Using Sky+ Cable For Freesat Tuning.

[flobadob]

On the back of our Sky+ box, there are 2 different satellite cables connected.

If I were to connect them to a Freesat box, do they both fulfill the same purpose, or would only one of them work?

And if they do both work the same, does that mean I could have one connected to a Freesat box and another connected to the TV, and then get the Freesat on both?

[Zacs-Master]

https://www.freesat.co.uk/help/join/switch-freesat/easy-switch-freesat

[flobadob]

Hi Zac, yeah, it's pretty handy to set up but I was just wondering if both cables can be used independently, rather than having to go through the whole process twice to test it with each one.

[Buenchico]

If the LNB (= the sticking out bit) attached to dish is a dual model, which has two cables running from it, you can use them independently to two separate devices. However if the LNB is a Sky Q model, which also has two cables running from it, one cable is used for signals that are horizontally polarised and the other is used for vertically polarised signals. (i.e. each cable only only feeds half of all available channels to a Sky Q box, so they both need to be connected to it to receive all channels).

So if you're sure that your LNB is of the older (pre Sky Q) sort, you can feed them to different devices but you can't do it using a Sky Q LNB. I note also that you mention connecting a cable directly to your TV set, rather than via any type of satellite box. That will only work if your telly has got a dedicated Freesat tuner built into it, as Freeview tuners require signals on different frequencies, and using a different technology, to those inside satellite boxes or dedicated Freesat TV sets.

[flobadob]

Hi Buen, thanks for that info, that's great. Our box is Sky + and not Sky Q so that should work out.

I connected the cable to the TV and did a satellite scan and picked up quite a few channels, more than Freeview, especially I noticed a few extra music channels which is great, as there's only a couple on Sky as well.

We will probably get a Freesat recorder box eventually, not that I know the existing cables will work okay.

Cheers.

[flobadob]

*now that I know