Sky Q Hybrid LNB no longer available from Sky?

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/SKY-Q-Hybrid-LNB-6-WAY-for-Q-HD-Free-To-Air-FREESAT-Astra-28-/274553510989

This is what my sat installer showed me in this new one been a hybrid and it knows what box is connected be it freesat or Q and possibly for mk 4 dish?
Its a very long item :eek::D

He said he only picked it up and have asked for a model number to check .Cheers.

Confirmed ELO10

The sky q was free on their website last month gone up to 155 now to install. Is it worth calling them to see if they will do it for free?

icdg wrote: »

They will do it for €30 if you take multiroom.

I'll call them to see if they have any deals.

Just to update on my Freesat issue and it's been resolved.

I first tried setting up a new LNB hybrid by myself and when that didn't work, I tried inputting both of the spare satellite cables hanging out of the setup and one of them got Freesat working again.

It must have been that when the Sky Q engineer was setting up his LNB that he forgot which spare cable belonged to Freesat and probably stuck in one for the old Sky+box by mistake.

In any case, my problem has been resolved free of charge and it's great to have Freesat working again in the kitchen as I haven't heard some great stories about Sky Q mini boxes

roadmaster wrote: »

One cable i plan to use a 3 way spltter to bring saorview channels but I am wondering can I do the same with a 3 Way TV Link Splitter for the satellite using the one cable that I have left? Or do I need to have 3 separate cables from the satellite going to each room

Each satellite tuner requires a separate connection to the LNB on the dish or an output on a multiswitch.

Terpsichorean Master wrote: »

I have a Sky engineer coming this week to install Sky Q in my parents' house and I was wondering what's the situation wrt Hybrid LNBs etc?

I'm reasonably tech savvy, but I'm not sure as to the specifics of this, and my parents aren't at all - and I've been seeing a lot of chat about it on another/related thread that I follow and which brought me here; so would like to know more if I can.

They have the same ancient, original SD box since the initial installation twenty-odd years ago, so will that still work - or does it make a difference?
And will it work with other/different/non-sky boxes, should one be purchased subsequently?

I know they certainly don't want to be in a situation where they can't watch any FTA TV, should they cancel their contract with Sky - and I find the fact that that's even possible, to be a really snide move by Sky tbh. It's underhanded and manipulative, to say the least!

Thanks.

Insist on a hybrid LNB. Older boxes (Sky or FTA) will not work with the standard Q LNB. Sky will happily rent extra Q compatible boxes for other rooms. Don'f fall for that one

Terpsichorean Master wrote: »

And what are the differences between the hybrid LNB and the regular/Q one?
Can you tell by looking at them?

The SkyQ LNB is a twin output wideband LNB, while the hybrid combines the twin output wideband and twin/quad output legacy LNB into a single unit, lots of pics and info out there, Google is your friend.

Terpsichorean Master wrote: »

....

Also, what specifically do you mean 'rent' extra Q-compatible boxes, like the multiroom boxes? Or do you mean something else?

'rent' as in Sky retains ownership of the devices and they must be returned to Sky if the subscriptions ('rent' payments) cease.

had SkyQ installed last week. Told the engineer I had a non-subscribed HD box in the other room and he installed a hybrid LNB without quibble.

Had a call with the engineer earlier and he certainly didn't sound like he was going to do what I asked wrt to installing a Hybrid.
When I asked him if he could install one for me, (just in case he wouldn't have one with him), he said that as there's only one cable going into the house (as it's an ancient original install and pre-HD/SD legacy box), it would "have to be a wideband" - which seems completely contradictory to me, as SkyQ requires at least two cables; so there'll be more than one, whatever happens. No?

Then when I said again that I wanted a Hybrid, he asked me "why"?

So I said that we wanted to be able to use other boxes/freesat etc in the potential likelihood of cancelling the contract or whatever; as without a hybrid that obviously wouldn't be possible - and he told me that the wideband is for Q only and that they only use the hybrid if there are extra cables going into it. Said that if it's only a single cable, then there are no other cables going into it, then they "have to use the wideband for that". That there are two ports on the wideband and that's what they'll be going into.

