Annoying newbie looking for advice...

[Mrobbins]

Hi guys,

I'm a total novice - yesterday I got my Skybox f5 etc, and hooked it all up. Fiddled about enough so that I can watch the channels I want - but ideally I want to try to record stuff. I tried unplugging the dongle to put in the external hard drive, but a green box with a dollar sign saying scrambled pops up... any ideas?

Does this mean my skybox is dependent on my internet to get signal and I won't be able to unplug the dongle from the 1 USB slot there is?


Cheers for any help lads.

[mahrkpat]

Hi guys,

I'm a total novice - yesterday I got my Skybox f5 etc, and hooked it all up. Fiddled about enough so that I can watch the channels I want - but ideally I want to try to record stuff. I tried unplugging the dongle to put in the external hard drive, but a green box with a dollar sign saying scrambled pops up... any ideas?

Does this mean my skybox is dependent on my internet to get signal and I won't be able to unplug the dongle from the 1 USB slot there is?


Cheers for any help lads.

You have just discovered that you need the internet to clear channels, if you want to use ext hard drive then for the internet connection you will have to use the Ethernet port either wired or home plugs.

[Mrobbins]

Thanks Mahrkpat, that really helps!

One final question, i was going to buy another box for another room in the house. I have a Konig 2-way splitter, would that allow me to use 2 boxes on one dish? Or is this a tricky proposition?

Cheers for your help

[digicon]

The splitter is not recommended as you will only be able to view channels on both boxes on the same polarity, for this to work correctly you will need another separate satellite feed for the other box.

[Mrobbins]

To get a separate feed for the other box, how is this done? Is it straight foward?

[quavis]

have u tried a usb hub in th eusb port to see if you can use the dongle and usb stick at the same time? cant say ive tried this and havent an f5 to try it on but would be interesting to see if it works.

post the results here

[digicon]

To get a separate feed for the other box, how is this done? Is it straight foward?

You need to have access to your Dish which i assume is a Quad feed type and just take another feed direct from a spare port on the LNB itself.

have u tried a usb hub in th eusb port to see if you can use the dongle and usb stick at the same time? cant say ive tried this and havent an f5 to try it on but would be interesting to see if it works.

post the results here

I was going to suggest this my self but have never tried it on a Skybox/Openbox and i would imagine it depends on the Firmware if it would split the single port into 4 the same as a windoze PC does, as you say it would be nice to know if it works.

[mahrkpat]

To get a separate feed for the other box, how is this done? Is it straight foward?

Separate feed from your LNB, LNB is the thing on the satellite that the cable from your box goes to, with 2 feeds (outputs) going to 2 different boxes means you will be able watch channels independently or if the feeds go to a twin tuner box then you would be able to record one channel while watching a different channel, my ideal is a quad LNB which means I have the possibility of having two boxes capable of being able to watch or record independently like sly's multi-room.

[mahrkpat]

have u tried a usb hub in th eusb port to see if you can use the dongle and usb stick at the same time? cant say ive tried this and havent an f5 to try it on but would be interesting to see if it works.

post the results here

I am afraid you can not do this with openbox/skybox the firmware does not allow it.

[samsid]

Just to add the hub splitter wont work with ali3601hd chip ,it can only support single connection

[quavis]

[QUOTE=samsid;1974300]Just to add the hub splitter wont work with ali3601hd chip ,it can only support single connection[/QUOTE

ah right so we know a usb hub wont work, best thing to do is use the ethernet port then on the box and usb for recording...

[walf]

The splitter is not recommended as you will only be able to view channels on both boxes on the same polarity, for this to work correctly you will need another separate satellite feed for the other box.

If the f5 has a 'loop out' like the f3 then he could actually take the feed from the first box instead of the lnb on dish if he wanted to?

[Hadron]

If the f5 has a 'loop out' like the f3 then he could actually take the feed from the first box instead of the lnb on dish if he wanted to?

That would be no different from using a splitter.

There are 4 signals that a LNB requires. A 13v/18v voltage for vertical or horizontal polarisation, and a 22kHz tone for switching the local oscillator frequency (22kHz off = 9.75GHz, & 22kHz on = 10.6GHz). So you could only watch a channel on both boxes at the same time providing they are both on the same polarity & using the same LO frequency.