At the moment Freesat looks like the best way for me to try HD, as I don't
want to increase my Sky subscription. But I don't want to lose my basic Sky
package either, so I would need to share my dish between a Freesat box and a
Sky box.

There appears to be no dish loop through on the Freesat boxes, and I can't
use a second LNB output or another dish as mine is a special installation
using one very long cable to a dish on another property where dishes are
allowed, and changing it in any way would not be economic. (Dishes are not
allowed on my own property.)

Does anyone know if a switch box exists that will do the job? A box that
will switch one dish between 2 or more different receivers, and preferably
has infra red remote control of the switching operation so I don't have to
get up out of my seat to switch between BBC HD and UK Gold.

If a box like this does exist, where can I get one and how much will it
cost?

Stephen wrote:
> At the moment Freesat looks like the best way for me to try HD, as I don't
> want to increase my Sky subscription. But I don't want to lose my basic Sky
> package either, so I would need to share my dish between a Freesat box and a
> Sky box.
> 
> There appears to be no dish loop through on the Freesat boxes, and I can't
> use a second LNB output or another dish as mine is a special installation
> using one very long cable to a dish on another property where dishes are
> allowed, and changing it in any way would not be economic. (Dishes are not
> allowed on my own property.)

Considering the constraints you have listed, why not get a second hand 
Sky HD box from ebay etc (going rate about 150 quid). Of course it will 
be a Sky+ PVR that requires two LNB inputs, but it should operate on 
just one LNB feed as a normal receiver. If your Sky viewing card is just 
the basic package, that should work also, probably without any need for 
Sky to pair it with the HD box.

You will then get access to BBC HD, C4 HD, and Luxe HD. What you won't 
get (that you would with a BBC Freesat box) is ITV HD. However C4 HD is 
not yet available on BBC Freesat, so it's swings and roundabouts.

Before buying a second hand Sky HD box, please be aware of the PSU 
problems:-


http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=727185

http://www.satcure.com/reviews/review113.htm#01

http://blog.teegzworld.com/2008/02/sky-hd-power-supply-unit-replacement.html

"Mark Carver" <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote in message 
news:6ap256F37gc1qU1@mid.individual.net...
> Stephen wrote:
>> At the moment Freesat looks like the best way for me to try HD, as I 
>> don't
>> want to increase my Sky subscription. But I don't want to lose my basic 
>> Sky
>> package either, so I would need to share my dish between a Freesat box 
>> and a
>> Sky box.
>>
>> There appears to be no dish loop through on the Freesat boxes, and I 
>> can't
>> use a second LNB output or another dish as mine is a special installation
>> using one very long cable to a dish on another property where dishes are
>> allowed, and changing it in any way would not be economic. (Dishes are 
>> not
>> allowed on my own property.)
>
> Considering the constraints you have listed, why not get a second hand Sky 
> HD box from ebay etc (going rate about 150 quid). Of course it will be a 
> Sky+ PVR that requires two LNB inputs, but it should operate on just one 
> LNB feed as a normal receiver. If your Sky viewing card is just the basic 
> package, that should work also, probably without any need for Sky to pair 
> it with the HD box.
>
> You will then get access to BBC HD, C4 HD, and Luxe HD. What you won't get 
> (that you would with a BBC Freesat box) is ITV HD. However C4 HD is not 
> yet available on BBC Freesat, so it's swings and roundabouts.
>
> Before buying a second hand Sky HD box, please be aware of the PSU 
> problems:-
>
>

IIRC didn't someone post a little while back saying that he was able to add 
the Sky HD package manually on his new Humax HD Freesat receiver?


> http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=727185
>
> http://www.satcure.com/reviews/review113.htm#01
>
> http://blog.teegzworld.com/2008/02/sky-hd-power-supply-unit-replacement.html
>

The only information that I can give to help you is that FTA boxes
often have loop through, though I can't comment specifically on the HD
ones, so FTA may be a better option if you're determined not to lose
Sky.

