Why do we have two inputs from our Sky dish, and only one plugs in?

[NewNiceMrMe]

I don't get this.

1 x Sky HD

2 x Sky Plus

Multiroom set up

1 x Sky Plus goes bang. So I bought a replacement unit off eBay, works a treat.

Anyway...

As I unplugged the knackered unit I noticed one aerial from the dish going into the box, but another just loose. Hanging there. So I checked our other Sky Plus box - and that has the same. I've not checked the Sky HD box yet because it means getting murdered for standing in the way of a recorded programme MrsMe is watching.

Why the two leads?

[bazza_g]

Not sure but I've got 2 cables coming from the dish into the back of the SkyHD box - one goes into Dish Input 1 and the other in to Dish Input 2

[NewNiceMrMe]

Well there are two sockets, just like you say. But I've never touched the boxes since they were put in by the engineer. How very bizarre.

[Chick]

I thought all sky plus boxes have the two cables in too, input 1 and 2 which is what allowed you to record one channel and watch another.

[NewNiceMrMe]

I'e checked Sky HD - two cables plugged in.

I'm going to plug the second cable in on the other boxes. Whatever it is for. Audi_chick's post would seem to make sense though - but we've not had problems recording and watching other channels to my knowledge. We've had the Sky+ boxes in for years.

[Calm Chris]

The LNB connections (to the dish) need to be 2 cables (figure of 8 or double shotgun) for Sky + to view and record at the same time.

Your not meaning the standard TV co-ax that goes via the Sky box for non sky / freeview use are you ?

or the RF1 port which allows a 2nd TV with a magic eye to remote use the Sky box ?

[Wizbit]

I think it will still work with only one of the dish inputs connected, its just that you won't be able to record one channel while watching another

[NewNiceMrMe]

Well we've been using the two Plus boxes for years and watching one channel whilst recording another, no problem at all, so this is baffling me.

I've plugged them both in now anyway. One into Dish 1, one into Dish 2. Whatever that means.

[billy2shots]

A few years back when i lived at my parents house i plugged a magic eye into the second port to control the sky box from a different room.

[Calm Chris]

A few years back when i lived at my parents house i plugged a magic eye into the second port to control the sky box from a different room.

No you didn't- it wouldn't have worked, you would have plugged a co-ax in to the RF1 port which allows 2nd TV to use the main sky box and controlled via a magic eye- Which simply extends the remote function.

It must be annoying with the lady is watching CSI and you remote switch over to SS1

[billy2shots]

Maybe wrong again, im sure Chri5 will correct me if/when i am but when i was reading up on recieving free sat HD using my sky plus dish i got side tracked and read peoples ideas for cabling.

Im sure someone had one cable running from their sky+ box then spliced in two to plug into the 2 LNB's on the dish. This allowed all the functions of sky+ to work but greatly reduced signal strength.

Who set your sky up in the first place?

[CarMad]

Sky fit Quad LNB's to the dish.

So the main box can have two connectors and record 2 programs whilst watching back 1 recording.

The second and third extra boxes have one feed each using up all the connectors on the dish, they can record 1 program whilst watching 1 program.

I'd expect the other cables might not even be plugged into anything, not sure it does seem strange.

[craigyb]

Again not the best idea in the world. The skybox requires independant LNB's, so splicing will just feck up the system.

If you are watching the programme the LNB may be set for horizontal polarization and the recording channel on input 2 maybe set for vertical polarization on a different frequency, which is why SKY have multi LNB dishes and 2 inputs on the box.

Maybe wrong again, im sure Chri5 will correct me if/when i am but when i was reading up on recieving free sat HD using my sky plus dish i got side tracked and read peoples ideas for cabling.

Im sure someone had one cable running from their sky+ box then spliced in two to plug into the 2 LNB's on the dish. This allowed all the functions of sky+ to work but greatly reduced signal strength.

Who set your sky up in the first place?

[billy2shots]

Again not the best idea in the world. The skybox requires independant LNB's, so splicing will just feck up the system.

If you are watching the programme the LNB may be set for horizontal polarization and the recording channel on input 2 maybe set for vertical polarization on a different frequency, which is why SKY have multi LNB dishes and 2 inputs on the box.

Agree its a bad idea but just a suggestion as to why he had all the functions of sky+ but only had one cable plugged in.

[Tipex]

That just wouldn't work, the LNB recieves it's power through the cable, so splitting the cable between two LNB's simply wouldn't work, there wouldn't be enough voltage.