Two cables from satellite to one TV port

ThomC91

I have two cables coming from my satellite dish but only one port in my TV, do both wires need to be connected to get a signal or do I just pick one?

Thanks

martinthebandit

Just one, make sure though that it's the right one if only one is connected up at the dish.

nickcc

Satellite cables go into a Sky or a Freesat box then to your tv. Freeview cables from your aerial go direct to your tv. I only mention this in case you didn't already know.

Of course your tv would need to be a Freeview model or you would need a Freeview box. Thought I'd add this before someone jumps in.

debitcardmayhem

nickcc wrote: »

Satellite cables go into a Sky or a Freesat box then to your tv. Freeview cables from your aerial go direct to your tv. I only mention this in case you didn't already know.

Of course your tv would need to be a Freeview model or you would need a Freeview box. Thought I'd add this before someone jumps in.

what about a freesat/satellite enabled tv

neilmcl

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

what about a freesat/satellite enabled tv

You beat me to it. As posted there are some TVs that also have a Freesat tuner so will take a feed direct from the satellite dish, I'm assuming the OP has such a TV. My Panasonic plasma has such an input, although I don't use it as I have Sky.

SouthUKMan

Hi. You say you have two cables form you satellite dish. This is MOST likely to be twin cable used in Sky+ installations where each Sky+ box actually has two tuners built into it (one tuner for viewing live satellite TV, and the other for recording). So, even though you might only have one Sky+ box, it actually requires the two cables to view AND record. However, it's also possible that the two cables could be from an older multi-room Sky installation utilising standard / non Sky+ boxes (which don't have a built in recorder and therefore only require one cable from your dish in order to view channels).

I hate to make assumptions about your level of knowledge about these things. To be clear, you will need either a Sky / Sky+ / Sky+ HD receiver or Freesat box to receive and view TV from your satellite dish. There are also a very, very small number of TV's with a built in Freesat tuner. I mention this just in case you have one! Regardless of the options I've listed, you only need one of the two cables from your satellite dish to view channels. HOWEVER, if you have a Sky+ box - you must make sure you plug the cable into the correct tuner input, otherwise your box might report 'no signal'.

Also to be totally clear, the feed from your satellite dish is not compatible with the digital terrestrial TV / Freeview (not to be confused with Freesat) input on the back of your TV.

Hope that helps

neilmcl

I wouldn't say a "very, very small number of TV's with a built in Freesat tuner", there's actually quite a few.

ThomC91

Ok, that's all helpful as I didn't know most of that, I don't have any kind of sky box or freesat box and the TV is quite old now so if I'm understanding correctly I can't use the satellite dish to receive signal so must check fro a connection to an aerial?

neilmcl

ThomC91 wrote: »

Ok, that's all helpful as I didn't know most of that, I don't have any kind of sky box or freesat box and the TV is quite old now so if I'm understanding correctly I can't use the satellite dish to receive signal so must check fro a connection to an aerial?

If this is the case then, assuming your TV has freeview built-in, then yes you need an aerial feed. Exactly how "old" is your TV?

ThomC91

Ok, great, maybe 6-7 years old it does have freeview built in, it worked fine in my old flat but I've just moved to a new place and got all a bit confused with the cables!

kwikbreaks

Freeview antenna connectors are different from Freesat dish connectors.

Check your TV to see which type it has...

This is a TV antenna connector ...



The ones for a Freesat or Sky dish will look like this...


(actually a wall panel but it does show the connector)

If you need to see more pictures google "belling connector" fot the antenna type or "f connector" for the dish type.