Using existing Sky dish & Freesat card

kingpeter · 01-09-2008

Greetings all! I am a complete beginner, so I hope you will be tolerant with my first post.

I wish to install my first plasma HD TV and HD receiver, and would like some advice please on getting up and running. Some of this has been covered earlier on the forums, but I would like to get up-to-the minute information, in a rapidly advancing field.

Firstly: I am considering a Fortec Star Innovation receiver, and wonder if I can simply switch over the lead from my existing Sky digibox to the new receiver, and receive Freesat straight away.

I have a Sky Freesat card plugged into the Sky Digibox. I understand that I will need to use this card in the new receiver, in order to receive Ch4 and Ch5? Is it just a matter of plugging the card into one of the two slots for pay-satellite provided on the Fortec?

Can I then ditch the Sky digibox, and rely on the Fortec Star box, i.e. are there any Freesat channels I receive on the Sky digibox that cannot be received on the Fortec?

**satelliteman** · 01-09-2008

Welcome to satellites forum,

Firstly: I am considering a Fortec Star Innovation receiver, and wonder if I can simply switch over the lead from my existing Sky digibox to the new receiver, and receive Freesat straight away.

Yes, you can connect the Fortec receiver to existing dish

I have a Sky Freesat card plugged into the Sky Digibox. I understand that I will need to use this card in the new receiver, in order to receive Ch4 and Ch5? Is it just a matter of plugging the card into one of the two slots for pay-satellite provided on the Fortec?

At the moment Channel 5 is not on the freesat platform but Channel 4 is operational and free to air.

Can I then ditch the Sky digibox, and rely on the Fortec Star box, i.e. are there any Freesat channels I receive on the Sky digibox that cannot be received on the Fortec?

Channel 5 & Sly Three I believe.

SM

**Robbo** · 01-09-2008

Hi, Since you are getting a HD receiver, you might want CH4 HD, which can only be received using a receiver that can operate with a Sky FTV card ( or an ex-subscription card).

As far as I know the Fortec cannot read a Sky card, so you wouldn't be able to get CH4 HD, ch5, or the other FIVE channels and Sky 3.

I have a Technomate TM6800, and it can accept a Sky card and thus get all the Sky basic packages, it cost a little more though, and I need to slip the card into a working Sky digibox once in a while to keep it alive.

The other option is a Freesat HD box (£150), because it will have the full Freesat EPG, but you won't get the Sky encrypted channels.

Oh and another channel you can get on a Freesat HD box, and the TM6800 ( and possibly the Fortec) is ITV (when transmitting), you can't get ITV HD on a Sky box.

kingpeter · 01-09-2008

I have taken a look at the specs for the Fortrac Innovaton and Passion+ HD boxes, and the only difference seems to be th inclusion of card interfaces in th Innovation. These are described as "Smart Card Interfaces (Conax7 & X-Crypt CAS Embedded" They are also describe as CI. Is this "Common Interface" If these do not work with Sky cards, I wonder what use they are.

The Technomate TM6800 HD is around £100 dearer than the dearer Innovation model and I wonder what extra you get for the money. This has "1 Multicrypt smartcard reader and 2 Common Interface slots". Common Interface slots appear to be the same as Fortecstar slots. Is the Multicrypt smartcard slot the one that reads Sky cards?

Incidentally, I note that satelliteshop.co.uk sells the Irdeto CAM for £39 (and other dearer ones), which is said to be compatible with CI receivers. Is this a solution, to convert the CI slot in the Fortecstar to take Sky cards?

**Topper** · 01-09-2008

Welcome to the forum kingpeter

An Irdeto card is not going to help when combined with a sky card as Sky uses NDS (videoguard) encryption not Irdeto. You could use a Dragon cam or T/rex however they are a lot more expensive

The other answers will have to be answered by someone with knowledge of that stb

**satelliteman** · 01-09-2008

Seems a lot of hassle and a cost just for the extra Sly Freesat to work in the Fortec.... unless your expecting more

**Robbo** · 01-09-2008

The TM6800 was about £220 last time I checked

Yep, the multicrypt slot on it, just stick the Sky card in, and bingo, it works (after magic patch applied)

Other than that, it is very well supported for other satellites

I don't know what the later Fortecs are like now, but the one I had a couple of years ago was very 'buggy'.

