Just ditched Sky

Wishing the parents a speedy recovery.

When you had sky did you have sky q or sky hd?

If it was sky q it's a different LNB ( the bit that's on the dish itself) so you won't be able to get the free UK channels without changing the LNB.

For the Irish channels you will need an aerial.

If you have to get a local installer to change the LNB then might be as handy to get them to stick up the saorview aerial. (External aerial is better but mine and my father-in-law-in-waitings aerials are just in attic) If you want they will set up a box for you but research what you want because a lot of them sell the very basic boxes.

Questions to ask yourself like do you want features like watch one, record a different one etc. Or do you just want the live channels. If yes you can just connect the saorview and satellite dish cables to the TV and tune in the channels. Very easy. Does your TV have one or two satellite tuner connections? If you want post a picture of the connections or the exact model of the TV.

Once you have the correct LNB and Saorview aerial next question is are you happy with the channels via the TV or do you want a box like your old sky.

Via the tv is grand but maybe not as smooth as sky or even a separate box. We have Samsung and inlaws have Sony tvs and UK and Irish channels via the TV is grand if a bit laggy so I use a separate box.

But first thing (obviously after the folks) is get the correct LNB and Saorview aerial.

It's easier than it sounds, local guys usually grand value.

Between the two houses we were paying a fortune to sky and haven't looked back since we both left.

Am on this bit ......

Two feeds coming down from the through the walls. Single satellite and coax at the back of the

...

You might be getting a bit confused on this - are the two feeds both coming from the dish?

Or do you also have a feed coming from somewhere else. Just finishing 3 x 12 hour shifts but the wording of that worries me a bit and given all you have going on with the folks might be better outsource it.

Please don't take offence but the basics don't seem to be clicking, you may have enough to be doing without starting from absolute scratch on this project.

As discussed elsewhere,I would caution folk seeing the many ads now to ditch Sky,as I have done,keep the dish and buy a cheap freesat box.

Not all the channels,in my case are still received,although the lnb has been updated and the dish picks up CNN for example.

In other words,if I simply swap the Sky HD box for a freesat box,I've tried 2 ,no CNN.

I appreciate there may be firmware/ software issues,but something to consider.

CNN is no longer paying to be part of the Freesat package and therefore does not automatically tune in on FreeSat boxes. However CNN and others are freely available when manually tuned in.

Sky Q boxes use a different lnb and no other boxes work , if not going back to Sky Q services a different lnb is needed to be used with other boxes.

SIgnal level at two different locations is over 70% and as pointed out above both dishes at different locations receive channels that my freesat boxes do not.I suspect if other folk are not finding this problem,my freesat boxes have seen better days.

Same may be said,not to cross threads,but similar problems are found with older freeview humix boxes,not receiving rte gold channel,as discussed elsewhere,Thanks.

For kit I always use satworld, buy online or they have a shop in inchicore. Satworld.ie

You need a freesat lnb, and a saorview aerial.
stick the saorview aerial beside the satellite and use one of the two coax cables you said you have to run the tv signal down. Change the lnb, be very careful not to disturb the position of the satellite or the arm. Options below, there are variations available for more spend but you have everything you need there for €40

https://www.satworld.ie/sky-freesat-single-lnb.html

https://www.satworld.ie/saorview-uhf-aerial-kit.html

Down at the TV, plug the satellite feed into the sat receiver in the tv and likewise the terrestrial saorview feed into its slot, and tune up the TV. Done

You will likely feel the EPG is suboptimal on the TV and want a box. There are many to choose from. I find the best performing for freesat is the genuine freesat receivers that are sold under the Manhattan brand. The only downside is you have to switch input on the tv for saorview. Many people find this annoying, this is the setup I have and I find it the most reliable.

Alternative solution is a combi box. I’ve only ever had average experiences with these losing channels, epg not working right etc but maybe that was the devices I’ve been exposed to. Maybe someone else here can give their recommendation.