Sony TV switching TV from sky to freeview

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chunkybeats

50 posts

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#207857 17-Jan-2017 11:17

Hi guys, Im looking at cancelling my sky subscription and going with freeview, now I have an issue with trying to get freeview to work with my Sony TV.

Im connecting to an existing satellite dish.

I had to buy an female adapter to screw into the wall socket (its the sky threaded type) and then plug the RF lead into it and the tv.

Now the issue is I have major weak signal problems, sometimes it tunes in and get channels but then when i go to view its freezing and sound cutting out.

I checked the signal diagnostics on the tv and its very very weak (the worst).

What could be happening? I looked online and seen a guy had a Samsung TV and he got into his tv menu to sort out the LNB to be powered on by the TV. My Sony tv doesnt have any menu like that. Only auto tune and manual tune, no mention of LNB.

Please help that would be great.

My Sony TV model is this

https://store.sony.co.nz/KDL60W600B.html

Cheers

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#1704584 17-Jan-2017 11:27

Have you actually changed to satellite mode?

The 2 signals are not the same. If it is a sat dish on the roof, and F-connector on the wall. And you are plugging into the back of a tv with only a terrestrial Balun connector. You are slightly lacking a UHF antenna.

If it is a dual receiver and has a satellite receiver and method to change to it. The dish will work.

From what you describe, you only have a sky dish. And would need a satellite (non HD) receiver in the TV. Or a new antenna put up.

Oblivian

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#1704585 17-Jan-2017 11:28

Tuner

DVB-T/T2

Not DVB-S which uses a satellite. Time for a UHF install

The signal you will be getting, will be all that it can pick up with the short cable run hanging out the back of the TV as the dish is made for a different role

chunkybeats

50 posts

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#1704586 17-Jan-2017 11:30

This what I have on my wall. One is an aerial and the other is the sat dish.

http://freeviewforum.co.nz/forum/topics/aerial-socket-question

I have bought the F plug adapter to suit the cable.

I installed this box when originally there wasnt a box and one is for aerial and the other is for satellite.

Im going to try my other Samsung TV tonight to see if it works.

edit. I cant use my existing satellite dish to pick up freeview?

My Sony TV has freeview built in as well as my Samsung TV.

Oblivian

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#1704591 17-Jan-2017 11:39

chunkybeats:

This what I have on my wall. One is an aerial and the other is the sat dish.

http://freeviewforum.co.nz/forum/topics/aerial-socket-question

I have bought the F plug adapter to suit the cable.

I installed this box when originally there wasnt a box and one is for aerial and the other is for satellite.

Im going to try my other Samsung TV tonight to see if it works.

edit. I cant use my existing satellite dish to pick up freeview?

Not with that tv.

Dish = DVB-S (SD)

UHF = DVB-T (HD)

And it depends on what is on the other end, if the dual outlet does infact go to an antenna. It has to be the newer UHF (usually long and skinny with lots of fins) and not VHF (usually wide with only 4 or 5 fins). And of course connected/facing the right direction

trig42

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#1704597 17-Jan-2017 11:50

Your Sony TV does not have a DVB-S Tuner - it will never work with a dish plugged directly into it. You will need a Satellite receiver (like this: http://www.jbhifi.co.nz/tv-lcd-led-plasma/media-players/dish-tv/satbox-s8200-myfreeview-satellite-recorder-sku-295674/)

It is possible your Samsung has a DVB-S tuner (some have dual tuners) - if it has an F-Socket (threaded like the Sky box) on the back, it will have a satellite tuner).

You cannot get an adaptor to make your satellite dish work with your (Sony) TV. DVB-S(atellite) and DVB-T(errestrial) are completely different technologies. Freeview is broadcast on both.

Are you in an area that can receive DVB-T over a UHF aerial? Do your neighbours have UHF aerials? This is by far the best way to go. You can pick up UHF antennas for under $80 pretty much anywhere. Installation may set you back a bit if you cannot DIY.

