V+ HD A Couple of Questions

Stan the Man · 07-03-2007, 19:20

Hi all,
Just upgraded the VIP package to go with my New Toshiba 37" WLT LCD tV.

My question are:
I looked at the HD samples and Planet Earth blew my socks off for quality of picture. However on some of the non hd programmes things occaisionally seem slightly pixelated. When i switch to my freeview input this seems clearer. Is it my big telly highlighting imperfections in the normal cable TV signal. My cable comes in through my bedroom to a Samsung STB & SACM then downstairs to my Tosh TV. This is because of concrete flooring and the best way for the cable. Will my new digital box suffer from being the last on the line?

Also, when Sky broadcast the footy or films in HD do we get it as well because i can see no reference to it in the HD section on my box. Or maybe (for example if watching footy) does the 511 Sky Sports 1 recieve the HD signal if you have a HD box.

Your responses to these question will be much appreciated

My 10meg broadband is the dogs ******** though

daveetwo · 07-03-2007, 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan the Man

Hi all,
Just upgraded the VIP package to go with my New Toshiba 37" WLT LCD tV.

My question are:
I looked at the HD samples and Planet Earth blew my socks off for quality of picture. However on some of the non hd programmes things occaisionally seem slightly pixelated. When i switch to my freeview input this seems clearer. Is it my big telly highlighting imperfections in the normal cable TV signal. My cable comes in through my bedroom to a Samsung STB & SACM then downstairs to my Tosh TV. This is because of concrete flooring and the best way for the cable. Will my new digital box suffer from being the last on the line?

Also, when Sky broadcast the footy or films in HD do we get it as well because i can see no reference to it in the HD section on my box. Or maybe (for example if watching footy) does the 511 Sky Sports 1 recieve the HD signal if you have a HD box.

Your responses to these question will be much appreciated

My 10meg broadband is the dogs ******** though

Cant help with the first part, sorry. (toshiba is great tv though, we got the 32inch model.) None of the sky hd is available to virgin just the stuff you see on 108 which is mostly evenings plus some sport like football and rugby. There is also some hd vod available as well. No doubt things will change in time.
Just a point on the tv issue, did u let the engineer set it up for you? Mine did and it was much better than the way i had it set up.
Yes the 10mb is really good. very solid and really consistent and very close to 10mb when tested.

Stan the Man · 07-03-2007, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveetwo

Cant help with the first part, sorry. (toshiba is great tv though, we got the 32inch model.) None of the sky hd is available to virgin just the stuff you see on 108 which is mostly evenings plus some sport like football and rugby. There is also some hd vod available as well. No doubt things will change in time.
Just a point on the tv issue, did u let the engineer set it up for you? Mine did and it was much better than the way i had it set up.
Yes the 10mb is really good. very solid and really consistent and very close to 10mb when tested.

Yeah the engineer set it all up but i've just been tweeaking to see if i can improve it any. Really pleased with the TV.
I mistakingly thought all sky's HD stuff was available

As it is are lass watches all the tv downstairs whilst i'm on the computer upstairs. She's done her first recording to the box tonight, hope she got it right

.

I'll have a dable when she's in bed.

Cheers for the comments davee
Stan

PlanBee · 07-03-2007, 23:56

As a matter of intrest, how did the engineer configure the HD? Just to give me a head start after the (second) engineer turns out to look at my V+ on Saturday (I have the same TV )

Stan the Man · 08-03-2007, 00:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlanBee

As a matter of intrest, how did the engineer configure the HD? Just to give me a head start after the (second) engineer turns out to look at my V+ on Saturday (I have the same TV )

Can't really help there, he changed a few settings in the engineering menu & i wouldn't mess with that.

Basically when it was up and running on the scart lead he then fitted the HDMI lead & then set the input to HDMI in the Home/Settings/Technical Stuff menu.

Input was left at 720 but i've changed it (whilst watching a HD test transmission) rightly or wrongly to 1080wide. He told me if the box looses its power or is powered down the box would revert to SCART input automatically. Well i've removed my scart & i don't want that to happen. I found the setting "Auto detect SCART" was ON by default and i've set it to OFF. I guess you always need to keep your scart lead handy just in case.

