Change from Sky Q to Freesat Help required

P

Pincera

Member
My Satellite Setup
Sky Q, Freesat 4k box
My Location
midlands
After 25 + years I have decided to move away from Sky an have purchase a Freesat recordable box and it works fine.

I noticed on my TCL tv that it had a "F" button on it and above it are the words Freesat Play, which I understand is an on demand service ! The TV also has an F type connector and has a satellite symbol above it, this confused me so I contacted the manufacturer to clarify the type of tuner within the TV.

This is their reply
Based on our information, the TV does have a satellite tuner and should be compatible.

This model has the following specifications:

  • DTV Tuner: DVB-T2/C/S2
  • Sat: Diseq / Unicable: Yes (V.2.2.)

The reply has added to my confusion as I understand the "T" in DVB-T2/C/S2 denotes Terrestrial, my understanding is this tuner only receives Terrestrial signal rather than satellite signals.


My plan was to use the Freesat box in our living room and if my TCL TV, in the conservatory, supported Freesat I would change out the Dish Wideband LNB from a duel to a quad and run a single coax feed into the conservatory and use my TCL TV, in the conservatory. There little point in this if the TV tuner does not support Satellite signals!!!!

I may be the one who is confused so I would be grateful for the input of someone who has a greater knowledge of these things than I do.
 
DVB-T2/C/S2 means terrestrial/cable/satellite however the television will not work with your current wideband LNB - only the Freesat 4K boxes will work with it. If you have a 4K box you could get a hybrid LNB and use one of the LNB's universal outputs for the TV.
 
Thank you for the reply, my concern is, even if I connect the TCL TV, to the dish via a Hybrid LNB, will the TVs DVB-T2/C/S2 tuner be able to handle a non terrestrial signal!!!!
 
Yes, S2 = DVB-S2 satellite, though there may not be a full 7-day EPG as the TCL televisions I've seen only have generic satellite capability and not Freesat - UK FTA channels only carry now & next information.
 
ozumo said:
Yes, S2 = DVB-S2 satellite, though there may not be a full 7-day EPG as the TCL televisions I've seen only have generic satellite capability and not Freesat - UK FTA channels only carry now & next information.
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Thank you both for the reassurance I will give it a go :Y
 
Have the same TV as you. Just to confirm it does indeed have both a DVBS and DVBT tuner built in and works fine. If you’re not looking for any fancy features it will do the job for Freesat/Freeview and any other DVBS free to view channels. Quite simple to tune and operate too. No need for an additional external tuner either. Good 4K quality pictures too.
 
Satspot said:
Have the same TV as you. Just to confirm it does indeed have both a DVBS and DVBT tuner built in and works fine. If you’re not looking for any fancy features it will do the job for Freesat/Freeview and any other DVBS free to view channels. Quite simple to tune and operate too. No need for an additional external tuner either. Good 4K quality pictures too.
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Just looking at Quad hybrid LNBs now :Y
 
It was the Labgear one I was looking at, I probably need to have it installed it for me I am technically capable, Radio Amateur for 40 plus years, but I am in my 70s and its best to stay away from ladders at my age.

When you get older you don't bounce as well as you did when you were younger:rolleyes:
 
Pincera said:
It was the Labgear one I was looking at, I probably need to have it installed it for me I am technically capable, Radio Amateur for 40 plus years, but I am in my 70s and its best to stay away from ladders at my age.

When you get older you don't bounce as well as you did when you were younger:rolleyes:
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Also in my seventies Pincera, but sadly still needing to do ladder and roof work, can't afford to retire.:)
 
Following up on my pervious posts on this thread, yesterday I booked what I thought was a reputable company to quote on installing a Hybrid quad LNB and 20 meters of F type shotgun cable.

