topic Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from? in Archive

Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

TazLondon — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 06:35:05 GMT

I was wondering where the Mini box gets its TV signal from. From a networking perspective it is connected to the main Q box. So the main Q box must supply the TV signal over the network link to the Mini box. Is the source of the TV signal the dish input to the main Q box? Or is it the Internet connection from the main Q box?

I hope my question makes sense.! Put another way, does the main Q box send programmes streamed over the Internet to the Mini box or does it use one of its LNB inputs to obtain the programme, convert it into a network stream over the wireless mesh or wired Ethernet for the Mini box to consume?

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

bob1234 — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 06:52:23 GMT

@TazLondonEverything comes via the main box including live broadcasts, turn the main box off and you will get nothing on the mini box.

All live broadcasts that you can see in the planner comes from the dish to main box then to the mini by the Q mesh, or Ethernet if you have hard wired it.

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

Chrisee — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:01:40 GMT

@TazLondon you are correct that the main Q box acts as the server to Q minis. The main box has multiple tuners one of which serves each mini. In all there are up to 12 tuners in a main box 5 are deicated to recordings, one supports the epg system, one is used for live viewing on the main box, two are used for Sky Go devices and 2 are for the Q minis. You can choose to allocate the last tuner to the live picture on the EPG or to a 6th recording.

Using the Mini's remote you can tune to any satellite channel, choose a recording or choose a download and the main box does the work and pushes the signal over the Sky Q wifi mesh connection. Apps like Netflix stream directly to the Q mini and dont involve the main box.

Therefore to work both the mini and the main Q box must be operating and your router has to be on. You only need an internet connection for downloads and streaming but the router is required at all times to provide IP services like addresses.

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

TazLondon — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:02:23 GMT

Thanks @bob1234!

So the Inernet connection from the main Q box is just for non-TV comms, I presume. The load on my home Internet connection should be quite low as it's not used for TV streaming in any way.

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

TazLondon — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:04:33 GMT

Ah okay. So potentially my home Internet could be used for some content streaming, but for all normal viewing the source is the dish.

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

Chrisee — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:20:12 GMT

@TazLondon yes that is broadly correct for live viewing and recording of air. However all other programming like catch up and box sets are downloaded. A few of Q's party tricks like "play from the start" on live TV also use online dara.

If you have a slow internet connection or pay for data then set your main Q box to only use SD quality for that in Settings/Set up/Preferences to stop expensive mistakes. UHD downloads run at around 10GB per hour, HD around 4GB and SD around 1GB as rough estimates.

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

TazLondon — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:33:38 GMT

Thank you @Chrisee. I have fast, unlimited broadband with Virgin Media so things should be fine. I currently have Sky+ HD but took advantage of a Sky Q deal to get Netflix Premium. The engineer visit is in a couple of weeks.

For now I'm just exploring the connectivity options that I have as I'll be getting one main Q box and one Mini box.

The main Q box will be in my bedroom, the Mini will be in my living room. I actually have a CAT-6 link between my bedroom and the living room. I want to avoid WiFi with Sky Q if I can.

If you would be so kind as to look over my proposed Sky Q setup, that would be appreciated:

Bedroom: Sky Q main box (as this is where the LNB feeds come into the house) --> Homeplug (3-port Ethernet over power line) adapter --> Homeplug adapter in another room where broadband router is. This should provide a wired Internet connection for the Sky Q main box.

Living room: Sky Q Mini box --> CAT-6 Ethernet cable --> Bedroom Homeplug adapter. This should provide a wired network connection for the Mini box. I'm hoping that it will be able to 'see' the Sky Q main box!

I plan to turn off all WiFi on the Sky Q main and Mini boxes. Do you think the above would work?

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

Chrisee — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:44:35 GMT

@TazLondon should do assuming the home plugs have a decent connection.

The Sky engineer will be unlikely to set them up like that though as Sky do not support powerline technology - long story there. He or she will probably want to use wifi connecting the Main box to your Virgin wifi usung the 2.4GHz band and then connecting the mini to the Sky's 5GHz mesh signal. However you may hit lucky and have one who knows your set up will work.

Once the engineer has left simply connect as you describe but then turn off the wifi on each Sky box which is quite easy by navigating to settings entering 0,0,1 on the remote before select which opens the engineer's menu. Disable both bands on both boxes which should then pick up the ethernet link in around 30 seconds.

Best of luck.

Re: Where does the Mini box get its TV signal from?

bob1234 — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:48:05 GMT

@TazLondonDon't get confused there are two ways of connecting the boxes depending on if Sky is your broadband provider.

If you do not have Sky everything and I mean everything comes via the mesh the boxes set up and only the link between the main box and your router uses your home WiFi.

If Sky is your broadband provider then your home broadband both frequencies is used for everything.