Using a Sky Box as a Freeview Box

mr. shr

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Hi there,

This may be a really crazy question, but can an old sky box be used as a Freeview box? I've got a spare Sky Box and was wondering if I could use that instead of buying a Freeview unit?

The Sky Box has the "DV3" symbol on the front so does that mean it is an integrated Freview box? If so, how do I connect it up?

Thanks for any info.

shr.
 
You need to connect a Sky DVB box to a satellite dish pointed at 28.2 deg east. You can get a 'Freesat from Sky' card for £20 to give you the FTV channels i.e. ITV 1 and 2, CH4 and Five. Note ITV 1 and 2 will be going FTA shortly.
 
Thanks for the reply.

So I still need to connect the box to my dish then? I was hoping that I could use my external roof aerial and connect that to "Antenna In" socket.
 
mr. shr said:
Thanks for the reply.

So I still need to connect the box to my dish then? I was hoping that I could use my external roof aerial and connect that to "Antenna In" socket.

No it wont work - not quite as crazy as 1st thought as thats pretty much how dedicated freeview boxes do work, but in one of lifes little ironies the RF reciver in the Sky digital box is in fact just a passthrough analogue.
 
So why do they put an "antenna in" on the back of the Sky Box if it is just a follow throuh? Surely, evey user would connect their antenna directly to their TV or VCR? The Sky Box cannont even use the signal, can it? If anything, the Sky Box would just degrade the signal wouldn't it?

I think it will probably be easier for me to just buy a cheapo thirty quid freeview box then.
Also, I've got a Sony Vega TV with built in digital tuner (used for the old ONDigital or ITVDigital network). Is it possible to use the Sony to receive freeview stuff?
 
The Sky box has RF out for 2 uses :

1. For customers with TV's & videos without scart sockets. The box outputs its video and audio on a pre-set RF channel.

2. For distributing programmes around the house via co-axial. The RF input on the box means that it will distribute all the terrestrial stuff & its own stuff around the house.

The Sony Vega TV will pick up Freeview on its digital tuner.
 

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