Cancelled Sky

[Paul D]

Hi Guys


Firstly hopefully this is posted in correct place , I have cancelled sky and I'm looking to purchase freesat , can someone please advise me here on the following -

I have no aerial just my sky dish , I currently have my sky box in the lounge and the extra box in the bedroom , im aware the extra box will have to be returned , can I put a free sat box in its place or will this supply cable be rendered useless when sky goes off next month .

Many thanks for any help in advance

 

[ozumo]

Do you have Sky Q? If yes that limits your choice of Freesat box to either of the 4K models, unless you are willing to work on the dish. Is the extra box Sky Q or Sky HD, and does the cable go directly to the dish?

 

[Paul D]

Do you have Sky Q? If yes that limits your choice of Freesat box to either of the 4K models, unless you are willing to work on the dish. Is the extra box Sky Q or Sky HD, and does the cable go directly to the dish?

Hi , I'm pretty sure its sky Q , its 18 months old if that helps , the box in the bedroom ( the one I want to install a freesat box ) is at least half the size of the main box but has nothing written on , I've just looked at the dish and a double cable comes down to the lounge and there is a double cable that's wrapped around the dish that goes directly up to the loft and down through the bedroom ceiling , I know this because the sky engineer said he couldn't go up the loft so he threaded through the soffit and I ran it over the loft floor and passed through the existing virgin cable hole to the wall mounted telly , he then did the hard wire side I have got sky HD in the lounge and on the bedroom box .

Thanks

 

[ozumo]

I'm a little confused, as the system is 18 months old then I would expect it to be Sky Q. But you say you have to return the extra box, but not the main one? Generally all Sky Q boxes should be returned to Sky as they are effectively on loan. But if it is Sky Q then I'd have thought the secondary box wouldn't be connected to the dish, which makes me think it's not Sky Q - unless the main box is A Sky+ HD box and the extra box is Sky Q

The easy way to tell is to post a photo of each box, or the on-screen menus, or the remotes

 

[Paul D]

I'm a little confused, as the system is 18 months old then I would expect it to be Sky Q. But you say you have to return the extra box, but not the main one? Generally all Sky Q boxes should be returned to Sky as they are effectively on loan. But if it is Sky Q then I'd have thought the secondary box wouldn't be connected to the dish, which makes me think it's not Sky Q - unless the main box is A Sky+ HD box and the extra box is Sky Q

The easy way to tell is to post a photo of each box, or the on-screen menus, or the remotes

Just checked my cancellation and its sky Q and as you have stated I have to return all the kit , I was wrongly advised I could keep the main box , this now narrows it down I guess , the bedroom needs to be a recordable box , the lounge tv can just be a basic box , if you could advise what would work it would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Paul D]

Just checked my cancellation and its sky Q and as you have stated I have to return all the kit , I was wrongly advised I could keep the main box , this now narrows it down I guess , the bedroom needs to be a recordable box , the lounge tv can just be a basic box , if you could advise what would work it would be appreciated.

Thanks

I'll send some screen pics tomorrow if it helps

 

[ozumo]

Just checked my cancellation and its sky Q and as you have stated I have to return all the kit , I was wrongly advised I could keep the main box , this now narrows it down I guess , the bedroom needs to be a recordable box , the lounge tv can just be a basic box , if you could advise what would work it would be appreciated.

Thanks

Does the back of the extra box look like this?

If yes then I assume the cable that goes to it is an ethernet cable, and you won't be able to use it receive sateliite channels on a Freesat box.

A photo of the LNB (the part of the dish the cables connect to) will help confirm what LNB you currently have and how it is set up. Most likely you will have to replace it & run two additional cables from it to your new extra box.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Just checked my cancellation and its sky Q and as you have stated I have to return all the kit , I was wrongly advised I could keep the main box , this now narrows it down I guess , the bedroom needs to be a recordable box , the lounge tv can just be a basic box , if you could advise what would work it would be appreciated.

Your options are limited with a Q system, Sky has got you with a single hard wired box on a unique wideband LNB unless you start running more cables to the second room and change the front end of the dish.

 

[Paul D]

Does the back of the extra box look like this?
View attachment 137722
If yes then I assume the cable that goes to it is an ethernet cable, and you won't be able to use it receive sateliite channels on a Freesat box.

