Firstly , UHF = Ultra High Frequency.

 This is Freeview (Digital) TV, It can also mean FM radio, DAB Radio and analogue TV. This means the Mulitswitch can handle all of these types of signal and distribute them.

When using a Mulitswitch it uses 4 x cables from the satellite dish and a special LNB (Low Noise Block, the bit hanging down from a dish) called a Quattro. Please note this is different to a QUAD LNB.

Let’s say that sky have 1000 channels, these cannot fit into one signal also they are split up into 4. Each signal can then do 250 channels. Normally a Sky box will tell the LNB which of the 4 signals it needs and switch itself. A Quattro sends all 4 signals all the time to the multi switch. One single coaxial cable cannot take all 4 signals from the LNB so that’s where the switch comes in. When a sky box is plugged into a Mulitswitch, the sky box sends the signal to what it thinks is the dish LNB, but it’s actually the Mulitswitch. The Mulitswitch then switches internally to provide the sky box with the signal it requires from the 4 incoming ones it has. Note the LNB does nothing as its always sending all the signal to the switch. This then means you can have 16 completely independent sky boxes watching completely different channels when you like.

Freeview digital TV isn’t as complicated so the signal is sent all the time down the cable, plug in a Freeview digital tuner and it works. For this process to work properly you need good quality coaxial cable and a diplexing wall plate, it will have a twist on sky connections and an aerial point, that will pick up Freeview, dab and fm should you have them plugged into the switch.

This is a Diplexed Wall Plate and is required when you use a satellite UHF Multiswitch...

Expect to pay around £10 for each of these - As always, shop around, but don't buy cheap nasty ones. Quality is needed!