SKY HD - Finally Arrives !

[jcwuk]

Well after ordering 3 weeks before Xmas our SKY HD Box finally arrives ! I Love Sky !

Have to say the picture is very impressive but some of our mates didn't notice the difference in quality.

Does anyone know if the sound quality improve's with HD ?


Cheers !

[MrV]

Seems to on mine ,when it works

On a better note the fitter did mention that sky will be doing 3D tv soon


http://stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/12/18/fa...

[Hedders]

jcwuk said:

Well after ordering 3 weeks before Xmas our SKY HD Box finally arrives ! I Love Sky !

Wait, does that mean you didn't get it at the price they are currently offering?

[Tycho]

MrV said:

Seems to on mine ,when it works

On a better note the fitter did mention that sky will be doing 3D tv soon


http://stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/12/18/fa...

I watched the demo in work for 3D TV and it is very impressive especially the Hatton fight and football.

[f13ldy]

I remember paying £300 for mine...

Saw an advert for Currys recently showing it for £29 when bought with a HD LCD TV.

Sound is improved as well if you are using HDMI for audio as it less compressed than optical.

[MrV]

Tycho said:

MrV said:

Seems to on mine ,when it works

On a better note the fitter did mention that sky will be doing 3D tv soon


http://stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/12/18/fa...

I watched the demo in work for 3D TV and it is very impressive especially the Hatton fight and football.

Was this on a normal (plasma/lcd) tv as the guy I was chatting to seemed to think it had to be a special TV ?

[NDA]

jcwuk said:

Well after ordering 3 weeks before Xmas our SKY HD Box finally arrives ! I Love Sky !

Have to say the picture is very impressive but some of our mates didn't notice the difference in quality.

Does anyone know if the sound quality improve's with HD ?


Cheers !

I'm no expert - but I think HD broadcasts in 5.1. If you're watching with your screen connected by HDMI cable, you should notice that sports and nature broadcasts are much, much sharper.

[Plotloss]

f13ldy said:

Sound is improved as well if you are using HDMI for audio as it less compressed than optical.

SkyHD boxes dont send a DD5.1 signal up the HDMI though.

They only put 5.1 out of the optical connection.

It is simply the most cretinous decision I have ever come across in AV.

[Mr Trophy]

Plotloss said:

f13ldy said:

Sound is improved as well if you are using HDMI for audio as it less compressed than optical.

SkyHD boxes dont send a DD5.1 signal up the HDMI though.

They only put 5.1 out of the optical connection.

It is simply the most cretinous decision I have ever come across in AV.

It's only 720i is in it? Not the full 1080p.

[Plotloss]

Mr Trophy said:

Plotloss said:

f13ldy said:

Sound is improved as well if you are using HDMI for audio as it less compressed than optical.

SkyHD boxes dont send a DD5.1 signal up the HDMI though.

They only put 5.1 out of the optical connection.

It is simply the most cretinous decision I have ever come across in AV.

It's only 720i is in it? Not the full 1080p.

720p/1080i user selectable, though there is no difference in reality.

1080p isnt a consideration in the vast majority of cases, 99% of people just arent close enough to notice the difference, its for projectors only really.

[Don]

jcwuk said:

Well after ordering 3 weeks before Xmas our SKY HD Box finally arrives ! I Love Sky !

Have to say the picture is very impressive but some of our mates didn't notice the difference in quality.

Does anyone know if the sound quality improve's with HD ?


Cheers !

If your mates couldn't see the difference then either

1) you really should get them a labrador.

or

2) you weren't showing them the BBC HD demo.

And remember not all the HD channels show HD content the whole while. Press the "i" button and check over the programme listing. If you don't see HD in the acronyms in the top right hand corner then it ain't HD you are watching.

We've had HD since shortly after it was first released. Well worth it IMO. Movies and Sports benefit particularly - like Golf with it's teeny, tiny little balls or Rugby with all that movement.

[jcwuk]

Hedders said:

jcwuk said:

Well after ordering 3 weeks before Xmas our SKY HD Box finally arrives ! I Love Sky !

Wait, does that mean you didn't get it at the price they are currently offering?

I paid previous price then due to a cock up their end I paid the new price just to get the order slot and now they have refunded me plus a small compensation.

All in all a muck up but then thats Sky for you.
Worst company I have ever had to deal with.

[igiveup]

MrV said:

Tycho said:

MrV said:

Seems to on mine ,when it works

On a better note the fitter did mention that sky will be doing 3D tv soon


http://stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/12/18/fa...

I watched the demo in work for 3D TV and it is very impressive especially the Hatton fight and football.

Was this on a normal (plasma/lcd) tv as the guy I was chatting to seemed to think it had to be a special TV ?

Probably along the lines of of what Panasonic are pushing for with 3d Blu Ray players.

"It is basically 2 HD pictures being shown and glasses using Active Shutter technology to direct the correct image to the correct eye. They’re not multicoloured specs, however the 3D images it produces are full quality, and look sublime."


from http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/02/25/3d-blu-ray...

[mackie1]

I've read that the no Dolby Digital 5.1 via HDMI is purely a software limitation (the chipset used can support it) so maybe they'll enable it when we get the new EPG soon. It actually suits me fine at the moment as I've run out of HDMI inputs on my amp.

[RedLeicester]

f13ldy said:

Sound is improved as well if you are using HDMI for audio as it less compressed than optical.

Have a

[Maxus]

I run an optical cable from the Sky box to a 5.1 digital amp. What I find is that many of the programmes on the HD channels don't transmit a 5.1 sound signal anyway. When it does the sound is very good though.

Non HD channels are not in 5.1.

[mackie1]

Maxus said:

I run an optical cable from the Sky box to a 5.1 digital amp. What I find is that many of the programmes on the HD channels don't transmit a 5.1 sound signal anyway. When it does the sound is very good though.

Non HD channels are not in 5.1.

Quite a lot of SD movies are I find.

[Mr_Yogi]

Nearly all Sky Movies (SD and HD) which have a surround soundtrack are in DD 5.1

Footie on Sky Movies (HD) is in DD 5.1, not sure about SD, I thought it was as I remember watching a Portsmouth match about 4 years ago and nearly being driven mad by Surround Sound 'Bell Man'

...but that might have been in pro logic.

Many of the movies on BBC HD are only 2 channel, although series' like Heroes are in DD 5.1

Edited by Mr_Yogi on Thursday 5th March 15:41

[MaxAndRuby]

jcwuk said:

some of our mates didn't notice the difference in quality.

They did. They're jealous.

HTH.

[Tycho]

igiveup said:

MrV said:

Tycho said:

MrV said:

Seems to on mine ,when it works

On a better note the fitter did mention that sky will be doing 3D tv soon


http://stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/12/18/fa...

I watched the demo in work for 3D TV and it is very impressive especially the Hatton fight and football.

Was this on a normal (plasma/lcd) tv as the guy I was chatting to seemed to think it had to be a special TV ?

Probably along the lines of of what Panasonic are pushing for with 3d Blu Ray players.

"It is basically 2 HD pictures being shown and glasses using Active Shutter technology to direct the correct image to the correct eye. They’re not multicoloured specs, however the 3D images it produces are full quality, and look sublime."


from http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/02/25/3d-blu-ray...

The demo we have isn't active shutter but polarised specs which is great as you don't need a power supply. They also have a number of different styles other than the standard Buddy Holly type. There is a frameless version which are not too bad.