Two digiboxes with one single LNB or frequent removal of viewing card?

Helmut05

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I currently have an Irish digibox with an Irish sky subscription. As I would like to watch ITV, CH4 and CH5 but have no way of ordering a UK Sky subscription, I thought about getting a FTV viewing card from England (ebay or so) and use it next to my Sky subscription. I know I can't put two cards in the box at the same time, so here's what I thought might work. I'd appreciate your comments and suggestions.

A: Use two cards with one box, i.e. remove the SKY card and replace it by the FTV card whenever I want to watch a program on ITV, CH4 or CH5. Is this possible in general? And would frequent removal and reinsertion of the cards (possibly a couple of times a week or even once a day) be harmful to the cards? Any experiences?

B: Get a second (used) box and use the FTV card with this box. In that case I would need to hook up two digiboxes to one satellite cable that is fed by a single LNB. Is there a switch, splitter box or whatever device that can split up a digital satellite signal for two receivers?

Thanks a million!

Helmut
 

rolfw

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A or B will be fine, I'm sure that removing and replacing the smartcard isn't the best idea, but will probably be fine, for the second idea, you can get an A/B switch, or a twin or quad LNB.
 

diarmuid

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I'm in Dublin with two digiboxes and two cards one Sky - one Next Genaration for UTV, Channel 4 and 5 etc.

Two digiboxes is the least trouble. Buy a refurbished Digibox for best value and avoid the nuisance of switching cards which is not a good idea.

The only other minor problem is switching channels as the remote catches both boxes at the same time. There is a solution on another forum here on pasting a polarised strip on the remote LED but I found that closing off one box is almost as easy until you need to change channels again. For example my Sky box is almost permanently on the football news channel while I can hop around the other Programme Guide to my heart's content.


If you want to have the two boxes transmitting to another TV watch out for the channel number clashing. My main Sony has the capability to hold two separate signals from both boxes without conflict but my small kitchen portable was mixing the two signals. The solution was to change the channel output number from 68 the default Sky number to another number in the range I think from 60 to 70. I have the two signals now without any problem and one is on the "Magic Eye" extension from the RF 2 outlet.

Hope this helps.
 

w hole

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Hello Helmut

Where are you?

i.e. Which Country?

Regards

W. Hole
 

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Unfortunately I have only just seen this thread, just did a long reply, but that nice aol service just fouled it all up, so I will keep it short. An ordinary splitter is no good, you need a Global Communications SPLIT4AF this allows you to connect up to 4 receivers from one dish, with 1 LNB and 1 cable without any loss of signal. I am using one the same way connected up to 4 different types of digital receivers with no problems whatsoever. Can post the address of the company if anyone would like it, providing the moderators of the board are in agreement
 

meme

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hi wonder if you could help. ive 2digiboxes.2smartcards. but only one satelite dish. could you tell us how to connect so we can watch both tv's , novice to this . thankyou meme ,,,,,
diarmuid said:
I'm in Dublin with two digiboxes and two cards one Sky - one Next Genaration for UTV, Channel 4 and 5 etc.

Two digiboxes is the least trouble. Buy a refurbished Digibox for best value and avoid the nuisance of switching cards which is not a good idea.

The only other minor problem is switching channels as the remote catches both boxes at the same time. There is a solution on another forum here on pasting a polarised strip on the remote LED but I found that closing off one box is almost as easy until you need to change channels again. For example my Sky box is almost permanently on the football news channel while I can hop around the other Programme Guide to my heart's content.


If you want to have the two boxes transmitting to another TV watch out for the channel number clashing. My main Sony has the capability to hold two separate signals from both boxes without conflict but my small kitchen portable was mixing the two signals. The solution was to change the channel output number from 68 the default Sky number to another number in the range I think from 60 to 70. I have the two signals now without any problem and one is on the "Magic Eye" extension from the RF 2 outlet.

Hope this helps.
 

rolfw

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Just put a quad LNB on the dish and run a cable to the second box, very easy to do.
 

gar.k

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hi i found your forum on a copernic search ! i have purchashed a split4af but on testing it in the lounge with 2 boxes and tvs ,they still only want to show one at a time ,i read the info but dont want to connect the split4af to the rf /out in caes i blow it ,do you have an idiots diagram to help me ?
 

rolfw

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Yes, it is only good for supplying one box at a time, as they only multiply the outlets from one feed.

What you need is a twin or quad LNB.
 

rolfw

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PS. Welcome to the forum. :)
 
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