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[HolyCount]

I currently have Sky + and an HD ready TV --- don't want to fork out £10 extra per month for the few channels Sky offer in "quasi HD", but, just for the hell of it, was thinking about installing Freesat alongside the sky box and using that for the "HD-ish" channels they broadcast.

Now .... can I piggy back off the same dish --- or do I need a seperate dish ?  And, if I can use the same dish, how would I connect it all up ? (in words of one syllable, please ).

[Plomien]

you can piggy back off the same dish just a case of splitting the cable you can buy the kits in maplin

[Kevin Wood]

You would need a new LNB with multiple channels to do it properly because the set top box can comand the LNB to change channel, which would scupper any boxes slaved from it... Assuming you need to use the skybox and freesat at the same time.

Kevin

[zirk]

As Kevin say's, think Sky+ already uses a 2 port LNB, so your probably going to need a Quad one.

[tunnie]

LNB thats the device that sits facing the dish, and focuses the signal from the satellite?

[Elite Pete]

I've fitted a quad LNB, it was easy enough to do and quite cheap off Ebay, its been up for about a year and i've not had any problems

[zirk]

LNB thats the device that sits facing the dish, and focuses the signal from the satellite?

Correct, and also reduces the Sat frequency to a lower IF frequency for the reciever to play with. 

[Kevin Wood]

LNB thats the device that sits facing the dish, and focuses the signal from the satellite?

Yes, but it does much more than that. The signal is in the K-u band (10GHz) which would be impractical to pipe down to the set top box so the LNB amplifies it and drops it down to an intermediate frequency. Frequency and pollarisation are normally switcheable by the set top box, hence the need for an independant LNB channel for each tuner.

Kevin

[HolyCount]

As Kevin say's, think Sky+ already uses a 2 port LNB, so your probably going to need a Quad one.

So --- I need to replace the dual LNB with a quad, run an extra  co-ax lead to the freesat and the two current leads to the sky box

[zirk]

LNB thats the device that sits facing the dish, and focuses the signal from the satellite?

Yes, but it does much more than that. The signal is in the K-u band (10GHz) which would be impractical to pipe down to the set top box so the LNB amplifies it and drops it down to an intermediate frequency. Frequency and pollarisation are normally switcheable by the set top box, hence the need for an independant LNB channel for each tuner.
Kevin

You forgot to mention the other bit Kevin, that the LNB is powered from the Reciever up the coax, so again two recievers feeding one LNB is a no, no.

[Kevin Wood]

LNB thats the device that sits facing the dish, and focuses the signal from the satellite?

Yes, but it does much more than that. The signal is in the K-u band (10GHz) which would be impractical to pipe down to the set top box so the LNB amplifies it and drops it down to an intermediate frequency. Frequency and pollarisation are normally switcheable by the set top box, hence the need for an independant LNB channel for each tuner.
Kevin

You forgot to mention the other bit Kevin, that the LNB is powered from the Reciever up the coax, so again two recievers feeding one LNB is a no, no.

True. You'd need a splitter that handles the DC path correctly too.

Kevin

[Dishevelled Den]

LNB thats the device that sits facing the dish, and focuses the signal from the satellite?

Yes, but it does much more than that. The signal is in the K-u band (10GHz) which would be impractical to pipe down to the set top box so the LNB amplifies it and drops it down to an intermediate frequency. Frequency and pollarisation are normally switcheable by the set top box, hence the need for an independant LNB channel for each tuner.
Kevin

You forgot to mention the other bit Kevin, that the LNB is powered from the Reciever up the coax, so again two recievers feeding one LNB is a no, no.

True. You'd need a splitter that handles the DC path correctly too.

Kevin

...interesting point but does running two Sky receivers - as in 1 HD box and 1 Sky+ box for example - off 1 quad output LNB not suggest that this factor has been taken care off?

[zirk]

Not played with Digital much lately, but if it's an independent Quad LNB then should be fine for Multi Recievers.


Forgot to mention, I get 33% discount of my Local Trade supplier (Not Boxes or TV's) if anyone needs any bits.

Chris 

[Martin_1962]

Quad LNB two for Sky and two for Freesat

There is only 1 decent Freesat receiver and it is much better than the Sky PVR

Humax HDR

[pscocoa]

Just to give a slightly different option - I ran a FreeSat HD Box and a Sky Digibox (without subscription) off a single LNB with a Maplins splitter (reverse wired 1input to 2 outputs) - this was a mechaincal switch between the two and worked fine.

I recently moved to Sky HD and now paying load of money again.