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TV with freesat built in - how do I get FREESAT working
sarah_2277
29-07-2011
Ok, here goes. I've got a new tv with built in freeview & freesat tuner. I also have a SKY+ box. At the moment I have scarted up the SKY+ box because it doesn't have a HDMI socket (it's on a scart adapter which came with TV going into socket called EXT 1 (RGB) or it might be EXT 2 (AV) [not quite sure which ext socket has the sky box or HDD recorder as can't quite see]. When I click on the source button it has TV (which has terrestrial channels and freeview because I can see BBC 1 HD) in EXT 1 I have SKY and EXT 2 has my DVD HDD recorder box (which is also scarted up because it's an old one so no HDMI). I can't seem to find anywhere to get FREESAT working. The back of the TV has ANT 1 IN and ANT 2 IN (SATELLITE). My BIL set it up and he's put the brown coax cable which comes from the aerial socket in the wall into ANT 1 IN and the ANT 2 is empty. Just wondering if I've missed something and that's why I can't get FREESAT or is it that something should be hooked up to the SKY+ dish outside to get FREESAT? I'd appreciate any help as totally confused! Thanks
Tiexen
29-07-2011
ANT 2 IN (SATELLITE).

I think that might be the clue, you need another a cable like the one going into your Sky box
soulboy77
29-07-2011
You require a another cable from your sat dish to go to the TV Ant 2 (Satellite).
sarah_2277
29-07-2011
So will their be a free socket from the dish outside to feed a cable off?
Chasing Shadows
29-07-2011
Originally Posted by sarah_2277:
“So will their be a free socket from the dish outside to feed a cable off?”

Should be two if you've got Sky+.
soulboy77
29-07-2011
Originally Posted by sarah_2277:
“So will their be a free socket from the dish outside to feed a cable off?”

If your dish has been installed by Sky in recent years then it should have 4 connections from what is known as the lnb (the thing on the end of the dish arm). A standard Sky box will use one of these connections, a Sky+ box will use 2.
captainkremmen
29-07-2011
If you want to be able to use your Sky+ box as before, and also watch Freesat on your TV, then you will actually need THREE cables from your Sky dish.

Terrestrial aerial cable goes into ANT1 on the TV.

2 of the satellite cables go into the Sky+ box as before. BUT, if you want to use the recording features you will still need to pay Sky. Full price as before for all the same channels you currently have, or ten pounds a month for the ability to record even the free channels. You should be aware the line of free channels is different on Sky than it is on Freesat as they are separate systems.

Third satellite cable goes into the ANT2(SAT) socket on your TV. When Sky installed your system chances are they probably installed what is known as a quad LNB that has four output sockets on it. If they did and you can get access easily to the dish, it's just a case of buying a length of new cable and the F Connectors, and cabling it up, running the new cable besides the existing ones down to the hole in the wall and passing it through to your TV. However, you might find that the hole in the wall isn't big enough for three cables, but you might get lucky. If the three cables are too thick you can either drill out the hole to make it larger, or you can replace all the cables with new thinner cables. Of course all of that assumes Sky installed a quad LNB, if they only installed a dual LNB then it can only take two feeds. You would also need to replace the LNB with a quad LNB, which is fiddly but not difficult. Normally it is just a case of disconnecting the existing two cables, releasing a locking pin, sliding the old LNB off the dish arm, sliding the new one on and replacing the locking pin.

If you aren't interested in recording but still want to be able to watch the free Sky channels on the box (you can cancel your Sky payments and your Sky box will revert to a Freesat From Sky receiver, although again bear in mind the channel line is different from actual Freesat), connect one cable to the first satellite input on the box and the second cable to the TV. Set the Sky box to single tuner mode (a quick Google search will tell you how to do that).

As you can see, it's a bit of a faff if you want both Freesat and still be able to record Sky channels too, as well as still having to pay something to Sky.
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