Freeview through Sky Dish

christy02 · 17-12-2012 4:39pm #1

Hi,

I have a sky dish on the wall of my house. I do not have a sky box though as previous owners took them away. Can I get freeview through this dish without:

A - Connecting to Sky
B - Moving the dish.

Could I just connnect a freeview box and tune the TV in? I have a saorview ready TV by the way. Or would the tv tune in freeview without a box even?

Thanks
Chris

Theta · 17-12-2012 4:41pm

In short yup you can. I am using the sky dish on my house to get freeview.

The HD channels are great quality but on some days it can be jumpy but i think this is more to do with my dish.

I didnt need a box as the TV has a tuner built in.

Wisesmurf · 17-12-2012 4:45pm

Yes you can. As long as your dish was previously aligned for Sky it will work for freeview.

A freeview box will work. If you want saorview + the uk freeview channels get a combo box.

coylemj · 17-12-2012 4:51pm

The channel package you get from the dish is called Freesat, the channels you get from an aerial is Freeview.

So for the UK channels, the OP needs a Freesat box, not one designed for Freeview. He'll also need an aerial for Saorview.

cgarvey · 17-12-2012 4:52pm

Freeview has nothing to do with Sky, or satellite dishes. Nor has Saorview.

Freesat, is what I think you're referring to. In which case, you can get a FTA (free-to-air) receiver and use the existing dish + cabling (assuming the cabling is still in place) to get the FTA channels (BBCs, ITVs, Ch4, etc.).

For Saorview, you'll need an aerial (as against a satellite dish). For Freeview (if you are near the border, or along parts of the east coast), you'd also need an aerial.

winston_1 · 17-12-2012 5:01pm

christy02 wrote: »

Hi,

I have a sky dish on the wall of my house. I do not have a sky box though as previous owners took them away. Can I get freeview through this dish without:

A - Connecting to Sky
B - Moving the dish.

Could I just connnect a freeview box and tune the TV in? I have a saorview ready TV by the way. Or would the tv tune in freeview without a box even?

Thanks
Chris

Impossible. Freeview is a UK terrestrial service only available through an aerial.

christy02 · 17-12-2012 5:17pm

Theta wrote: »

In short yup you can. I am using the sky dish on my house to get freeview.

The HD channels are great quality but on some days it can be jumpy but i think this is more to do with my dish.

I didnt need a box as the TV has a tuner built in.

Thanks guys. So I do need a Freesat box. Could anyone reccomend one that would work with the sky dish?
I will also have to get an aerial for Saorview which is no problem. I thought maybe the freesat would have the Irish channels as well.

Sam Russell · 17-12-2012 5:27pm

christy02 wrote: »

Thanks guys. So I do need a Freesat box. Could anyone reccomend one that would work with the sky dish?
I will also have to get an aerial for Saorview which is no problem. I thought maybe the freesat would have the Irish channels as well.

All the Freesat boxes will do what you want. The Humax is highly recommended. The basic one (without recording) should be about £100, while the recording version would be about £200 depending on disk size. The second one requires two cables from the dish, and you can record one programme while watching another.

You will still need an aerial for Saorview, plus a Saorview box or TV. No Irish TV stations are available through the Sky dish.

A combi box might also work but it will need frequent retuning, and no EPG.

Hope that helps.

coylemj · 17-12-2012 5:49pm

christy02 wrote: »

I thought maybe the freesat would have the Irish channels as well.

If you're a Sky customer, that dish will get you all of the Irish channels but once you drop Sky and go Freesat, you lose the Irish channels.

It's a legal rather than a technical issue so don't bother asking why.

Sillysod · 26-01-2015 1:52pm

cgarvey wrote: »

Freeview has nothing to do with Sky, or satellite dishes. Nor has Saorview.

Freesat, is what I think you're referring to. In which case, you can get a FTA (free-to-air) receiver and use the existing dish + cabling (assuming the cabling is still in place) to get the FTA channels (BBCs, ITVs, Ch4, etc.).

For Saorview, you'll need an aerial (as against a satellite dish). For Freeview (if you are near the border, or along parts of the east coast), you'd also need an aerial.

I have a smart plasma tv with built in Freeview HD Tuner, I have a sky dish (no box) should I be able to get channels without a seperate box? or would I need an aerial? or and box and an aerial?

