Using SKY+ with one connection to the LNB

[speedfox]

There has been a single satellite connection point in my living room that I haven't used until I recently picked up an old SKY+ box from a car boot sale. I bought it to just get some extra channels, because I knew they could pick up the unencrypted ones, but when I got it home I was pleased to find that the SKY+ functionality seemed to still work. I can pause live TV, and I can record shows. There is however, one catch: if I start recording a show I can't view any other channels. I'm guessing that this must be because I only have one of the two LNB connections plugged in, so in order to get the full SKY+ functionality (i.e. be able to record one channel while watching another) would I have to run another cable to the box (something I would rather avoid) or can I upgrade my LNB to one that will allow more than one signal to come down the one cable? There seems to be 4 cables coming out of my LNB, so presumably that's so it can run 2 boxes, each with SKY+?

 

[noiseboy72]

Yes, you will need to run a 2nd cable from the box to the LNB. Where do the other cables go to at the moment?

 

[jonoro]

Change the lnb for a dscr one

 

[speedfox]

Two of the other cables are just hanging loose off the dish, and the third one comes half way along the exterior wall of the house and then seems to be cut off (it disappears behind a drain pipe so, I'm not 100% sure). I would like to avoid putting more holes in my walls!

The reason I was asking about the possibility of upgrading the LNB is because I've read that SkyQ only needs one satellite connector to get the same functionality. Presumably that's because SkyQ uses a newer LNB, but would that LNB be compatible with the older box?

 

[jonoro]

No both Sky+ and Q can function with one cable using using a dscr lnb.
The reason both boxes use 2 cables normally is 1 for vertical and 1 for horizontal polarised signals. What a dscr lnb does is to take put the required channels onto one cable. It can do this as it is only putting a fraction of all channels onyo the one cable. The required ones being the ones the sky box has told it that it wants.
Q lnbs are different fron non Q ones in that Q ones are wideband, they put all the horizontal channels onto one cable and all vertical onto the other.
Thus with 2 cables you can get all channels.
Non Q lnbs split the frequency band in 2, low and high frequency and the box tells it which it wants by adding, or not adding, a 22kHz tone onto the cable.
Thus a non Q system canot provide every channel at the same time.

 

[speedfox]

So, just to be clear, if I get a DSCR LNB I'll be able to watch one channel on my Sky+ box while recording another? Will I also be able to do that on a freesat box if I switch to one of those later?

Do I need to put my Sky box into single feed mode for that to work, or do I have to leave it in dual feed mode?

Edit: changed "watching" to "recording"

 

[jonoro]

Yes to your first question
2nd question depends upon which freesat box but you certainly can on some freesat boxes.
The Sky box needs to be set for dscr mode

 

[speedfox]

Thank for the help. I have a couple of final questions
1.) I'm seeing lots of SCR LNBs but few that say dSCR. Are these basically the same thing (with the only real difference being the number of receivers you can have running off the cable)?
2.) If I add another box on the same cable do I need to set "Channel 1" and "channel 2" in the sky box settings (after I've changed the LNB type to SCR BAND) to different numbers on each box?
3.) I'm seeing a couple of DCSS LNBs. is DCSS just another (presumable incompatible) technology that also allows multiple channels to be sent down the same satellite cable.
4.) Would this one do the job: Amazon product

 

[jonoro]

SCR and dSCR are sometimes used interchangeably. Striictly the non d versions are old analogue types. They are not interchangeable from a receiver's perspective, the receiver either can control one type or the other, and not both.
You should be able to cascade 2 receivers. I say should, I have not done it though.
I believe that dcss is a different technology, but don't know aything about it, sorry.
That LNB looks ok but you do need to check the collar size and I suggest you ask the seller if it will work with your Sky box. There are reports that Sky use a bespoke dSCR command set that is not infustry standard.