That is how I get Eurosport International on analogue.  I use the FTA
Dreambox receiver (digital) to steer the dish to 19.2E, and then put
it in standby.  Then I switch on the Pace analogue receiver, which
picks up the LNB loop through out of the Dreambox, and feeds its video
back into its VCR SCART, which the Dreambox automatically switches
straight through to its own output SCART.

So as far as the rest of the system is concerned the output is exactly
like the Dreambox, only CV rather than RGB.

With a certain amount of trouble, I can even record the output under
timer control.  I set a timer on the Dreambox to move the rotor a
little before a timer on the Pace Analogue receiver switches itself
on, and a third timer on the recording device.

Unfortunately, the Dreambox cannot record from its VCR SCART,  it can
only directly record the digital stream, otherwise things would be
rather simpler.

On Thu, 5 Jun 2008 02:36:22 +0100, "Stephen"
 wrote:
> 
> There appears to be no dish loop through on the Freesat boxes, and I can't
> use a second LNB output

Stephen wrote:

> 
> Does anyone know if a switch box exists that will do the job? A box that
> will switch one dish between 2 or more different receivers, and preferably
> has infra red remote control of the switching operation so I don't have to
> get up out of my seat to switch between BBC HD and UK Gold.
> 
> If a box like this does exist, where can I get one and how much will it
> cost?
> 
I think you should at least check out some switch devices.
At one time I had a digital and an analog receiver working from the same 
  motorised dish and a single feed. There was a switch to send the 
signal to one receiver or the other, controlled by a +12volt output on 
one of the boxes.
I can't remember exactly why I did this rather than just looping through 
(possibly I wanted the motorised box to be the "master") but it probably 
did what you want, i.e both receivers could use the same dish and LNB, 
and when the "master" receiver was turned on (by remote control, 
probably) it operated the switch and cut out the other receiver.
IIRC the switch was a small cheap thing with three signal connections 
and a +12v control input that plugged into a SCART outlet.

In message <g27fui$jkr$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>, Stephen 
 writes
>At the moment Freesat looks like the best way for me to try HD, as I don't
>want to increase my Sky subscription. But I don't want to lose my basic Sky
>package either, so I would need to share my dish between a Freesat box and a
>Sky box.
>
>There appears to be no dish loop through on the Freesat boxes,

It's only the Humax box that doesn't have loop through, so if you get 
another make of Freesat HD box you should be OK.

However, you should be aware that loop through isn't wonderful, and 
probably doesn't do exactly what you want?.
-- 
Nigel Goodwin
C.Farmer Ltd.
Matlock

"Stephen"  wrote in message 
news:g27fui$jkr$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> At the moment Freesat looks like the best way for me to try HD, as I don't
> want to increase my Sky subscription. But I don't want to lose my basic 
> Sky
> package either, so I would need to share my dish between a Freesat box and 
> a
> Sky box.
>
> There appears to be no dish loop through on the Freesat boxes, and I can't
> use a second LNB output or another dish as mine is a special installation
> using one very long cable to a dish on another property where dishes are
> allowed, and changing it in any way would not be economic. (Dishes are not
> allowed on my own property.)
>
> Does anyone know if a switch box exists that will do the job? A box that
> will switch one dish between 2 or more different receivers, and preferably
> has infra red remote control of the switching operation so I don't have to
> get up out of my seat to switch between BBC HD and UK Gold.
>
> If a box like this does exist, where can I get one and how much will it
> cost?
>
>
>


See SPS1 and 38013 on http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page1b.htm

The subject has been discussed on Digitalspy a few times.

The Sky box should be the slave.


-- 
Michael Chare

Ivan wrote:

> IIRC didn't someone post a little while back saying that he was able to 
> add the Sky HD package manually on his new Humax HD Freesat receiver?

Not possible, you can add them, but the Sky HD channels are Videoguard 
encrypted, so not viewable, that includes C4 HD which is FTV rather than 
FTA. BBC HD is FTA, but is on the Freesat EPG anyway.