Can you connect Freeview box to Sky Dish?

[yippee]

Hi there.

Might be running the risk of getting mauled for a stupid question here but the building we've just moved into a building of 4 flats where everyone has Sky. There is an RF Cable running into the flat from the Sky dish which I have connected to my freeview box (with the appropriate adaptor) assuming you can pick up terrestrial TV from a Sky dish?

It picked up no signal at all, is that because it coded from the Sky dish and will only work with a Sky box?

If so we'll have to go with Sky unless we get a normal TV aerial installed?

Thanks for any guidance.

 

[mike7]

It is quite impossible to pick up Freeview signals through a satellite aerial. However you could purchase a FreeSat box with or without recording facilities and that should work for you. There are slightly higher priced models which will pick up BBC & ITV HD. FreeSat is free, unlike Sky where you will have to pay.

 

[Tight Git]

Welcome to the Forum.

Freeview is a terrestrial system, broadcast from your local mast and so has nothing to do with dishes, which pick up satellites.

Having said that, if the local Freeview signal is VERY strong, the dish and its cable may work as a sort of aerial, however inefficient.

But usually you'll need a "normal aerial" as you call it, or go for Sky or, for limited channels, Freesat.

Good luck.

 

[yippee]

Thanks guys I've learnt something about satellite dishes today. Clearly the clue's in the name!

Sky seems like the logical option, by the time you factor in a "normal" aerial or freesat box if you hammer Sky for a good package incl broadband & HD box we may as well go for it.

cheers.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Thanks guys I've learnt something about satellite dishes today. Clearly the clue's in the name!

Sky seems like the logical option, by the time you factor in a "normal" aerial or freesat box if you hammer Sky for a good package incl broadband & HD box we may as well go for it.

cheers.

If you can do without a fancy epg a generic SD fta box can be bought for as little as £25.00. There's no need for a SKY or Freesat box these will simply add the Sky or Freesat epg's. To use a Sky box these days you need a quad lnb to provide two feeds to the twin tuners.

 

[yippee]

Thanks Graham. If you're still there what's an EPG. Have looked up LNB, I believe they have one of these on the dish to feed the 4 flats.

And sorry, are you saying if I do get a Sky box it needs two feeds? Although Sky would set it up so I may have misread your sentence.

Many thanks

 

[mike7]

EPG = electronic programme guide. This is the menu display that shows whats on and where.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Thanks Graham. If you're still there what's an EPG. Have looked up LNB, I believe they have one of these on the dish to feed the 4 flats.

And sorry, are you saying if I do get a Sky box it needs two feeds? Although Sky would set it up so I may have misread your sentence.

Many thanks

Unless your installation has a multiswitch each of the outlets from the quad lnb will be used to provide a single feed to each flat. If this is correct an octal lnb will be needed. Sky now only provide twin tuner HD boxes to new subscribers, without two feeds it will be very crippled if you wish to use the recording capability. If you can't get two feeds a Freesat Foxsat-hdr will work with two tuners using only a single cable allowing two channel recording (and some 3rd channel viewing) with some restrictions. It won't of course give you access to Sky subscription channels though.