UHF (DVB-T) will give you a much better picture (on TV1,2 and 3) as it is broadcast in HD. Nothing on Freeview Satellite (DVB-S) is in HD. Also, on DVB-T, you will not need any receivers or extra boxes/remotes (unless you want recording, but that is another discussion).

chunkybeats

50 posts

Geek

#1704598 17-Jan-2017 11:51

Thanks obivilan

Thats a pity as its a waste of a dish to use for freeview.

Anyway here is photo of my aerial, it does look like to be the old VHF type!

I dont want to replace the aerial for this exercise, would an indoor aerial suffice?

trig42

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#1704600 17-Jan-2017 11:56

That picture is too small to see the fins on the aerial, but it does look like a VHF aerial.

Would definitely recommend replacing it. The cabling already there may be sufficient, but I'd recommend changing that also.

If you want to ditch Sky, you'll either have to buy Satellite receivers and connect to the Sat dish - which is a cost outlay, and also a usability cost as most of those Satellite receivers have horrible User Interfaces and clunky remotes. (The DishTV one I linked to above is OK UI wise, but the remote isn't great, and it is a recorder making it maybe more expensive that you'll want to be paying)

If you replace your aerial, it is a one-off cost, and you can just use the single remote and have it all built into the TVs.

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chunkybeats

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#1704602 17-Jan-2017 12:02

Thanks trig the replacement of the aerial sounds a better option.

Would any of powerful indoor antennas work ok for my TV?

I dont want a dish tv my father in law has it and its a horrible interface and slow...

trig42

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#1704637 17-Jan-2017 12:20

Indoor may work, but you'd have to be in a really good reception area (and if you were, the VHF antenna you already have may do a better job).

Do you know where the transmitter is relative to where you live? What city/suburb do you live in?

kharris

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#1704646 17-Jan-2017 12:50

When I lived in Christchurch I could hook up my DVB-T TV to a the Sky sat dish but then again I could have probably put a coat hanger in and got a signal. Generally this doesn't work and clearly your signal is not as strong as that.

You don't want to get a sat receiver because they don't do HD.

Indoor aerials can work well but again they are environment dependent. Last time I looked a decent one would probably sting you > $50 anyway.

Is it a rental or your own property? If it is a rental I would ask the landlord if they are willing to upgrade to UHF as analogue doesn't work anymore, or maybe they will go halves?

If it's your own place I would just get it done. I got an installer to do mine and it cost @ $200 including new cabling.

Kirk

chunkybeats

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#1704649 17-Jan-2017 12:57

thanks Trig Im in Lower Hutt on the hills, my nearest transmitter is Fitzherbert.

Yeah im thinking an indoor one to be honest.

I own my house so im just thinking about it at the moment.

DarthKermit

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#1704653 17-Jan-2017 13:05

No Sony TVs have built in dual Freeview receivers (for satellite and UHF), do they?

kharris

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#1704654 17-Jan-2017 13:07

DarthKermit:

No Sony TVs have built in dual Freeview receivers (for satellite and UHF), do they?

Nope. DVB-T only. (In NZ)

Kirk

robjg63

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#1704662 17-Jan-2017 13:26

chunkybeats:

Yeah im thinking an indoor one to be honest.

I own my house so im just thinking about it at the moment.

If you go down the indoor aerial path, I suggest your next actions would be to start more posts on geekzone asking for advice as to why some channels work and some dont and why on rainy days none work at all.

Digital TV is completely unforgiving - its not like the old analog days that you may have in the back of your mind.

Analog would be anything from clear to snowy - and you might not have minded that. With Digital, as soon as the signal drops from the required strength you get nothing - nada - zip.

EDIT: Or get a satellite freeview box to use your dish. But that will be very low resolution picture quality

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Pumpedd

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#1704683 17-Jan-2017 13:58

Sat isnt HD sadly

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