A photo of the LNB (the part of the dish the cables connect to) will help confirm what LNB you currently have and how it is set up. Most likely you will have to replace it & run two additional cables from it to your new extra box.

Does the back of the extra box look like this?
View attachment 137722
If yes then I assume the cable that goes to it is an ethernet cable, and you won't be able to use it receive sateliite channels on a Freesat box.

A photo of the LNB (the part of the dish the cables connect to) will help confirm what LNB you currently have and how it is set up. Most likely you will have to replace it & run two additional cables from it to your new extra box.

Hi

Yes spare box is as above , pic of remote and dish as attached

Thanks

Does the back of the extra box look like this?
View attachment 137722
If yes then I assume the cable that goes to it is an ethernet cable, and you won't be able to use it receive sateliite channels on a Freesat box.

A photo of the LNB (the part of the dish the cables connect to) will help confirm what LNB you currently have and how it is set up. Most likely you will have to replace it & run two additional cables from it to your new extra box.

 

[Paul D]

Hi

Yes spare box as your pic

 

[ozumo]

Definitely Sky Q. What do those two cables connect to on the extra box, and are they actually connected to anything at the dish?

 

[Paul D]

Hi ,

Have pulled off trunking lidding and confirmed not attached to bedroom box , with this now confirmed does it mean I need to repair the aerial and utilise a freeview box , also what's cheapest option for a bog basic box in the lounge

 

[ozumo]

Either of the Freesat 4K boxes will work with your current LNB with the cables that are actually connected to the dish. If you changed to a Mk4 Sky quad LNB you could use any Freesat box. You could also use the currently unconnected cable to install a second Freesat box of any kind (depending on the condition of the unused cable).

 

[Paul D]

Really appreciate the advice / help you have given

Thank you

 

[Offtensive]

Really appreciate the advice / help you have given

Thank you

Can you post a picture of your lnb too?

It's a bit random that the sky engineer threaded the other cable through the sofitt for the bedroom when its not in use. I wonder if he maybe gave you a hybrid lnb instead, I doubt it, but you never know.

 

[Paul D]

Can you post a picture of your lnb too?

It's a bit random that the sky engineer threaded the other cable through the sofitt for the bedroom when its not in use. I wonder if he maybe gave you a hybrid lnb instead, I doubt it, but you never know.

Yes , the cable has been cut and wrapped around

 

[Offtensive]

That is the wideband lnb, just follow ozumo's guide in post 13.

 

[Channel Hopper]

That is the wideband lnb, just follow ozumo's guide in post 13.

Er, no.

For two Freesat boxes one would need a pair of high quality splitters at the front end, delivering the dual polarity signals to each point.

Best fit a quad band LNB on the dish and some replacement connectors upstairs.

(You will end up with a spare wideband LNB for later)

 

[ozumo]

As in post #13:

Using current wideband LNB: Only the Sky box currently connected to the LNB can be directly replaced, and it would have to be one of the Freesat 4K boxes.

Change LNB to a mk4 Sky quad LNB: Any Freesat box can replace the primary Sky Q box, and if the spare cables are connected, any Freesat box can be used to replace the Sky Q mini.
---
Additionally, if LNB changed for a Sky Hybrid wideband + 2 legacy: One box would have to be a Freesat 4K, the other can be any Freesat box.

If LNB changed for Sky Hybrid wideband + 4 legacy: Any combination of 2 Freesat boxes will work.

If using a Freesat 4K recordable box, to maximise recording options it will have to be connected to the wideband outputs of one of the above LNBs (not the quad). If using a quad LNB with a Freesat 4K recordable box it will be limited to recording a maximum of 2 channels simultaneously.

 

[Paul D]

Yes , the cable has been cut and wrapped around View attachment 137743

Er, no.

For two Freesat boxes one would need a pair of high quality splitters at the front end, delivering the dual polarity signals to each point.

Best fit a quad band LNB on the dish and some replacement connectors upstairs.

(You will end up with a spare wideband LNB for later)

Guys I take it this is what I need, I can fit the connectors on easy enough to the old exterior bedroom cable , just a quick thought will changing my old LNB knock off my sky in the lounge, I've got this until the second week of Aug and don't want to miss the two remaining British lions games