Freesat, anyone got it?

[Beezerk]

Got a bit of a potential issue arising in a couple of weeks which means I may be without tv AND internet for a period of time.
Before the missus kills me has anyone got experience with Freesat boxes that you plug your cable from the Sky dish into?
I’ve currently got a Sky Q box that will be getting sent back soon but I’ve also got an old Sky HD box packed away somewhere, would the Sky HD device work as Freesat box or do I need to buy something else?

 

[PJ87]

Got a bit of a potential issue arising in a couple of weeks which means I may be without tv AND internet for a period of time.
Before the missus kills me has anyone got experience with Freesat boxes that you plug your cable from the Sky dish into?
I’ve currently got a Sky Q box that will be getting sent back soon but I’ve also got an old Sky HD box packed away somewhere, would the Sky HD device work as Freesat box or do I need to buy something else?

Check your TV, my TV has Freesat build in I just connected the sky cable to it

The hd box might work but needs a card

Re: Freesat from Sky

Can you still buy Freesat from sky viewing cards? As would like one for old sky + HD box

helpforum.sky.com

 

[Beezerk]

Check your TV, my TV has Freesat build in I just connected the sky cable to it

The hd box might work but needs a card

Re: Freesat from Sky

Can you still buy Freesat from sky viewing cards? As would like one for old sky + HD box

helpforum.sky.com

Tv doesn’t have Freesat inputs, I’m pretty sure about it. I wonder if my existing Sky card will work once it has been disabled

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Use you old Sky box, that will do the job. We have our old one upstairs and it works fine as a Freesat option. No need to buy a Freesat box just for a few weeks.

You don't get the Sky channels but the rest are okay.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Got a bit of a potential issue arising in a couple of weeks which means I may be without tv AND internet for a period of time.
Before the missus kills me has anyone got experience with Freesat boxes that you plug your cable from the Sky dish into?
I’ve currently got a Sky Q box that will be getting sent back soon but I’ve also got an old Sky HD box packed away somewhere, would the Sky HD device work as Freesat box or do I need to buy something else?

Your old sky HD box can work as Freesat - should give you all the non subscription channels

 

[RichA]

The Q thing might be a slight issue but you can work around it.
This is from memory, so definitely do some Googling...
A few years ago I acquired an unused SkyQ dish from Dad's new house and installed it at mine with an HD Freesat box. I think I had to buy and fit HD receivers to the dish replacing the Q receivers. It can't have been difficult because I managed to do it and it still works perfectly 6 years later.
Certainly a few years ago Q and HD we're not cross-compatible.

Edit: it was something like this to convert from Q to HD

https://amzn.eu/d/bRxodh3

 

[Beezerk]

The Q thing might be a slight issue but you can work around it.
This is from memory, so definitely do some Googling...
A few years ago I acquired an unused SkyQ dish from Dad's new house and installed it at mine with an HD Freesat box. I think I had to buy and fit HD receivers to the dish replacing the Q receivers. It can't have been difficult because I managed to do it and it still works perfectly 6 years later.
Certainly a few years ago Q and HD we're not cross-compatible.

Edit: it was something like this to convert from Q to HD

https://amzn.eu/d/bRxodh3

Thanks for that, I've been reading up about potential compatibility issues with the HD and Q boxes, I didn't realise there was something you could buy cheaply to get around it
I'm trying to think back if an engineer came out when we upgraded from HD to Q, I really can't recall

 

[RichA]

I think the wideband (Q) LNB thing just pulled straight off and the standard (SD and HD) LNB slotted on in its place.
FreeSat has been great. Worth checking that your kit will work without internet. I think my FreeSat box needs a connection, although it might just be for the smart functions.

 

[jim8flog]

You either need to
1. Already have a hybrid LNB (one with 3 pairs of terminals) 1 pair for sky q (wideband) and the other 4 for other satellite systems .
2. Buy a wideband satellite box Do a search on wideband satellite receiver, they come as recordable or non recordable
3 Change the LNB to standard one.

Bearing in mind that if you have an old sky+ HD box you will only be able to watch one channel and not record so only need one terminal connected you may also lose some channels from memory e.g channel 5 but the box can be programmed to get them.

 

[Beezerk]

Nice one, on the Amazon link which one would I need to buy as there's about 6 options

 

[RichA]

Nice one, on the Amazon link which one would I need to buy as there's about 6 options

Depends how many Freesat boxes your feeding and how many channel inputs they have. I think I bought the Quad LNB, even though I only use 2 of the sockets. Don't get wideband - that's basically the same as the Sky Q one you're replacing.
***DISCLAIMER: I'm not an expert. I googled my way through when I did it, but it wasn't difficult.

 

[jim8flog]

Nice one, on the Amazon link which one would I need to buy as there's about 6 options

If you are thinking about just changing the LNB I would opt for a hybrid one as this keeps your options open for the future e,g return to sky q or freesat 4k box

e.g.

Pardon our interruption...

If you are doing it yourself you might want to buy a satellite finder incase you need to check the alignment (they are simple to use)

e.g

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Beezerk]

Thanks chaps, much appreciated

 

[JohnWebb]

If you are thinking about just changing the LNB I would opt for a hybrid one as this keeps your options open for the future e,g return to sky q or freesat 4k box

e.g.

Pardon our interruption...

If you are doing it yourself you might want to buy a satellite finder incase you need to check the alignment (they are simple to use)

e.g

Pardon our interruption...

Thanks for those links, you made my day.