Hope that helps

daveetwo · 08-03-2007, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan the Man

Can't really help there, he changed a few settings in the engineering menu & i wouldn't mess with that.

Basically when it was up and running on the scart lead he then fitted the HDMI lead & then set the input to HDMI in the Home/Settings/Technical Stuff menu.

Input was left at 720 but i've changed it (whilst watching a HD test transmission) rightly or wrongly to 1080wide. He told me if the box looses its power or is powered down the box would revert to SCART input automatically. Well i've removed my scart & i don't want that to happen. I found the setting "Auto detect SCART" was ON by default and i've set it to OFF. I guess you always need to keep your scart lead handy just in case.

Hope that helps

He set mine at 720. said there r no transmissions at 1080.
Ive got the pc connected to the tv so we can both do things together on the internet. Means any movies via the net can be shown on the tv. Impressive on my 32inch.

Stan the Man · 08-03-2007, 00:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveetwo

He set mine at 720. said there r no transmissions at 1080.
Ive got the pc connected to the tv so we can both do things together on the internet. Means any movies via the net can be shown on the tv. Impressive on my 32inch.

It looked a beter picture at 1080 but that might just be my dodgy eyes & it was midnight

spankysmagicpian · 08-03-2007, 01:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan the Man

I'll have a dable when she's in bed.Stan

Ooooh - errrrr. Lucky you thats all I can say.

On the subject of picture quality - That's my main bugbear at the moment. I consider the quality on some of the channels terrible, so much so, an engineer is coming out on Monday to have a look. By the looks of it, it seems to be a regional problem. I don't have a HD TV and it's via scart (RGB) but believe me the pixalisation i really bad. It was so bad tonight on the football, I still have Sky for a week or so, we switched over to Sky to watch it.

austin · 08-03-2007, 08:04

i had an engineer out yesterday for that very reason bad pictures on non hd channels all he did was swop the box has made no difference what so ever.
they must have a fault somewhere along the line is this reginol or national?
which area are you in as im ex ntl in cardiff.
football on sky sports was bad again last night come on virgin sort out your problems with sky and get sports hd please!

cjmac · 08-03-2007, 09:23

BBC HD is broadcadt in 1080i and so is the VOD HD stuff so if you select 720p you will be downconverting it,

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveetwo

He set mine at 720. said there r no transmissions at 1080.
Ive got the pc connected to the tv so we can both do things together on the internet. Means any movies via the net can be shown on the tv. Impressive on my 32inch.

mstirk · 08-03-2007, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankysmagicpian

Ooooh - errrrr. Lucky you thats all I can say.

On the subject of picture quality - That's my main bugbear at the moment. I consider the quality on some of the channels terrible, so much so, an engineer is coming out on Monday to have a look. By the looks of it, it seems to be a regional problem. I don't have a HD TV and it's via scart (RGB) but believe me the pixalisation i really bad. It was so bad tonight on the football, I still have Sky for a week or so, we switched over to Sky to watch it.

Not sure where you are (I'm in Surrey KT13 and on the Bromley network), so can't tell if it's regional, but my first thoughts on the box were that the BBC, ITV, C4 etc SD broadcasts look really good but that Sky Sports looks poor. That's on an HD tv.

If an engineer can fix that for you it would be very interesting.

spankysmagicpian · 08-03-2007, 10:21

Austin and mstirk - I'm ex-ntl Manchester. Could this be a ex-NTL only problem?

Anyone ex-Telewest with poor pictures?

Strangerstill · 08-03-2007, 10:26

The only time I've suffered from pixellation was one night this week. next day someone from Virgin actually 'phoned me to check all sevices were ok as they had found an amplifier down the night before that had affected the whole street- never had a call like that from NTL.

longitude · 08-03-2007, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjmac

BBC HD is broadcadt in 1080i and so is the VOD HD stuff so if you select 720p you will be downconverting it,

Doesn't this depend on the resolution of your tv. I didn't think there were many around that can display 1080.

mstirk · 08-03-2007, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by longitude

Doesn't this depend on the resolution of your tv. I didn't think there were many around that can display 1080.

There's not many that can display 1080p, but I think it is a criteria of the "HD Ready" logo that they can display both 1080i and 720p.