I tried popping the coaxial cables in the living room before into the tv and tuning but got nothing, I live in Dublin.
Ian

The Ayatolla · 26-01-2015 2:06pm

Sillysod wrote: »

I have a smart plasma tv with built in Freeview HD Tuner, I have a sky dish (no box) should I be able to get channels without a seperate box? or would I need an aerial? or and box and an aerial?

I tried popping the coaxial cables in the living room before into the tv and tuning but got nothing, I live in Dublin.
Ian

Try a OneForAll Aerial for Saorview. This should get you the Irish channels. Plug this into the aerial connection on your TV.

The cables that were going into the Sky box can be put into a free-to-air or Freesat box to pick up UK satellite channels. You could also use a Sky box with no viewing card. This box can connect to your TV via HDMI cable or Scart.

Sillysod · 26-01-2015 2:31pm

Indoor or outdoor?

The Ayatolla · 26-01-2015 2:35pm

Sillysod wrote: »

Indoor or outdoor?

Indoor should be fine. You'll get fellas on here (mostly those in the installation business) who will say you need an outdoor. If it doesn't you can always bring it back for a refund

I was able to pick up saorview with a coat-hanger and a bit of tin-foil (go for the OneForAll though :P )

winston_1 · 26-01-2015 3:36pm

Sillysod wrote: »

Indoor or outdoor?

Indoor aerials only work for around 5% of installations.

Add to that the fact that the OneForAll is one of the worst indoor aerials available.

You've spent a lot on a decent TV. Don't scrimp on a decent outdoor aerial.

Thurston? · 26-01-2015 5:35pm

Sillysod wrote: »

I have a smart plasma tv with built in Freeview HD Tuner, I have a sky dish (no box) should I be able to get channels without a seperate box? or would I need an aerial? or and box and an aerial?

I tried popping the coaxial cables in the living room before into the tv and tuning but got nothing

Seems to be an increasing number of TVs now with integrated satellite tuners, not always mentioned in advertising or by salespeople. (Though maybe not so easily overlooked by curious owners 'popping in' cables.

)

The connection for the cable from the dish would be a female f-connector (male connector on cable screws on) labeled 'satellite LNB-in', or similar.

Sam Russell · 26-01-2015 8:27pm

A lot of these satellite TVs are FTA only - not Freesat.

Sillysod · 27-01-2015 10:58am

I think its a Freeview Tuner, so won't tune in Freesat, I suppose I just need to get and aerial and get freeview, or a freesat box and get Freesat.

Sillysod · 27-01-2015 10:59am

I think its a Freeview Tuner, so won't tune in Freesat, I suppose I just need to get and aerial and get Saorview, or a freesat box and get Freesat. I'll probably get the box.

.red. · 27-01-2015 12:27pm

Im about to buy a tv for my kitchen and only want saorview on it. The tv has saorview built in. Ive a cable running from a sky box outside to a port just under the tv. Ive also got an unused sky box in the attick.
What are my options? Ive read thru this thread but a bit confused.
Can i connect up to the sky dish and use that as an aerial? Do i need an aerial outside or can i hook one up in the attick and cut the sky cable and reconnect to the aerial or do i need an aerial on the outside of the house? If i hooked up the spare sky box id get the free to air channels but dont think rte etc are available on that.
we had an old tv out there before connected to a one for all aerial but reception was poor but that was well before saorview came in. Im living in the middle of nowhere surrounded by hills so not sure what to do.
thanks for any info.

winston_1 · 27-01-2015 12:51pm

.red. wrote: »

Im about to buy a tv for my kitchen and only want saorview on it. The tv has saorview built in. Ive a cable running from a sky box outside to a port just under the tv. Ive also got an unused sky box in the attick.
What are my options? Ive read thru this thread but a bit confused.
Can i connect up to the sky dish and use that as an aerial? Do i need an aerial outside or can i hook one up in the attick and cut the sky cable and reconnect to the aerial or do i need an aerial on the outside of the house? If i hooked up the spare sky box id get the free to air channels but dont think rte etc are available on that.
we had an old tv out there before connected to a one for all aerial but reception was poor but that was well before saorview came in. Im living in the middle of nowhere surrounded by hills so not sure what to do.
thanks for any info.

