Splitting Satellite Cable Between Box And Tv.

[flobadob]

Does anyone know if it's possible to split a satellite cable between a Freesat Box and a TV?

We've got a Freesat Box with 2 ex Sky Box cables connected to it. I think you need both cables attached to enjoy all functions and let us record more programmes at once.

However, I would like to be able to connect a satellite cable directly into my TV as well.

I've seen a splitter on Amazon that I think would allow me to split one of the cables and connect to both the box and the TV.

But does anyone know if this will actually work, or will it stop the Freesat Box from working correctly?

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[Tuvok]

If its a Sky box working as a freesat box, then you can't record as recording needs a subscription.

A dedicated Freesat box might be different.

I would be wary of using a splitter. The LNB (the horn bit on the dish) works with horizontal and vertical polarity signals, so if that splitter works then you probably would only get same polarity channels at the same time.

[flobadob]

Tuvok, the main reason that I want to do this is because I know the TV picks up a lot of extra music channels when connected to a satellite cable, compared to what the Freesat box picks up.

But from what you are saying, it sounds like maybe the fact that the cable will be split might interfere with the extra channels being available on the TV.

[Buenchico]

Unlike a roof-top aerial for terrestrial TV, which doesn't use any power, a satellite dish requires power to the 'LNB' (which is the 'sticking out bit'), which goes up the same coaxial cable that your TV signals come down. That's because the LNB has to switch between different channels as you change channels on your TV or set-top box, in order to match the correct frequency and polarisation of the channel that you want to watch. So you can't simply split a single satellite cable, as the LNB can only be matched to a single channel at any time.

However some (many?) dishes have 'dual' (or even 'quad') LNBs, with a separate cable for each channel being viewed. (Even if a dish only has a 'mono' LNB, it can normally be replaced with a dual or quad type but it will still need separate cables for each bit of the LNB to work with).

So, although (when equipped with a suitable LNB) you can use your satellite to receive different channels simultaneously, you'll almost certainly need some extra cabling to go with it.

I'm not sure how the product in your Amazon link is meant to work but I certainly wouldn't trust it and, anyway, I note (from the illustration) that it requires an amplifier in between the dish and the splitter; it can't be used on its own, it seems.

[flobadob]

Thanks for pointing that out buen. I'd be willing to chance something just to see if it works, but obviously that item isn't suitable. I'll have a proper look at the spec again, as I didn't notice that mentioned, thank you.

[Tuvok]

If you have 2 cables coming from the dish - then they are independent feeds - so you could put one into the box and one to the TV.

If you can record on your box, then you will still be able to, but you won't be able to watch another channel on the box, but you could then watch another channel on the tv.

[Buenchico]

>>> "the main reason that I want to do this is because I know the TV picks up a lot of extra music channels when connected to a satellite cable, compared to what the Freesat box picks up".

Although a Freesat box (annoyingly, in my opinion) comes pre-configured to receive a sub-set of all of the available Free-to-air channels that are transmitted from the Astra satellites, it's perfectly capable of receiving all of them. If you look down the 'Freesat' column, under 'Channel sections' here, you'll see that many of them are shown as 'manual tuning':
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free-to-air_channels_at_Astra_28.2%C2%B0E_(Ireland_and_the_United_Kingdom)

The video below shows you the tuning process. By using it, you'll be able to add all of the missing music channels (and, indeed, a lot more, if you wish) to your Freesat box's channel line-up:

[flobadob]

I'd probably rather have the Freesat box working to its full potential rather than disconnecting a cable. But I might still look for and try out a splitter just to see what happens.