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After a budget satellite tuner, confused

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confused.com

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Hello, I've looked at this forum a few times because I'm looking at getting a satellite tuner. I have an old TV that only has SD Freeview, I have some HD Freeview tuner but something must be wrong with it because the picture quality has gone off a cliff and I've lost BBC channels.

I'm in a flat, there's two dishes outside. I was looking initially at Freesat tuners, that's when I found this forum with some lesser known brands with seemingly many features. However I'm not currently after too many features.

Since I'm not intending to delve into international TV or IPTV, what would be a good box for me? Are there any options under £100, or even £50? Should I just go for a Freeview box instead? Edit: I'm fine with going used

Thanks
 
confused.com said:
Hello, I've looked at this forum a few times because I'm looking at getting a satellite tuner. I have an old TV that only has SD Freeview, I have some HD Freeview tuner but something must be wrong with it because the picture quality has gone off a cliff and I've lost BBC channels.

I'm in a flat, there's two dishes outside. I was looking initially at Freesat tuners, that's when I found this forum with some lesser known brands with seemingly many features. However I'm not currently after too many features.

Since I'm not intending to delve into international TV or IPTV, what would be a good box for me? Are there any options under £100, or even £50? Should I just go for a Freeview box instead? Edit: I'm fine with going used

Thanks
Click to expand...
If your TV is old, chances are it won't have HDMI ports which rules out most boxes and devices made in the past ten years.
If it has scart ports there may be something you can get but it's likely to be outdated.
What telly is it?
What ports does it have at the back?
 
pabloescaban said:
If your TV is old, chances are it won't have HDMI ports which rules out most boxes and devices made in the past ten years.
If it has scart ports there may be something you can get but it's likely to be outdated.
What telly is it?
What ports does it have at the back?
Click to expand...

No, it does have 2 HDMI ports. No satellite, only a DVB tuner
 
confused.com said:
No, it does have 2 HDMI ports. No satellite, only a DVB tuner
Click to expand...
You said there's two dishes, do the cables come into your living room?
You may be able to use a 2nd hand zgemma h2s for Freesat channels, they can be had for ~£30 ish.
They won't work with skyQ lnb so you may need to take a photo of the dishes and incoming cables before you get a box
 
Do these two dishes have cable into your property ?

If your just wanting Freesat.

Cheap Enigma 2 box if you know e2

Amiko Viper Twin e2 about £50

If you just want something with minimal setup

Octagon SX87
 
Hello sorry for the late reply. I can’t really tell for sure but the bottom dish definitely enters my flat and gives the two black cables. Im not sure if the upper dish feeds my property or not. As you can see I do have a panel, this at least feeds my terrestrial aerial signal, I’m not sure if there’s a communal satellite dish for these flats, the two dishes I photographed arent the only ones on this property.

I have tried retuning, my TV picks channels up but doesn’t have the tuner requires for HD TV. Thanks
 

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I think either of those 'sat1' and 'sat2' will be ok for Freesat, there's 170 channels on Freesat, see here for details:
Channels List & On-Demand Players | Freesat

You can pick up a cheap zgemma second hand in eBay for about £30 and you're good to go.
It doesn't take much setting up and we're all here every day if you need any guidance
 
Those two dishes are pointing at different satellites. Top one has a Wideband LNB for Sky Q, so I am pretty sure that is pointing to 28.2 for UK services. The bottom one looks like it is pointing at 19.2 or 13.0.
 
pabloescaban said:
I think either of those 'sat1' and 'sat2' will be ok for Freesat, there's 170 channels on Freesat, see here for details:
Channels List & On-Demand Players | Freesat

You can pick up a cheap zgemma second hand in eBay for about £30 and you're good to go.
It doesn't take much setting up and we're all here every day if you need any guidance
Click to expand...

Any particular models I should look at? And how would they compare to e.g the Octagon or Amiko models listed above which I think wouldnt be much more for a new box?
 
Abu Baniaz said:
Those two dishes are pointing at different satellites. Top one has a Wideband LNB for Sky Q, so I am pretty sure that is pointing to 28.2 for UK services. The bottom one looks like it is pointing at 19.2 or 13.0.
Click to expand...

When I got my phone's compass out it looked like they were pointing in the 145 degrees direction?
 
confused.com said:
When I got my phone's compass out it looked like they were pointing in the 145 degrees direction?
Click to expand...
If you're quick, there's a 4k box for sale by a VIP member for £70 and that would future proof you for next ten years, in case you decide to venture into IPTV this box can easily handle anything.
If you used it just for Freeview and satellite channels you can record one while you watch another.
Available - GiGaBlue UHD Trio 4K UHD 1x DVB-S2X 1x DVB-C/T2
 
I am due an eye test, but those dishes definitely look like they are pointing in different directions.

The receiver pabloescaban mentioned has a Terrestrial as well as Satellite tuner. A bargain at £70.
 
OK thanks, unfortunately I cant rush to buy anything for a few more days. Would anyone be able to explain the advantages of a device like that Gigablue, and things like the Octagon SF8008 I saw mentioned a lot? What does 4K refer to here exactly, since I know of no channels that are 4K

Thanks
 
confused.com said:
OK thanks, unfortunately I cant rush to buy anything for a few more days. Would anyone be able to explain the advantages of a device like that Gigablue, and things like the Octagon SF8008 I saw mentioned a lot? What does 4K refer to here exactly, since I know of no channels that are 4K

Thanks
Click to expand...
Majority of sat boxes are 4k these day not a lot of use to you but the will also receive HD channels

The Gigablue Trio and Octagon sf8008 both good

Id say the Octagon is better.

The trio has Sat cable and Terrestrial tuners.
The Sf8008 can be bought with Sat cable and terrestrial but it can also be bought with twin sat tuners perfect for watching and recording of 2 different transponders.
 
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