Sky+ HD Box For Free To Air

steo2k9

So I got a couple of Sky plus boxes to use for free to air but the likes of channel 4 and e4 don't work. The only way to get them working is to tune them all in manually then use a card and go services > other channels. Is this the only way to do this or is there an easier way to get the channels to work and show in either the tv guide or favourites? I can watch channel 4 and e4 if I go services > other channels but it's a bit awkward to do every time. The channel 4 that shows up under tv guide doesn't work and the itv channels aren't there at all only in other channels.

My nanny has an old sky box and the channels all show under guide for her and work so is there a better way to set this up?

Thanks.

The Cush

The older Sky boxes could be reset to show the UK channels but later boxes were locked to the Ireland selection of channels once they had been used for an Irish subscription.

A Freesat box would be a better option.

swoofer

you need a uk sky card look on ebay,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xsky+uk+card.TRS0&_nkw=sky+uk+card&_sacat=0

steo2k9

I just seen that the Amstrad can be reset and that's the ones I have. They're old hd boxes. Something about doing a software update by holding power and plugging it in and it should reset. I'll have to try it out and just take the cards out to see if it works.

If not the UK cards are cheap anyway. Easier than the manual tuning awkward way.

steo2k9

So I tried that today after hanging the satellite in my house and it worked on one of the boxes and it reset to the UK EPG. The second one is stuck on the Irish one though even after the update. Both boxes are identical.

Edit : Think I'll just buy UK cards for those 2 and keep the cards away from this working one.

steo2k9

This is the best I could do manually adjusting the satellite and getting someone to report the signal to me on the phone when I adjusted it. This should be fine right?

The Cush

steo2k9 wrote: »

This is the best I could do manually adjusting the satellite and getting someone to report the signal to me on the phone when I adjusted it. This should be fine right?

Looks OK, next heavy rain or wind will confirm.

steo2k9

The Cush wrote: »

Looks OK, next heavy rain or wind will confirm.

If I wasn't broke with it coming up to Christmas I'd of got someone to do it and got a decent box but I just had to take a free satellite and a cheap sky+hd box off someone. I'll have to buy uk cards also for the other 2 boxes. The connections on the LNB are a bit corroded and the cables won't unscrew (I tried to loosen one with a vice grips and partially broke the threads on one side trying, if I kept going that whole connector would just break clean in 2) so for now i have to basically cut the cables that are stuck and just use type f connectors and join them right at the dish. I'm hoping this works for now but even if I run into problems I'm sure a new LNB wouldn't cost me too much. Just getting one that fits the dish is what I'm worried about. It's a sky dish that's oval shaped.

The Cush

steo2k9 wrote: »

I'm hoping this works for now but even if I run into problems I'm sure a new LNB wouldn't cost me too much. Just getting one that fits the dish is what I'm worried about. It's a sky dish that's oval shaped.

The question is the Sky dish a Mk.4 or Mk.3/older?

Mk.4 dishes have been around since mid 2009, have a smaller neck LNB (37mm instead of 40mm) and spirit level on the LNB holder. The holder fits over the LNB arm instead of sliding into it.

Only Mk.4 LNBs are available now so if this is an older dish a Mk.4 to Mk.3 legacy LNB adapter will be required to hold the newer LNB. Depending on condition it can be difficult to remove the older LNB holder.

http://www.freetv.ie/satellite/dishes/lnbs/
http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page1.htm

swoofer

you realise you could join sky for 29.50 pm, get a free 32" tv, new dish, new lnb, new cabling, and a new box that would be yours after 12 months. It may be even cheaper if you ring and say you dont want tv. ie black friday

steo2k9

I already have the dish set up and it's working. At the minute the signal strength on the sky box is 70% and fluctuating to 60% sometimes watching itv4 (the darts is on). The quality is staying at 90%. I know it's raining out but it's not particularly Heavy so could this cause problems in heavy rain?

Itv channels are always at 70% strength on this and the sky intro is usually 80% but at the moment it's also at 70%. I might get a sat finder to be sure but what do other people get in Dublin so I can get a better idea? I'm just using a sky satellite. No break up or anything so far but just want to have it ready for the bad weather so it doesn't keep going off when it rains or gets a bit windy. Should the weather now really take it down by 10% signal?