Replacing one sky box with Freeview

I have an unusual situation I am encountering.

We currently have Sky multiroom set up in two living areas, and have built in freeview in a bedroom running from the same satellite.

I want to replace one of the multiroom boxes with Freeview. I have already cancelled the multiroom and the box is due back in a week or two.

I have bought a Dish TV S8100-ZC as my Freeview box (we don't get coverage other than Satellite.

I move the aerial and HDMI cables from my Sky Box to the Dish TV box, and all works well - for about 5 minutes, then the sky box in the other room loses it's signal The only way to get the signal back in the other room is to plug the aerial back into the sky box.

Then I find if I power off that sky box I lose signal to the other room as well, which was not happening before.

The bedroom never loses it's freeview coverage or signal while this is happening with Sky.

I think the aerial from the dish comes into a splitter which then goes off to all the rooms, so I can't understand why this is happening, but I need to know how to fix it before I send the multiroom box back, otherwise we won't have Sky in the room we want it in :)

All assistance very much appreciated

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Permalink Reply by Biggles on February 25, 2017 at 14:50

Sounds like a conflict of power supply to the LNB. Only one box should be set to supply power to the LNB. All others should be set to off. It sounds like the Freeview box is set to LNB Power On by deafault.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 25, 2017 at 14:53

Thanks Biggles, I will try that tomorrow - don't want to disturb the cricket watchers :)

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Permalink Reply by willis on February 26, 2017 at 1:29

see if the splitter is all ports power pass as often power pass to make the dish work is one port only

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 26, 2017 at 9:38

Hi Biggles, There is nowhere to change that on the Dish TV box?

The picture in the hard copy manual of the menu shows "Antenna Power" but the menu item does not exist :(

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 26, 2017 at 9:40

Hi if it was the splitter, wouldn't we lose signal in all rooms?

But yes - it is all ports power pass

willis said:

see if the splitter is all ports power pass as often power pass to make the dish work is one port only

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 26, 2017 at 15:45

OK, I can get them both working together, but as soon as I switch off the Dish TV box (not at wall, just on remote) the signal goes from the sky box. Power it back on & the signal comes back.

I don't really want to have the box running full time just so I can watch sky!.

The antenna signal goes into an amplifier, then into a splitter which runs to all rooms.

I can't find any LNB power settings on either the Skybox or the Dish TV box, so haven't been able to play with that.

Any ideas?

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 26, 2017 at 16:12

Edit - LNB power supply is set to ON on the skybox, both Sky and Dish are set to the same frequency

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Permalink Reply by Biggles on February 26, 2017 at 16:35

I can't find a S8100 manual online but the S8200 manual has LNB Power On/Off setting in the Installation Menu under LNB Setup. It should only be set to On if it is the Primary Box. Basically only one box should be sending power to the LNB and all others should be set Off otherwise you get conflicts.

Julie Jamieson said:

I can't find any LNB power settings on either the Skybox or the Dish TV box, so haven't been able to play with that.

Any ideas?

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 26, 2017 at 16:49

But the existing sky boxes are both set to on, as is the built in from the TV. Doesn't the splitter take care of that?

I have been through the LNB set up on the dish tv box & didn't see anything as simple as LNB power or antenna power

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Permalink Reply by Biggles on February 26, 2017 at 22:10

Only if one port on the splitter is a power pass. If all ports are power pass then only one box should have LNB power enabled and would need to be on all the time for the others to work.

Julie Jamieson said:

But the existing sky boxes are both set to on, as is the built in from the TV. Doesn't the splitter take care of that?

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Permalink Reply by Julie Jamieson on February 26, 2017 at 22:39

Doesn't the all ports power pass allow power on all ports? A;; boxes / tvs currently connected have lnb power on, so I don't see why swapping one unit would change that?

Biggles said:

Only if one port on the splitter is a power pass. If all ports are power pass then only one box should have LNB power enabled and would need to be on all the time for the others to work.

Julie Jamieson said:

But the existing sky boxes are both set to on, as is the built in from the TV. Doesn't the splitter take care of that?

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Permalink Reply by Biggles on February 27, 2017 at 8:24

Yes, and that could be your problem. Only one unit should supply power to the LNB. Try turning them all off except the main box. It's bad practice to connect multiple power supplies together. Makes it possible for the expensive magic smoke to appear.

Julie Jamieson said:

Doesn't the all ports power pass allow power on all ports? A;; boxes / tvs currently connected have lnb power on, so I don't see why swapping one unit would change that?