A sky dish cannot be used as a TV aerial.
As you have discovered that you are one of the 95% that can't use an indoor aerial you need to get an outside aerial installed.

.red. · 27-01-2015 1:15pm

winston_1 wrote: »

A sky dish cannot be used as a TV aerial.
As you have discovered that you are one of the 95% that can't use an indoor aerial you need to get an outside aerial installed.

Thats not the answer i wanted lol. Thanks for the reply. Ill start ringing round to get an aerial fitted so.

ardmacha · 27-01-2015 8:32pm

.red. wrote: »

Thats not the answer i wanted lol. Thanks for the reply. Ill start ringing round to get an aerial fitted so.

Your neighbours are a reasonable guide as to what the situation is, if they all have a substantial outdoor aerial then you will need one also. You might get away with one in the attic.

TLS2015 · 27-01-2015 9:52pm

ardmacha wrote: »

Your neighbours are a reasonable guide as to what the situation is, if they all have a substantial outdoor aerial then you will need one also. You might get away with one in the attic.

I had rubbish reception prior to Saorview. Had to get sky for RTE. I had thrown the aerial in the attic. When Saorview came along I connected it up in the attic just to see and bang brilliant signal strength for Saorview. Never underestimate the aerial in the attic!

.red. · 28-01-2015 12:34am

Ive 2 wires coming from my sky dish. One to my living room thats in use and the other to the kitchen. Is it as simple as getting an aerial, cutting the sky to kitchen wire and putting it into the aerial?
I rang around today for prices and was shocked to hear how expensive it was to get an aerial fitted into my attick. I looked at aerials online and their pretty cheap so might be worth a go myself If its as simple as i think?

.red. · 28-01-2015 12:36am

ardmacha wrote: »

Your neighbours are a reasonable guide as to what the situation is, if they all have a substantial outdoor aerial then you will need one also. You might get away with one in the attic.

I looked round today and only 1 house had an aerial and thats been empty for as long as i can remember. All the houses had a sky dish tho.

TLS2015 · 28-01-2015 12:51am

It is pretty easy if you are any way handy. Of you look on the freetv.ie site they have videos for everything even putting on an f connector. Their YouTube channel has loads of stuff. The aerial will only give you Saorview though. You could combine the signal from the aerial and the sat in the attic and split it in the kitchen giving you the option of having the FTA channels there as well.

TLS2015 · 28-01-2015 12:54am

TLS2015 wrote: »

It is pretty easy if you are any way handy. Of you look on the freetv.ie site they have videos for everything even putting on an f connector. Their YouTube channel has loads of stuff. The aerial will only give you Saorview though. You could combine the signal from the aerial and the sat in the attic and split it in the kitchen giving you the option of having the FTA channels there as well.

Sorry just read that you only want Saorview. Stick the aerial in the attic connect up your cable to the kitchen and Saorview is go.

.red. · 28-01-2015 11:03am

TLS2015 wrote: »

Sorry just read that you only want Saorview. Stick the aerial in the attic connect up your cable to the kitchen and Saorview is go.

Just onto a local lad whos gonna call out. He said id be mad not to use my spare sky box for the extra channels as all itll cost extra is the price of a few splitters. Hes gonna fit an aerial outside as he reckons ill have signal problems if i put it in the attick.
Thanks for the advise.

TLS2015 · 28-01-2015 11:28am

No worries. Hope it works out for you. Ariel outside should be a better job.

.red. · 19-02-2015 6:16pm

Just to follow up on this.
The saorview lad came out and fitted the aerial. He took one (unused)wire than was coming from my sky dish and using a splitter in the attick joined the sky and aerial wires to the coaxial wire running thru the walls of the house. He then used another splitter and put one wire to the tv for soarview and the other to the sky box.
ive now got all my irish soarview channels on my tv and a whole load of free to air uk channels on my sky box. 90% of the sky channels will never be used but the ones that are were well worth the extra few €€ he charged for the installation.

winston_1 · 19-02-2015 7:05pm

TLS2015 wrote: »

No worries. Hope it works out for you. Ariel outside should be a better job.

No, an aerial. Ariel is washing powder. A clean roof is not necessary.

Freeview through Sky Dish

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