A CAM, eg the Diablo, would need programming, and with a programmer would cost around £100.

Someone who knows about what support the Fortec has may be able to advise if there is a Sky Card patch for it. Personnally though, I'd rather pay more for something that I know WILL do the job, rather than a cheaper 'maybe not'.

**Llew** · 01-09-2008

The Fortec HD boxes aren't patchable, so you can't use the card slot for anything other than a Conax card.

The multicrypt CI slot will take a CAM such as the popular Diablo and Dragon /TRex which, as Robbo pointed out, will need programming to read a Sky card.

Llew

kingpeter · 01-09-2008

Am I right in concluding from your posts that there is no make of HDTV box, other than from Sky, capable of receiving all available Freesat channels without a patch and a Sky Freesat card? Why does Sky have such control over the supposedly free to view channels?

**Robbo** · 01-09-2008

Not true really. As CH4 HD is not a Freesat Channel.

Also A Sky HD box can't get ITV HD.

A freesat box can get ITV HD, but not Ch4 HD.

All HD boxes as far as I know can get Luxe HD and BBC HD

The likes of the TM and other similarly patchables can get them all. Some retailers will also patch the box for you if you slip them a few quid, some do it for nothing.

kingpeter · 02-09-2008

In looking at the various freesat boxes available, I realise that there are some with twin HDTV tuners, and USB to external HDD. This would suit me, although built in HDD would be better. I noted the cheapest is the Technomate TM-6900 Combo HD at a reasonable £220, and wonder if anybody has experience of it. Also, of course I wonder if this is patchable to receive Channels 4 and 5.

Incidentally, how is patching performed: is it a firmware upgrade via USB? Is it something I would be able to do?

**Robbo** · 02-09-2008

The TM6900 has a HD sat tuner and a HD DTT tuner. I didn't think there was any HD DTT channels, are there?
Also it doesn't let you watch one tuner and record from another.

The TM6900 is identical to the TM6800 apart from the additional HD DTT tuner, so yes it is patchable, will receiver ch4 HD and CH5 with a Sky card.

I have not patched mine as it was done by the dealer, but i t will be a very straight forward affair using an RS2332 link to a PC or loaded via the USB.

On my other TM I have done a software update a few times using the Rs232 and it takes just a few minutes, the USB method is supposedly easier.

BTW the TMs are not Freesat boxes, the Freesat boxes are specifically the ones distributed by Freesat with the Freesat EPG.

**Analoguesat** · 02-09-2008

C4 is now fta. C5 is ftv and requires a freesatfromsky card or a subs card to get it. (C5 is excpected to go clear later in the year).

kingpeter · 02-09-2008

Does this mean that Channel 4 can now be received by any box, without any card, and the same will apply to Channel 5 later this year?

**satelliteman** · 02-09-2008

Yes, Channel 4 can be viewed on 10.714h regional channels and 10.729v tagged as 8350

Channel five are still under contract

SM

kingpeter · 03-09-2008

Originally Posted by satelliteman

Yes, Channel 4 can be viewed on 10.714h regional channels and 10.729v tagged as 8350

Channel five are still under contract

SM

Sorry to be so dumb, but could you please explain to a layman what these figures mean. In short, does this mean Channel 4 can be received now, and Channel 5 later, by my original Sky dish, without modification to the satellite dish aim?

**Robbo** · 03-09-2008

Yep, you haven't got to move the dish, 10.729V for example is the carrier frequency used in GHz, V is for vertical polarisation. These number s are needed to tune them in on a FTA or similar receiver. The likes of the Sky and Freesat box sort it out for you automatically.

An example you would be more familiar with is using a radio, eg Capital radio is on 95.8 MHz.

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