topic Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box in Sky Q

Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

bandit6662 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:52:12 GMT

Sky has offered me a free upgrade to sky q. I rang and asked if it is possible to have sky q and keep the old box to be used just for free view in two spare rooms with no tv aerial, as I do this now. I have been told I need a new LNB. So the boxes won't work anymore. I have read you can use a hybrid LNB to split , to use both. Will sky not do this? Man on phone didn't understand my problem, and said I would need two dishes.
can it be done, any help please?

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

PandJ2020 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:55:26 GMT

@bandit6662 wrote:
can it be done, any help please?

You have read correctly - but getting Sky to fit a hybrid LNB can be a challenge as you've found out...

Try calling again and see if you get someone that does understand!

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

bandit6662 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:01:10 GMT

Thanks, I don't want to have a new aerial on the roof or get smart tv

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

Laing1 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:12:33 GMT

@bandit6662 wrote:

Sky has offered me a free upgrade to sky q. I rang and asked if it is possible to have sky q and keep the old box to be used just for free view in two spare rooms with no tv aerial, as I do this now. I have been told I need a new LNB. So the boxes won't work anymore. I have read you can use a hybrid LNB to split , to use both. Will sky not do this? Man on phone didn't understand my problem, and said I would need two dishes.
can it be done, any help please?

@bandit6662 its extremely difficult to get a hybrid LNB thats even if you can get a customer advisor to acknowledge they exist.

The other problem is that Sky would only install a hybrid for existing freesat equipment so wanting to use the HD box that Q is replacing as a freesat box its not existing freesat equipment and Sky wouldn't install one under these conditions.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

bandit6662 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:46:28 GMT

Thank you for the info

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

ThePope27 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 18:33:52 GMT

I asked my engineer to fit a hybrid LNB, he said they didnt really order them in anymore but had a couple in his van and only order them on request

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

Godfrey — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:59:05 GMT

@bandit6662 As you do not qualify for a free Sky 028 Hybrid LNB, and you cannot rely on your sky installer having a spare one in their van, you could consider searching on ebay for a 'Genuine Sky 028 LNB' and then asking your Sky Q installer to fit it for you.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

Mini+Mo — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:11:37 GMT

@bandit6662 Sky has stopped issuing Sky 028 Hybrid LNB's from beginning of 2024, you could buy your own from a reputable source & ask nicely for installer to fit it.

BUT, the Sky 028 Hybrid LNB only fit MK4 zone dishes.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

ThePope27 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:14:37 GMT

@Mini+Mo

The EL030 is the new Hybrid LNB in production for Sky

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

ThePope27 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:21:47 GMT

@bandit6662

I recommend buying the EL010 Hybrid LNB from eBay/Amazon as all the ports are hybrid. It's a chunky boy but in my opinion the best hybrid "Sky" branded hybrid LNB

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

Raider999 — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 21:42:47 GMT

@bandit6662 when I changed to skyQ I had 3 sky+HD boxes, I told the engineer I needed a hybrid lnb so one of the +HD boxes would work as a freesat box. He was happy to fit one so I didn't have to abort the installation and send him away.

I then got this +HD box set up as a freesat box.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

Mini+Mo — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 10:52:15 GMT

@ThePope27 I read somewhere that the EL010 has been replaced by EL028.

EL028 gives you 2 outputs for Sky Q & 4 legacy outputs for Sky HD or FreeSat.

EL030 has 4 outputs 2 for Sky Q & 2 legacy ports for Sky HD or FreeSat.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

ThePope27 — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 11:00:35 GMT

@Mini+Mo

They only supply the EL030 now according to the Sky Engineer I spoke to, which is 2 WB 2 Legacy

I got my EL010 on FB market place for 35 quid which is a Smart Hybrid LNB as the Sky box tells the LNB if it needs WB or legacy so all 6 ports on the EL010 can either be wideband or legacy.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

oldfella — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 11:17:31 GMT

@ThePope27 wrote:

@Mini+Mo

They only supply the EL030 now according to the Sky Engineer I spoke to, which is 2 WB 2 Legacy

I got my EL010 on FB market place for 35 quid which is a Smart Hybrid LNB as the Sky box tells the LNB if it needs WB or legacy so all 6 ports on the EL010 can either be wideband or legacy.

Using an EL010 here and it's certainly the best one to try to obtain.

However the ones on Amazon which claim to be EL010 specify them as:-
Hybrid LNB containing both a Wideband and a Quad.

Also they are a Generic brand and may not be the original Smart version.

You may get an original EL010 on eBay.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

Chalk+Serpent — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 11:32:22 GMT

I had a hybrid LNB fitted by Sky when I got Q however we already had freesat upstairs with cables going from the existing lnb (work carried out by an independent engineer and paid for by me). I'm not sure what the rules are now but if you haven't already got the cabling to the rooms you want Freesat to they'll be unlikely to fit one. You can get an independent satellite/aerial engineer to do this for you though.

Re: Keep sky HD box for free view tv and get sky q box

ThePope27 — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:27:41 GMT

EL010's are like gold dust now, I have 2 spare ones that I keep just in case the other one on my dish dies