Sky +/HD off single LNB feed

Shelster · 20 Nov 2009 at 16:58

I know that SKY +/HD requires a dual LNB feed, but here this out.

Am moving into a new flat that has a central SKY feed running through it. i have yet to see the place as has been viewed and rented by my missus (yes i do trust here that much). She did say that there is a connection point for SKY, but she does not know if there are two connections or one.

What i am wondering is that, if there is only one, can i put a splitter in and run two cables out to the SKY box? Physically, i know this is possible, but would it work on SKY.

I cant see any reason for it not to work, depnding upon the strength and quality of the signal being carried by the single connection

rpstewart · 20 Nov 2009 at 17:15

You can't just split a satellite feed cable like you can with a terrestrial ariel. 1) The box powers the LNB so you'd end up messing that about and 2) you only get one polarisation at a time from the LNB so only one set of channels is available at a time.

You can get what's known as a Stacker which is designed for situations where only one cable is available but you need to feed it two signals at the dish end which are then demuxed by the de-stacker at the box end.

Phil99 · 20 Nov 2009 at 17:48

I can't say I've looked into stackers before so that may be the better option, but alternatively I believe there's a single LNB option in the new EPG which is designed exactly for boxes that can only have 1 feed coming in. I think the only thing you miss out on are recording and viewing different muxes at the same time and the Sky Anytime downloads.

Eddie182 · 20 Nov 2009 at 18:49

I've been wondering about stacker/destacker units myself, maybe someone knows the answer.

Like the op I have only 1 Sky feed coming from a shared dish with feeds to multiple flats (63 per block with one dish feeding several blocks), now would I be correct in thinking there must be some form of stacker in place already. Surely if there wasn't people in different flats wouldn't be able to watch channels on different polarities given that they are all fed by the same dish and there are so many flats.

Therefore, could I use a destacker or some other method to split the signal into two feeds without the problem of only having one set of channels available? It wouldn't suprise me if it's not possible but at the moment I can't think why it wouldn't.

I already have Sky+HD anyway (2nd feed is connected to the socket in a shared lounge with a nice long coax) so it's not a bad thing if the above isn't possible, I'm just thinking about other possible options if I move to a place where I can't access a 2nd socket.

enigma27 · 20 Nov 2009 at 19:03

Phone sky...

i belive they can do sky+ HD via one lead but you need to let them know your using a shared dish

Tesla · 20 Nov 2009 at 19:11

It depends on the original spec as to how the system is set up. Some are dual feed in lounge but some are single. Sometimes the lounge is single feed but there is also a feed to a bedroom. Lots of other combinations exist too.

Perhaps you can run a cable from the bedroom feed to the lounge and that would give the second feed required.

Eddie 182. To use a stacker/de stacker requires the neccesary hardware at each end of the cable. It may be possible, would depend on what equipment is at the top (head end). Perhaps try to find out who originally installed the equipment?

dandos23 · 20 Nov 2009 at 19:52

I've been wondering about stacker/destacker units myself, maybe someone knows the answer.

Like the op I have only 1 Sky feed coming from a shared dish with feeds to multiple flats (63 per block with one dish feeding several blocks), now would I be correct in thinking there must be some form of stacker in place already. Surely if there wasn't people in different flats wouldn't be able to watch channels on different polarities given that they are all fed by the same dish and there are so many flats.

Therefore, could I use a destacker or some other method to split the signal into two feeds without the problem of only having one set of channels available? It wouldn't suprise me if it's not possible but at the moment I can't think why it wouldn't.

As much as this would work on a normal property, it wont on a communal system.

On a normal install each cable carries VH, VL, HH and HL. The box will tell the LNB which to look for. With this setup you can install a staker/destacker. The staker being at the dish with two feeds going in and one feed coming out. The destacker at the box with one feed going in a two feeds coming out.

With a communal system each cable carries a single set of signals (eg one cable has VH another has VL and so on). This is then taken to a communal splitter which combines all the signals on to one cable (can have many outputs though, hence one dish feeding several blocks). A staker/destacker would not work in this setup unless you could put it after the spliter and use another feed from the spliter. To do this will be expensive and involve a lot of begging on your part to the building management to let you play around with a very expensive splitter.

ben88 · 21 Nov 2009 at 22:19

I have just looked into this and dandos23 is correct.

I have managed to gain access to our communal system, the unit installed sends not only sky but also terrestrial and dab radio to each flat.
All three signals are already run down a single cable, meaning that a standard stacker/destacker combo won't work.
I have contacted the company who installed the sky system and they have told me I would need to purchase the stacker/destacker at £150 plus two filters for each of the feeds to filter out the terrestrial and dab radio signals coming out of the large 20 way splitter.

They quoted total cost with install £300+.

dandos23 · 21 Nov 2009 at 23:43

ben88 said:
I have just looked into this and dandos23 is correct.

I have managed to gain access to our communal system, the unit installed sends not only sky but also terrestrial and dab radio to each flat.
All three signals are already run down a single cable, meaning that a standard stacker/destacker combo won't work.
I have contacted the company who installed the sky system and they have told me I would need to purchase the stacker/destacker at £150 plus two filters for each of the feeds to filter out the terrestrial and dab radio signals coming out of the large 20 way splitter.

They quoted total cost with install £300+.

I dont know if you are planing to do this (for that amount you would have to really want to record stuff!) or not, but I would advise against it as you will lose terrestrial and dab as you said. As much as I love sky, things do go wrong, and if they do you will have nothing till you can get someone out to fix it (I say someone because sky will not touch a communal system before the point on the wall, ie the splitter or the staker/destaker). Which means that you will have to pay the stupid prices that the company that installed it charge to fix it as well.

Your best bet will be to ask a neighbour very nicely (perhaps a bottle of brandy would help

) if you could use their feed if they are not using it.