steo2k9 wrote: »

I'm hoping you can just get a very basic package from vm when it happens. I don't understand why you can't get the same basic analogue channels in digital through the tv tuner nowadays anyway.

In some European where they (Liberty Global group) operate they provide a basic set of channels over cable, for a fee, accessible is you have a DVB-C cable tuner in the TV, to encourage people to move away from analogue. In other places they are simply switching off the analogue channels on a phased basis. No idea what they'll do here when the time comes. They have approx. 26,000 analogue subscribers here currently not counting those who use it on second/third TVs in digital households.

steo2k9

The Cush wrote: »

If you can't install a dish yourself you'll have to get an installer to do it. Tony from http://www.satellite.ie/ is a regular poster here and based in Tallaght and is recommended by others here who have got him.


In some European where they (Liberty Global group) operate they provide a basic set of channels over cable, for a fee, accessible is you have a DVB-C cable tuner in the TV, to encourage people to move away from analogue. In other places they are simply switching off the analogue channels on a phased basis. No idea what they'll do here when the time comes. They have approx. 26,000 analogue subscribers here currently not counting those who use it on second/third TVs in digital households.

I seen that I can get one for 40 euro in power city or even just get an old sky one off somebody and I can get my uncle to install it for me. I know I'll still have to buy a box also but haven't got much money this side of Christmas. Even getting the dish for now is a start and I'll buy a Freesat box. Wouldn't mind even just paying to get the box on that site and getting it all done but I wouldn't have that much money until well after Christmas so I'll have to try get it self installed.

Also I assume saorsat won't work at the same time as Astra even using the correct LNB?

The Cush

steo2k9 wrote: »

I seen that I can get one for 40 euro in power city or even just get an old sky one off somebody and I can get my uncle to install it for me. I know I'll still have to buy a box also but haven't got much money this side of Christmas. Even getting the dish for now is a start and I'll buy a Freesat box. Wouldn't mind even just paying to get the box on that site and getting it all done but I wouldn't have that much money until well after Christmas so I'll have to try get it self installed.

Also I assume saorsat won't work at the same time as Astra even using the correct LNB?

Saorsat is for the 1-2% that can't get Saorview and doesn't carry TV3/3e/be3, different satellite position, larger dish required, Ka band LNB required. Not for those capable of receiving Saorview with a standard aerial.

When installing the dish run 2 cables, required for future satellite recording or even SkyQ, if you don't do it now you might regret not running it in future.

Regarding satellite boxes, maybe you're aware there is a difference between Freesat and FTA (free to air) boxes, if not ask before you make a purchase.

steo2k9

The Cush wrote: »

Saorsat is for the 1-2% that can't get Saorview and doesn't carry TV3/3e/be3, different satellite position, larger dish required, Ka band LNB required. Not for those capable of receiving Saorview with a standard aerial.

When installing the dish run 2 cables, required for future satellite recording or even SkyQ, if you don't do it now you might regret not running it in future.

Regarding satellite boxes, maybe you're aware there is a difference between Freesat and FTA (free to air) boxes, if not ask before you make a purchase.

It turns out my TV actually has a DVB-S2 capable tuner so as long as I get the dish pointed the correct way this should work right? I might be getting a free sky dish tomorrow off my auntie so long as it's not rusted to pieces and the LNB is ok. I agree with your second cable idea also just to be sure.

The Cush

steo2k9 wrote: »

It turns out my TV actually has a DVB-S2 capable tuner so as long as I get the dish pointed the correct way this should work right?

Yes it should, dish needs to be accurately aligned, more precise than a regular aerial.

steo2k9

The Cush wrote: »

Yes it should, dish needs to be accurately aligned, more precise than a regular aerial.

Thanks for the info. I know the direction it's supposed to face since the neighbours have satellites also to get the general area of it and I can buy one of them calibration devices for it if I need to. That's if the dish even works at all. If not I can buy one for 40-50 euro in power city. Hopefully I only need the LNB if anything is broken on it since they're cheap enough on their own though. I'd probably need the calibrator unless the TV let's me check the satellite signal on screen then I can just adjust it until it's at it's highest.