Will HD box boot up with only 1 dish?

ZZDave

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I haven't found the answer on here (yet!)
Just got an Ebay new Samsung HD box - still only one dish connection installed for standard SKY account. Will the HD Box boot up normally with just one dish connection made, and probably complain that there's only one and that Plus isn't available, or will it remain with just a red power light whatever happens?

Thanks
ZZDave
 
Yes, it will happily work with only one connection.

The only problem is the obvious one of not being able to record something whilst you watch something else, or record two things at once.

But if you are happy just to watch/record one channel at a time, it will work fine.

(I know, as I have one in the breakfast room. Note to self: must get that octo LNB installed)
 
Thanks for the answers - it's not looking good. :(

I moved over the one F connector from the working standard Sky box into "Input Dish 1", and plugged the HDMI into a spare telly input, and selected it, and plugged in the power lead. I have not connected the phone line yet, nor inserted the viewing card from the standard box (yet)

Red light came on, and after about 30 secs, when I press the SKY button on the remote, the red led next to the red power led flashes. I waited for 10 mins, pressed SKY button on remote - red led flashed - nothing more. Tried this twice - same.

Yellow sticker says "imperative to download software", so I repowered with the Backup button on the box pressed. After a few seconds, four leds come on, and the B/W TV Screen download warning message appears. After about 10 mins of the message, screen goes blue (no signal), and only red led on. Still no response other than red flash when I press SKY button.

Does this means it's DOA?

ZZDave
 
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Probably best to get in touch with the seller on fleabay to see if there are any special instructions.

By the way - what was your previous set up - it might be pointing at one of the old astra's - but then I could be spouting a load of drivel :smashin:

Cheers

Steve
 
You may have got one of the trial Samsungs - they won't update.
 
Followup post:
It turns out the new Samsung Sky+ HD box I bought WAS faulty. I went through the power-up sequence with the Ebay vendor while he was on the phone, and it wouldn't boot whatever I did.

It was decided that I return the box for a replacement, and was confirmed faulty. Although I had to pay the return carriage, the vendor sent me a Quad LNB (which I do need) with the replacement box as some consolation.

I think that was pretty good service, and I got him to check the new box before he sent it out, and when it arrived it does indeed work with only one input. I'm still getting estimates for the new LNB installation... (cheapest so far £225: it's a non-standard inst. high roof job)

To save starting another thread, can I ask about something else? I'm using the HD box set to 1080i though HDMI. I have the Toshiba TV resolution on 1080p and "Exact Scan" setting. On HD programmes, and wide-screen SD programmes, the aspect ratio is completely fine as expected. On SD channels though like G.O.L.D, Virgin1 and all the other ones that originate older programming only in regular 4:3 aspect ratio, the picture is stretched to 16:9 even so, which I hate.

Previously I used my standard Sky box set to 16:9 via SCART feeding into my Panasonic DVD/PVR, and had the Panny feeding into the TV via its HDMI at 1080p/Exact Scan. With this arrangement watching those channels, the aspect ratio changed automatically (most of the time) when the broadcast went from 4:3 to 16:9 (as during adverts etc).

Can the Samsung Sky HD Box not do the same thing? Do I have to watch all upscaled 4:3 programming stretched out to 16:9? Pumpkin-faces I call it?

Dave
 

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