Then said that there are four ports on the hybrid (thought it was six, no?) - and that they don't use them, if they don't have to.

Which, again, is obviously what Sky would prefer, but not what I'm interested in - for the obvious reasons.

So I said that I understand all of that, but that I'd prefer a hybrid; if he could, that I'd appreciate it - and he said that he'll take a look at it when he comes out and will see what he can do.

Tbh it kind of seemed like a bit of a fob off at the end, but it's hard to tell - he definitely seemed much more generally oppositional to the idea than I would have expected, or than anyone else here has seemingly experienced; so I'd be surprised if he'll just go along with it during the installation, considering the conversation.

Is there something technical that I'm missing here though - because what he's saying wrt to the amount of cables meaning that they can't/won't do it, seems to make no sense to me?
He could easily still do it, it won't affect the ability of it to work in any way. Or is it just likely to be some policy directive from Sky, that precludes him from doing what I'm asking?
Or did he maybe just not want to agree to do so on the phone, perhaps?

I can't help but feel that there's something I'm not getting here; considering what everyone else is saying about how straightforward it was for them - so any advice and/or information of how best to proceed, would be very gratefully received indeed!

Cheers.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

'rent' as in Sky retains ownership of the devices and they must be returned to Sky if the subscriptions ('rent' payments) cease.

That's what I thought, thanks.

swoofer wrote: »

To help you here are 2 pics of a sky hybrid, this one is about 3years old but may not have changed much. Note the 6 outputs, 2 for sky q and 4 for Freesat.

Print them off.

Thanks a lot, will do!

I had a look back on your thread and the sky q is for your parents, replacing an old SD box, that will have only one cable from the dish or if it is a sky plus may have 2 cables. If its one then installer will have to run another cable. Sky q is quite complex. The other option is to buy a second hand sky hd box and it can be switched to single feed, ie use one cable, put in card and box should work unless they have premium channels, ie sky movies or sky sports. In that case the card has to be paired to the new box and involves a call to a sky operator, sky will have a message along the lines because of covid etc etc, there may be along waiting period..., But if you use this sky freephone number you can put phone on loudspeaker and wait... its 1800 927476.

The sky hd boxes are on adverts ie just type in sky hd.

Or buy a hybrid from here ebay, i cant do link as its too long but supplier is in Dublin about 28 euro. free p&p.
Or ring sky and do as suggested above.

Its a marketing ploy by sky and you would be surprised how well it works, ie after 12 months, cancel oh yes send back box!! etc

Its the way of the world and why I have not 1 but 2 spare sky hd boxes. All cost about 25 euro with a remote. And they have that scart output and RF outputs.

In the end it will depend on the installer, some are very good, but the odd one can be a bit, shall I say pedantic.

good luck.

PS you could just threaten sky with cancellation and use excuse Q is too complex, I'm pretty sure they would rustle up a box from somewhere. But in these times its not easy.

Ten Pin wrote: »

Q LNB needs 2 cables. Hybrid LNB needs 2 cables for the Q box and if using any additional FTA/Freesat/Legacy Sky box concurrently, then an additional cable is needed for each.

Seems like installer doesn't want to install the hybrid LNB but that'll leave you without the ability to use FTA boxes. It might also not be as easy to source a hybrid LNB if he doesn't have one spare.

If you don't need to use any FTA box while using Sky Q then as long as you keep the existing LNB as a spare then it's just a matter of refitting it after cancelling Sky in future.


Here's what I suggested earlier in the thread to OP...
https://m.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=115530907&postcount=6

Ya, that was my thought too; he certainly was rather resistant to the idea, indeed repeatedly so - and that was my exact reasoning for doing so; we don't want to be left high and dry in the future, just because it suits sky.

Ya, those suggestions pretty much nail-it alright. I'll have no issue playing hardball if it comes to it - as I have absolutely no intention of being painted into a corner on this, just because they'd prefer it.