topic Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish in Sky Q

TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

Luddite789 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:46:42 GMT

We are about to have some work done in our living room, which means that for a couple of weeks my Sky Q box will be disconnected from the dish. I have 3 options:

1. Connect it to a single feed in my office, which comes off another channel in the same LNB.

2. Just use it to play existing recordings and stream new stuff, over wifi.

3. Leave it in the box and live without for 2 weeks. Plus miss any new recordings.

My question - will option 1 or 2 actually work at all (even if limited in some way).

Thanks

Tim

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

PandJ2020 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:55:07 GMT

The Q box does work for a while when disconnected from the dish. (For playback and apps only of course)

Eventually the box will cease work if it doesn't receive a 'keep alive' signal via the dish. This can be days or weeks - no one can say for sure...

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

Luddite789 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:57:57 GMT

Thanks - I guess it's worth a try and see what happens.

IMPORTANT - I assume it will recover once it's reconnected ?

Thanks

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

nigea99 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 13:13:49 GMT

@Luddite789 wrote:

Thanks - I guess it's worth a try and see what happens.

IMPORTANT - I assume it will recover once it's reconnected ?

Thanks

hi @Luddite789

If it does stop due to missing the Keep alive signal, then yes, it resumes once the Satellite Signal is restored

For a couple of weeks you may just land lucky that it doesn't stop working for recordings/apps but no guarantees

BTW If you do have another feed from your dish & assuming it is connected at the LNB then that won't work with SKY Q as there are only a single pair of 'WIdeband' feeds needed by SKY Q - any other feeds are 'Universal' feeds for Freesat boxes & TVs & older SKY +/HD boxes.

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

Luddite789 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 16:22:13 GMT

Fingers crossed.

Interesting about the other feeds. Yes that does make sense as I currently use it for freesat.

The important take-away for me is that there's no advantage for me to use the satelite feed so I can put it wherever it is most useful (assuming it keeps going).

Thanks to both of you for your helpful and clear answers.

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

oj01 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:04:31 GMT

@Luddite789 I would avoid switching it off at the plug during this time as that would likely cause it to look for the satellite signal at switch on.

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

Luddite789 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:08:22 GMT

Sadly that's not an option as I need to move it to a different room before the builders start with their hammers and pickaxes !

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

Luddite789 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:14:15 GMT

Actually, maybe I could move the box to the new (temporary) room, extend the sat feed to it, turn it on and let it settle down, then remove the sat extension when the building work starts. Would I need to extend both feeds or would just one be enough to keep it alive? Not sure I have enough sat cable.

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

nigea99 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:32:36 GMT

@Luddite789 wrote:

Actually, maybe I could move the box to the new (temporary) room, extend the sat feed to it, turn it on and let it settle down, then remove the sat extension when the building work starts. Would I need to extend both feeds or would just one be enough to keep it alive? Not sure I have enough sat cable.

@Luddite789

I am guessing, but do not know, that you would probably only need one cable - the 'test' transponder in the Engineer's menu is Vertical polarised & I believe the TV Guide Transponder is also Vertical (I don't know if it is the same transponder or not but I think it might be ) - I don't know if the keep alive is sent over these but I suspect it may be the one used for the TV Guide

You can check which channels are which polarisation here:

https://www.lyngsat.com/Astra-2E-2F-2G.html

Re: TEMPORARILY using Sky Q without dish

Luddite789 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:33:39 GMT

Great thanks. I'll let you know how I get on, for information 😁