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Discussion topic: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

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This message was authored by nigea99 This message was authored by: nigea99

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Posted by a Superuser, not a Sky employee. Find out more

@Micky58 wrote:

Hi there community, I've had the same problem as Suzy59. I stopped using Sky Plus (before SkyQ) about 3 years ago and went to Virgin Media. I recently cancelled Virgin Media to go on Freesat to save money. I conducted some research and bought the Freesat 4k recordable box and I plugged in an ethernet cable for wifi and the old Sky Plus cables and received 'No Signal'.  I also had no signal on the Panasonic Smart TV. 

I contacted a local aerial company and he advised me that I needed a wideband model Freesat box. Therefore I sent it back and am now on the hunt for a new box that will work with our existing Sky cables and LNB. Judging from the previous comments it sounds like a professional should be employed as DIY is not working. Does anyone have any ideas on the most suitable Freesat box?

 


Quite honestly I would find a different Satellite installer

 

Freesat 4K recordable boxes are compatible with both older Universal LNBs (as used by SKY +/HD) and the newer Wideband LNBs (as used by SKY Q) - this would thus work with either.

 

As @Mark39 if you have not had SKY Q only SKY + then the LNB on the dish would be the older Universal LNB that your TV Sat tuner should also be able to use

 

It sounds like you have a dish alignment or LNB or cabling problem (or a combination) 

 

If you want Freesat then, as I say, I would get advice from a different installer

  

This message was authored by Micky58 This message was authored by: Micky58

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Hi nigea99

 

Thanks for your reply. I think I agree with you regarding a different installer and will be looking for alternative advice. I will conduct further research regarding the dish alignment, cabling and LNB.

This message was authored by Suzy59 This message was authored by: Suzy59

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Hi there, 

yes! I have the freesat 4 k box and it is now working!! I found a local aerial installer.. The sky q dish was fine and it was a case of  alignment!! Now working perfectly. Only cost £50 .. 

This message was authored by nigea99 This message was authored by: nigea99

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Posted by a Superuser, not a Sky employee. Find out more

@Suzy59 wrote:

Hi there, 

yes! I have the freesat 4 k box and it is now working!! I found a local aerial installer.. The sky q dish was fine and it was a case of  alignment!! Now working perfectly. Only cost £50 .. 


Glad you managed to get yours sorted

This message was authored by PhilCo This message was authored by: PhilCo

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

I am amazed at some of the advice people received from 'professionals' with regard to using old sky dishes with freesat 4k boxes.

A wideband version is a myth. 

A wideband LNB on the sat dish is what this refers to. The wideband LNB is only required if you want to record multiple programmes simultaneously. The reason for this is that some channels are horizontal signals & some vertical. A standard LNB can do one or the other but not at the same time, you can record only one programme at a time.

A wideband LNB has more than one cable coming from it so it can record H & V at the same time.

Hope this info helps. 

This message was authored by Mark39 This message was authored by: Mark39

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Posted by a Superuser, not a Sky employee. Find out more

@PhilCo wrote:

The wideband LNB is only required if you want to record multiple programmes simultaneously.


That's not right. A Sky Q box won't receive any signal at all, whether it's recording or not, if it's used with a standard, (non wideband) LNB.

 

A Sky+ box, capable of recording two programmes at the same time, won't receive any signal if used with a wide band LNB.

This message was authored by PhilCo This message was authored by: PhilCo

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Yes, but I am only referring to Freesat 4k recordable boxes. 

This message was authored by nigea99 This message was authored by: nigea99

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Posted by a Superuser, not a Sky employee. Find out more

@PhilCo wrote:

I am amazed at some of the advice people received from 'professionals' with regard to using old sky dishes with freesat 4k boxes.

A wideband version is a myth. 

A wideband LNB on the sat dish is what this refers to. The wideband LNB is only required if you want to record multiple programmes simultaneously. The reason for this is that some channels are horizontal signals & some vertical. A standard LNB can do one or the other but not at the same time, you can record only one programme at a time.

A wideband LNB has more than one cable coming from it so it can record H & V at the same time.

Hope this info helps. 


It is slightly more nuanced than this. 

 

The older universal LNBs  use a combination of  supply  voltage & a 22KHz tone to select Polarity & a band of frequencies (high/low) so at any one time a single cable may have approx 1/4 of the channels

 

This switching mechanism allows a single cable to be used but the channels available at the same time via that cable are thus restricted to the current selected polarity & band. 

Many receivers, however,  using the older Universal LNBs often do have 2 inputs thus allowing 2 of these different polarities/bands to be selected & thus recording  from a different selection.  

 

The wideband LNBS do not have any switching as such to provide the Polarity  & thus always need 2 outputs - one for each polarity .

As per the name they also supply both the high & low bands at the same time - hence  called wideband .

Thus each cable provides approx  1/2 of the channels.

It then depends on the tuners in the box as to how many channels can be recorded /watched at the same time

 

 

Some boxes - such as the FReesat 4K boxes  - can work with either type of LNB

This message was authored by PhilCo This message was authored by: PhilCo

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Nice technical explanation. 👍

This message was authored by Micky58 This message was authored by: Micky58

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Hi All thanks for your replies. It certainly clears up some missing information from any previous posts. I received the following reply  (copied below) from Freesat customer support which may help, however, I have seen this in a previous post. Based on this response I will repurchase the Freesat 4K box and follow the below instructions. 

 

Hi Mick,
 
Thank you for contacting Freesat with your enquiry. 
 
This is an issue that has occurred over the past couple of months. Your box will not pick up a signal with the wideband LNB's until the box has updated to the recent software version. As the updates run through the satellite dish, you will need to leave the box turned on (blue light) and connected to the satellite cabling for 2 hours maximum.

Then re-scan on the signal test page. If it still does not pick up your LNB to gain the signal then you will need to leave the box on standby (red light) and connected to the satellite cabling overnight. This should then allow your box plenty of time to update. Do not disconnect the satellite cabling during the updating process.
 
If you require any further assistance from us, please feel welcome to reply.


Customer Team
Freesat

This message was authored by AlanW47 This message was authored by: AlanW47

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

@Micky58 

 

Apologies for the late reply, I've only justseen your post.

 

I recently bought one of the Freesat Aura recordable boxes and it worked quite happily with my old Sky Q setup, straight out of the box.

 

Hooe you've got it sorted

This message was authored by AlanW47 This message was authored by: AlanW47

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Sorry @Micky58 I'm an idiot.  Aura is of course Freeview, butmy 4k recordable Humax Freesat also worked straight of the box.  Damn, they even look the same 😂😂

This message was authored by Micky58 This message was authored by: Micky58

Re: Freesat & Sky dish info needed for a novice

Hi All,

The update is that my Freesat 4K box is now working perfectly, having followed the instructions. I left the satellite cables plugged into the Freesat box for two days before I turned it on and completed the set-up. This allowed more than sufficient time for the system to update.  It just shows you need a little patience and better troubleshooting advice from the manufacturers. 

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