Testing a Sky connection

Skeeter · 2 Dec 2011 at 17:48

I need to test that the socket in my flat is actually connected to the dish on the top of the building, and also that its pointing at the right sat for Sky. What's the best (cheapest) way to do this?

Cheers

MissChief · 2 Dec 2011 at 19:13

Find a cheap old digibox and plug it in?

Skeeter · 2 Dec 2011 at 19:15

Don't Sky boxes not even turn on without a viewing card though?

Hyburnate · 2 Dec 2011 at 19:50

They turn on you wont be able to recieve any digital channels though.

andicole0 · 2 Dec 2011 at 19:55

A Sky box should still be able to display the setup screen and you can see signal strength and quality for Astra 2. You should be able to get a universal satellite receiver for about £40 from say ******s that will let you select different satellites to see which one it's pointing too.

Satellite finders need to be used at the mast head so won't really work in the room.

Andi.

Oops sorry, looks that's a banned shop name!

thewanted · 2 Dec 2011 at 20:00

A Sky box without a viewing card will pick up 95% of FreeSat channels, just like any FreeSat receiver, provided that your dish is pointing at the Astra/Eurobird satellite at 28.2E.

Skeeter · 2 Dec 2011 at 22:11

Ok cheers guys. I will see if my parents still have their old Sky digibox and plug it in.

andicole0 · 3 Dec 2011 at 12:35

Would this enable both channels from one cable?

Andi.

lucid · 3 Dec 2011 at 16:50

No. Sky works differently to TV signals. You can't split the single satellite feed and expect it to work like two independent feeds.

turanafon · 5 Dec 2011 at 00:26

have you looked outside to see if the cable comes down to your point fro the dish ?
even if its a communla dish you should be able to see the cable unledd they have fed it into the loft and then down the cavity in the wall.

MagicBoy · 5 Dec 2011 at 01:12

Borrow a digibox or FreeSat receiver from a friend?

Unfortunately I can't test the turn it on without a card idea as my old box died.

Skeeter · 5 Dec 2011 at 16:55

Its a fairly new building, there is no visible cables. Theres just a socket in the wall labelled 'SAT' and a dish on the front of the building.

Hoping my parents still have their original Sky digibox.

MagicBoy · 5 Dec 2011 at 18:16

I'd expect it to be pre-wired for a communal system then, as my apartment building is. There will be distribution gubbins somewhere, check the meter cupboards. In my building the same kit also distributes TV aerial and FM radio feeds.