Leave Sky and go to Freesat - Any good?

Goldfynche

I, like a lot of people, got fed up with paying £60 a month to Sky, for basically, repeats of the same programmes, day after day! And no HD with the basic Sky Box!
So I cancelled Sky and opted for Freesat. A separate set top box that gives you up to 200 Free TV and radio channels, with HD, at no extra cost after the box purchase. Freesat uses your Sky dish and with the more sophisticated boxes you can record two programmes whilst simultaneously watching a third.
You can set it to record a single episode or automatically record an entire series. Plus you can pause and rewind live TV!

Robisere

I am about to leave Sky TV and buy a Humax HD-R 1100S Freesat box with a 1TB recorder. I have read a great deal of conflicting information about this process. Some sources say that a new LNB is needed, others that the 2 F-connector jacks previously connected to a Q Box, will connect to the Humax and receive all Freesat services, without changing the LNB. I have 2 questions for any kind soul here who can advise me:

*Is it possible to connect and use all Humax Freesat facilities correctly, without buying and installing a new, different LNB?

*If not, is it possible for a home user to change the LNB, or would adjustments be necessary, with a professional?

I have no problem with getting professional help, as there is an engineer in the village whose work includes setting up commercial and social housing for TV, CCTV and internet services. However, as an ex-motor engineer who also has a qualified electrician grandson, I think, after a close look at the dish, that I should be able to do this.
Thanks for all advice, much appreciated.

Mister_G

Of course, if the OP doesn't have Sky Q, then the Humax will be a straight swap.

Sorry, jut spotted that he does currently have Q!

[Deleted User]

Mister_G wrote: »

if the OP doesn't have Sky Q, then the Humax will be a straight swap.

Quite so. However, it is clear from this and earlier posts that the OP does indeed have Sky Q.

Mister_G wrote: »

EDIT:
Sorry, jut spotted that he does currently have Q!

Quite so.

bigbulldog

Maybe he had a dual lnb fitted like me as I have Sky Q and Freesat.:)

Robisere

bigbulldog wrote: »

Maybe he had a dual lnb fitted like me as I have Sky Q and Freesat.:)

First: thanks for the advice everyone.
Next: please excuse my ignorance, but I don't know what is meant by 'dual LNB'. There are two white cables from my current Sky LNB, connected to two F-connector jacks at the Q box. Is that a dual LNB?

I don't want to continue running Sky, I have cancelled and service ends on 27/10/17. I just want a Humax box running Freesat.

[Deleted User]

Robisere wrote: »

I just want a Humax box running Freesat.

As already stated, you'll need a new Low Noise Block (LNB) downconverter.

It's extremely unlikely that the LNB fitted by Sky for a Q service will also accommodate a Freesat receiver unless you specifically asked for such a hybrid at the time of installation. Hybrids are not fitted as standard.

The LNB for a Sky Q is completely different to that on a traditional Sky receiver and so it will not be immediately connectable to a Humax satellite receiver.

Fitting a new LNB is easily a DIY job, just take care not to knock the dish out of alignment.

Just one more reason for you to hate Sky, Robisere!

[Deleted User]

Robisere wrote: »

First: thanks for the advice everyone.
Next: please excuse my ignorance, but I don't know what is meant by 'dual LNB'. There are two white cables from my current Sky LNB, connected to two F-connector jacks at the Q box. Is that a dual LNB?

I don't want to continue running Sky, I have cancelled and service ends on 27/10/17. I just want a Humax box running Freesat.

It's usually referred to as a hybrid LNB, this one has 2 connections for 1 Q box and 4 connections for 2 HD+ or 2 recordable Freesat boxes (or even 4 non-recordable boxes). So you could have 1 Q box and 2 HD+ boxes plugged in at the same time.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Way-Hybrid-LNB-HD/dp/7555564149/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506885977&sr=8-1&keywords=hybrid+lnb

It's a straight swap for the one you have now as long as you don't move the dish or fall off the roof.

If you do move the dish btw it's not difficult to realign it using something like the following:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/sat-finder-high-quality-positioning-sensitivity-instructions/dp/B00O0YA868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506886363&sr=8-1&keywords=satellite+dish+signal+finder

[Deleted User]

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

I So you could have 1 Q box and 2 HD+ boxes plugged in at the same time.

Robisere doesn't need such a hybrid, since he won't be using it for Sky Q (he hates Sky). A hybrid LNB is therefore not moneysaving.
All he requires is a basic LNB with two feeds.

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

If you do move the dish btw it's not difficult to realign it using something like the following:

A tenner is quite expensive for just one realignment, though..

[Deleted User]

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Robisere doesn't need such a hybrid, since he won't be using it for Sky Q (he hates Sky). A hybrid LNB is therefore not moneysaving.
All he requires is a basic LNB with two feeds.

A tenner is quite expensive for just one realignment, though..

It's generalised information since it's not just Robisere who would read that. Anyone who gets or keeps Sky Q could still use the feeds on a hybrid LNB and watch Freesat on the other boxes around the house without paying £12 extra a month for Sky multiroom. That's moneysaving :money:


Will a tenner (I paid £6.99 years ago and you can still get them for around that) pay for someone local to come around clambering up on the roof (presumably) to do it for them?