Answered Got rid of Sky Q can I replace with Freesat box with these connectors

BritanniaJaf

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Guys as above im wanting to get a freeview box primarily if possible the box below to work with my sky Q connectors.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-FOXSAT-HDR-Freesat-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001L5YU36?tag=av0c-21

Will the connectors I have attached as photo, sorry for the poor quality work or am I out of luck. Or is there convertors I can buy to get this box working.

Your title states Freeview box.
The linked box is a Freesat box.
And you have posted in Freeview.

Confused? Which do you want Freeview or Freesat?

If you want Freesat. How many outputs on the Sky Q LNB, if 2 then it needs changing to a Sky quad or Sky hybrid 6 output.

If you want Freeview you require a TV aerial.
 
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It all depends on the Low Noise Block (LNB) fitted to the dish and connected o the cables.

If when $ky installed Q they changed the LNB for a 2-output $ky Q "wideband LNB" (or fitted a new dish with Q LNB) then NO.

The LNB will need replacing with a standard $ky quad (4 output) LNB.

IF $ky fitted a 6-output "hybrid LNB" then the answer is YES.

NB1 there should be two (2) f-plug cables for Q or the Foxsat to use. Usually joined as 'shotgun' figure of 8 cable.
NB2 The Foxsat is a, now, very old freesat PVR not Freeview which uses a UHF TV aerial. There are more modern freesat boxes available (albeit without the abilities of the foxsat with custom firmware).

Finally. If you're in a block of flats with a communal aerial system all bets are off. ;)
 
Cheers for that, would that box I linked earlier work with my sky q connections?
 
Cheers for that, would that box I linked earlier work with my sky q connections?

You need to look and answer the questions asked, before anyone can advise.
 
Sorry guys was trying to answer those questions in the pub yesterday :(

Ok so obviously its freesat I need as I don't have a TV aerial, only got those connectors for sky in my room. I live in a semi detached so its my satellie but im not sure about what LNB is attached to my satellite as its pretty high up on my building. Anything i'm particularly looking for to confirm what LNB it is?
 

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So am I looking at that right then, with 5 cables coming out of it thats a hybrid LNB and I can buy that freesat box and connect those 2 sky q cables in my room to it and I should have no issues or am I talking out of my ***?
 
Well I just connected the sky q cables to the co axial.connectons to my TV and incredibly they have picked up the freesat channels :)

So it's all good and even managed to connect a hdd to my TV and it records the channels so I am in business.

So I assume freesat hd box if i bought one would work fine?

But tbh not really sure I need one now :)
 
do you get the full range of freesat channels? See www.freesat.co.uk
I think the SKY-Q LNB connectors might give you some channels.
So yes to a freesat HD box assuming you are getting all channels and if not all you gave to do is change the LNB connectors to a legacy connector.
 
They need to be connected to the legacy connectors to work properly.
<panto mode on>Oh no they don't.</panto mode>
I believe any Hybrid LNB output will switch to the needed mode. EDIT: Question - adding to LNB Sky Q also confirms that.

Well done OP. But you surely must have known that you had other satellite feeds to other kit in your home?

Well I just connected the sky q cables to the co axial.connectons to my TV and incredibly they have picked up the freesat channels :)

So it's all good and even managed to connect a hdd to my TV and it records the channels so I am in business.

So I assume freesat hd box if i bought one would work fine?

But tbh not really sure I need one now :)
Agreed. A freesat PVR will work from the cables fine. But see how good the TV's PVR functionality is before buying anything else. Two sat inputs is obviously quite high end spec for a TV.
 
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What we don't know is if the two cables in your room are connected to the two SKY Q connectors or to two of the 4 Legacy connectors. They need to be connected to the legacy connectors to work properly.

see sky Q hybrid LNB - Bing video

Any pair of the connections on a hybrid lnb can be used. There aren't any dedicated to q boxes.

The lnb is clever enough to know if a pair of q outputs are needed or they are connected to a box that requires universal band and polarisation switching.

So even if the OP had a q box and has the 6 output hybrid a Freesat+ box will happily work with the cables that originally fed the Sky-Q box.

Don't ask me how the lnb knows :). However this was tested long ago and it's certain it works.
 
Thanks Graham, I know very little about SKY Q LNB's. I thought I had seen a post a while back that someone got something when trying a Q LNB on a legacy unit but might have been something else.
 
do you get the full range of freesat channels? See www.freesat.co.uk
I think the SKY-Q LNB connectors might give you some channels.
So yes to a freesat HD box assuming you are getting all channels and if not all you gave to do is change the LNB connectors to a legacy connector.

Yup all those channels seem to be there, cheers m8 :)
 
<panto mode on>Oh no they don't.</panto mode>
I believe any Hybrid LNB output will switch to the needed mode. EDIT: Question - adding to LNB Sky Q also confirms that.

Well done OP. But you surely must have known that you had other satellite feeds to other kit in your home?


Agreed. A freesat PVR will work from the cables fine. But see how good the TV's PVR functionality is before buying anything else. Two sat inputs is obviously quite high end spec for a TV.

I honestly didn't I realise they were until I was messing about with it :)
 
Thanks Graham, I know very little about SKY Q LNB's. I thought I had seen a post a while back that someone got something when trying a Q LNB on a legacy unit but might have been something else.

The standard Sky-Q lnb uses a much lower fixed frequency for the IF (no band switching) which in fact falls into the UHF band (that's why you can't multiplex terrestrial TV onto a sky-Q feed). I suppose you might get something but certainly not all channels. Depending on which one you used they would be all horizontal or vertical.

Never have understood how the hybrid lnb knows it has a Sky-Q box at the other end. According to the spec it only has 12V DC out and of course no band switching tone. I doubt if you asked a Sky-fitter they wouldn't have a clue how it works.

There is no markings on the 6 output ports so any two can be used to connect a sky-q box. in a recent thread a poster wanted to be able to move a sky-q box during the summer to a outside cabin or similar. All he had to do was run a shotgun pair from any two outputs to the cabin and move the Sky-Q box as required. It will work in either location.

Pretty clever really it's idiot proof no need just connect to any pair of ports for a twin tuner legacy box or a multituner Sky-Q unit.
 
do you get the full range of freesat channels? See www.freesat.co.uk
I think the SKY-Q LNB connectors might give you some channels.
So yes to a freesat HD box assuming you are getting all channels and if not all you gave to do is change the LNB connectors to a legacy connector.

Am I wrong in thinking that if a hybrid LNB (Smart LNB) is in use then you can use any of the connectors to access the Freesat service?
 
Am I wrong in thinking that if a hybrid LNB (Smart LNB) is in use then you can use any of the connectors to access the Freesat service?
Posts #16 and 17 both confirm that


you are not wrong. :p
 

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