Sky question

[BenzComander]

Have been given my mum's old sky box (less card) and was wondering if it was possible to run two sky boxes off one sky dish??

Obviously we would not get all the sky channels on the second tv, but would it display free to view channels such as BBC1 etc??

Was thinking of putting the lead from the dish into a splitter, then the two leads to each sky box??

Cheers!

 

[Will]

Nope - won't work, you'll need a twin 'LNB' (the part that attaches to the dish with the coax cable coming out of it.

If you were just planning to use the sky box for free to air viewing it'd make much more sense to just use a terrestrial digital TV set top box.

Sky do offer a 'mulitroom' viewing package which will mirror your existing subscription and all premium channels for £10/month IIRC.

HTH,

Will

 

[BenzComander]

Could I not use this?

 

[Will]

Possibly - but I'm not sure that would be a full solution - would limit you to watching certain channels on the same boxes?

Twin LNB would be the way to go, and just run another coax feed to the new box

Will

 

[GRAV888]

Check your existing LNB first.
I have sky+ downstairs(requires 2 cables from the LNB) and a normal sky box in the bedroom (1 cable needed).
In the shed, I mean bar , I wanted to install sky as well.
Booked up with sky for them to get on the roof, but when the engineer came, he just connected my lead from the bar straight up there as there were 2 more spare connections. :bannana:

 

[Mr E]

There is (I am told) two-way communication between the Sky box and the LNB, so by using the splitter either one box controls the LNB or you get all kinds of confusion.

 

[dchaddah]

The sky splitter from Maplin does not work properly. Causes too many problems in the end I just laid another cable from the LNB.

 

[BenzComander]

If I buy a freeview ariel, plug it into the back of my spare skybox, will I get the freeview channels OK? The box has no card.

 

[BenzComander]

If I buy a freeview ariel, plug it into the back of my spare skybox, will I get the freeview channels OK? The box has no card.

Dont worry, already had this answered!!

 

[tikw2124]

Benz Commander: what was the answer? i also have a spare sky box with no viewing card and want to use it as a freeview as i can't get digital in my area.

 

[BenzComander]

Benz Commander: what was the answer? i also have a spare sky box with no viewing card and want to use it as a freeview as i can't get digital in my area.

My idea was to use a freeview ariel into the ariel socket of the skybox, but seems this will not work!!

You will pick up the freeview channels if you connect a sky dish as per normal to your skybox without a card (I think??) Standing ready to be corrected though!!

 

[dougal74]

With no card you will get the channels who do not use Sky's encryption service (basically to prevent regional overspill) which would include BBC and ITV channels but not Four or Five's.
With a card to confirm you are a UK resident you then get the remaining Freesat channels (inc. Four and Five's).
The digibox tuner only decodes DSat signals not DTT(Freeview), though it can route standard RF (analogue or DTT) aerial signals and combine it with its own frequency DSat RF out.