Help in changing from Sky Q to free to air

quinnd6

I'm interested in changing from Sky Q to free to air.
I discovered 99% of the channels I would watch are now free to air including RTE also now.
My LG tv has satellite support.
Could I just pop the satellite cable into the back of it to get the channels for free?
Or will it not work due to it being a Sky Q LNB?
If that is the case then are there any free to air boxes that work with the Sky Q LNB?
I was a bit annoyed that Sky dropped nearly all the music and radio channels in Ireland without telling anyone so it made me decide to investigate this.

The Cush

Moving to FTA sat easily will depend on what LNB is fitted to the dish. Is it a 2, 4 or 6 output LNB?

The 2 output wideband LNB works with SkyQ and the new Arris Freesat receivers but not legacy satellite receivers like the one in your LG TV.

The hybrid SkyQ LNBs have both wideband and legacy outputs, 2+2 or 2+4. The older SkyQ smart hybrid 6 output LNBs fitted prior to early 2019 have 6 outputs that can either be wideband or legacy.

colm_mcm

Keep in mind that without a Sky subscription the Irish channels are accessed through Saorview, and not through your sky dish.

quinnd6

The RTE channels are on free to air now.
I was able to tune them in on other channels when I found the frequency online so I presume they would work with no subscription if they can be tuned in on other channels.
Anyway I don't know what lnb it has.
I only got sky q installed last year after the extreme wind put my satellite dish out of position.
It was March 2020.
How would I check the LNB?
Would I have to climb up on a ladder and look at the dish?
Is there an easier way?

quinnd6

I found this but it's very expensive and it says it
doesn't work with the Irish channels.
https://www.freetv.ie/freesat-4k-box/
How much would an engineer charge for changing the LNB?

Ten Pin

The RTE channels are on free to air now.
I was able to tune them in on other channels when I found the frequency online so I presume they would work with no subscription if they can be tuned in on other channels.

RTE1/2 etc, VM1/2/3, TG4 are not FTA on that satellite. Once a sky sub ends those channels will be inaccessible as they're encrypted on Sky platform. An aerial is needed to get those channels on Saorview.


Plug the satellite leads in to TV, first one, then the other and scan for channels. If the BBC, ITV, C4, C5 channels tune in then job done. If only a few channels appear on one lead and a few different channels appear on the other lead then it's not a hybrid LNB....unless it's a LNB with specific Sky Q ports and other legacy ports for FTA/Freesat.

RTE etc won't tune in on the TV via satellite....unless there's been some drastic change recently.

If LNB has only 2 ports then it's a Sky Q only LNB and will need to be changed out for a quad LNB. If you can safely access the dish, swapping a LNB is a 10 minute job, just ensure that the bracket is suitable for the quad LNB....check the LNB 'neck' diameter.

quinnd6

Anyone with free to air or Freesat like to try this out and see?
RTE One HD 12226.5 H DBV-S2 8PSK 27500 2/3

Vic_08

quinnd6 wrote: »

Anyone with free to air or Freesat like to try this out and see?
RTE One HD 12226.5 H DBV-S2 8PSK 27500 2/3

To repeat what others have said; RTE/Virgin Media/TG4 on 28.2e satellite are all encrypted and only available with a Sky subscription.

You can tune these in and watch because your sky box has a sub and decrypts them.

bronkobilly

quinnd6 wrote: »

Anyone with free to air or Freesat like to try this out and see?
RTE One HD 12226.5 H DBV-S2 8PSK 27500 2/3

Locked.only.with.sky.card.will.it.work

quinnd6

Flip it so.
That makes it so awkward and annoying.
That Freesat box would be missing the Irish channels so that's no good.
I'd have to keep switching from box to antenna and Id have to get an aerial installed outside.
Is there no decent option where you can keep it similar to Sky, have Irish and UK channels on the one box and record from either while watching another?
Having to change the bloody LNB would be a massive pain in the hole as well.
I don't think I've a ladder that reaches that high and I think it would be a bad idea to attempt that myself.
Wouldn't have bothered getting Sky Q in at all if I'd known it would make it so awkward changing to free to air.
Was nothing but rubbish on all Xmas.
I can't justify spending over 40 quid a month on Sky anymore.

Gerry Wicklow

quinnd6 wrote: »

Flip it so.
That makes it so awkward and annoying.
That Freesat box would be missing the Irish channels so that's no good.
I'd have to keep switching from box to antenna and Id have to get an aerial installed outside.
Is there no decent option where you can keep it similar to Sky, have Irish and UK channels on the one box and record from either while watching another?
Having to change the bloody LNB would be a massive pain in the hole as well.
I don't think I've a ladder that reaches that high and I think it would be a bad idea to attempt that myself.
Wouldn't have bothered getting Sky Q in at all if I'd known it would make it so awkward changing to free to air.
Was nothing but rubbish on all Xmas.
I can't justify spending over 40 quid a month on Sky anymore.

have a look at this thread

Sleeper12

I got sky Q when it came out first. They installed a special LNB for Sky Q. When I got rid of the Sky Q I needed to change the LNB. You could be lucky & they might have installed a hybrid LNB but usually these would need to be requested at the time of ordering Sky Q

Triboro

I got a new LG tv back in November.
Connected cable from dish(not sky Q) and scanned,got bbc’s,itv’s, c4’s etc.
Connected to a saorview antenna thats in the attic and got all them Irish channels.
Learned on here that LG have long press buttons that allow you to switch between formats easily.
Dont think it’s too dear to have the lnb changed and dish alligned so may be an option.