The guy turned up this morning and asked me what I wanted, I told him a Hybrid quad LNB and 20 meters of F type shotgun cable installing, he then tells me they don't do Hybrid LNBs anymore and they are unable get them from the manufactures!!!!!!! I asked him to repeat what he had said and he said it again. I told him that I could go to B&Q or Screwfix and pick up a Hybrid LNB!!! He then waffled on about the possibility of the Hybrid LNB being incompatible with our Freesat box, our Feesat box is connected to the Old Sky Q dish which has a wideband LNB and works perfectly. I think he began to sense that I perhaps knew more this subject than he initially thought, he then offered, if I purchased the Hybrid LNB he would fit it for me and install the 20 meters of cabling for £220!!!

Needless to say he will not be getting the work, the Dish is only about 18 feet off the ground, its a bungalow, and as I have previously posted, I am technically capable as I am a Radio Amateur and have been licenced for 40 plus years. I just need to take a page out of @rolfw book and be very very careful.

I have no idea what this guys end game was, why would he deny Hybrid quad LNB were being manufactured?

There are some odd folk about these days :wacko:
 
Simple fact is official flag satellite TV installers are as rare as rocking horse $hit or hens teeth. One install job per week/month ain’t going to pay the mortgage and gouging is no longer an option. I assume your installer put his guns back in their holster, spun his spurs and rode off into the sunset as light as he was when he arrived.
 
Satspot said:
Simple fact is official flag satellite TV installers are as rare as rocking horse $hit or hens teeth. One install job per week/month ain’t going to pay the mortgage and gouging is no longer an option. I assume your installer put his guns back in their holster, spun his spurs and rode off into the sunset as light as he was when he arrived.
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I think the guy just saw a grey haired geezer and thought I was both old AND STUPID, well I'm not stupid.............. all the time :)

I still wonder where his lying was going to take him, probably down the "you really need a new £1000 Satellite System guvnor" path.

I thought I heard him say "Hi Ho Silver" as he drove off into the sunset, never to darken my door again.
 
Pincera said:
The guy turned up this morning and asked me what I wanted, I told him a Hybrid quad LNB and 20 meters of F type shotgun cable installing, he then tells me they don't do Hybrid LNBs anymore and they are unable get them from the manufactures!!!!!!! I asked him to repeat what he had said and he said it again. I told him that I could go to B&Q or Screwfix and pick up a Hybrid LNB!!! He then waffled on about the possibility of the Hybrid LNB being incompatible with our Freesat box, our Feesat box is connected to the Old Sky Q dish which has a wideband LNB and works perfectly. I think he began to sense that I perhaps knew more this subject than he initially thought, he then offered, if I purchased the Hybrid LNB he would fit it for me and install the 20 meters of cabling for £220!!!
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Would be interesting to know if this was one of the national "Local" companies, there are several of them around and they're not too fussy about the skill and knowledge of who they employ, most decent sat installers wouldn't work for them.
 
rolfw said:
Would be interesting to know if this was one of the national "Local" companies, there are several of them around and they're not too fussy about the skill and knowledge of who they employ, most decent sat installers wouldn't work for them.
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They are a company named Home Digital Services they are one of those companies that appear to be local but do, infract, cover most of the country.

I have ordered my Labgear LNB and went through my connectors box and found a bag of compressible F type connectors and the tool needed to compress them. I will pick up the RG6 coax this morning so once the LNB arrives I will be all set to install, the cost of the whole install will be around £50.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Visiblewave-Hybrid-Output-Wideband-Freesat/dp/B07GS1Z2YP
 
All installed and up and running, it took me about an hour to to complete the LNB most of that time was spent setting up the ladders and sorting out the cables. I only went up the ladders twice, once to remove the old LNB and run the new cable via the back up the dish, the second time to connect up the new LNB and fix it to the dish arm.

I still have to clip the cable to the walls but I tested the feed on the TV and everything works. :Y
 
Pincera said:
All installed and up and running, it took me about an hour to to complete the LNB most of that time was spent setting up the ladders and sorting out the cables. I only went up the ladders twice, once to remove the old LNB and run the new cable via the back up the dish, the second time to connect up the new LNB and fix it to the dish arm.

I still have to clip the cable to the walls but I tested the feed on the TV and everything works. :Y
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Well done - BTW, I got my G4 in 1974! :p
 
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