Sky+ - Recording from ITV HD in Scotland

TheVoice

TheVoice

TheVoice

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Joined
15 Aug 2005
Posts
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Location
Glasgow
Okay, so the unthinkable has happened; ITV are showing something I actually want to watch. The Americans starts this Saturday, however because I'm in Scotland, my box gives me STV instead of ITV and there's no HD version of the channel.

Is there any easy way I can record this from ITV HD? The regional BBC channels all show up in the EPG but for some reason, ITV HD doesn't.

Of course the ideal alternative would be to download it via on-demand on the box, but I've no idea if it'll be put on there or if it'll be in HD anyway.
 
Is your TV freesat capable?
If it is, then tune the freesat in, using one of the satellite leads directly, when asked for a postcode give a London one so you get ITV London, which is ITV HD, then record as normal.
It works on postcode for the regional variations, and although BBC supply all to everyone, ITV does not, as they make their money from regional advertising, and don't have one overall channel.
Is freeview ITV HD available to you, might be another possibility through an aerial on the roof?
 
Psycho Sonny said:
many people have been watching this show in HD in the UK already, at any time they so wish for free.
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How nice for them.

Hikari Kisugi said:
Is your TV freesat capable?
If it is, then tune the freesat in, using one of the satellite leads directly, when asked for a postcode give a London one so you get ITV London, which is ITV HD, then record as normal.
It works on postcode for the regional variations, and although BBC supply all to everyone, ITV does not, as they make their money from regional advertising, and don't have one overall channel.
Is freeview ITV HD available to you, might be another possibility through an aerial on the roof?
Click to expand...

Don't have Freesat unfortunately. Hadn't actually thought of Freeview HD, although I think from checking on my TV last time I just get STV in its place, same as Sky. Still, it leaves me at a disadvantage as the whole point of watching stuff on Sky HD is to get an HD image and 5.1 audio. Either way I'm losing out here.

How annoying.
 
I'm a bit confused. I'm in the same tv region as you and if a program is on STV (ITV region) and the program is available in HD then I just switch to 103 to get the HD channel.
 
Derek W said:
I'm a bit confused. I'm in the same tv region as you and if a program is on STV (ITV region) and the program is available in HD then I just switch to 103 to get the HD channel.
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103 is STV for me. At the bottom of the EPG channel list, there's a regular ITV (not HD) as well as all the regional versions of BBC1 and 2, as well as another BBC1 HD and Channel 4 (and +1).

From looking at the online TV guide, 178 is ITV HD but alas, I don't get it.

It's a bit silly really, I don't know why they don't just provide it as an option like the additional BBC channels etc. Or better yet, STV get their act together and broadcast in HD on Sky.

Just checked Freeview, STV HD is there. Still doesn't entirely solve my problem though because I a) can't record it or b) watch it with 5.1.
 
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Assuming you're not an active subscriber to Sky, could you not ring up CS and say you've moved and want to change your postcode to an English one?
 
But then you will get BBC from the area he's 'moved' to? Also causes huge problems if he has Talk or Broadband with Sky.

The issue is that STV and ITV are still not really speaking to each other and this has resulted in no carriage agreement for STV HD on Sky in Scotland. It's been going on for about three years now.
 
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TheVoice said:
Just checked Freeview, STV HD is there. Still doesn't entirely solve my problem though because I a) can't record it or b) watch it with 5.1.
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I've been reading all about this a while back. There was some rights dispute between ITV and STV but it appears it had been settled yet nothing has changed with the channels.

Plus the fanatics are true what they said, STV in HD when they used to be able to get it on Sky said it was not as good as ITV HD. Even when I flick to Freeview HD and watch ITV HD on Sky, Sky is really crisp. Most people across, AVForums, digitalspy and so on said you're not really missing out on STV HD.

MissChief said:
The issue is that STV and ITV are still not really speaking to each other and this has resulted in no carriage agreement for STV HD on Sky in Scotland. It's been going on for about three years now.
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It's kicked off again? I saw an article not that long ago... maybe a few months back the dispute was settled.
 
do you really have to have 5.1 surround sound.

does it really detract anything from the show if it's in stereo?

as i have said above there is an easy way to do what you want and it is what a lot of people do.
 
Psycho Sonny said:
do you really have to have 5.1 surround sound.

does it really detract anything from the show if it's in stereo?
Click to expand...

Do I have to? No, but I own a home theatre system and pay for Sky HD so I expect to be able to watch stuff in the highest quality that allows. This is, of course, assuming that ITV broadcast it with a 5.1 track.

In any case, it's not the fact that it's in stereo that necessarily annoys me, more that stuff not broadcast with 5.1 (or on SD channels) usually has crap audio quality.

Psycho Sonny said:
as i have said above there is an easy way to do what you want and it is what a lot of people do.
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Uh huh.

El_Watcher said:
What about in the catch-up section of the planner for ITV Player? Does that offer any ITV HD shows in Scotland?
Click to expand...

Good point, I'll check.
 
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