Sky HD

Mr Latte · 30 Sep 2008 at 23:43

F1 in HD, mmm yes from what ive seen 720p may be the format with its better support of fast moving images and not being interlaced like 1080i.
Dont think BBC has yet confirmed in what format it will be broadcast even though FOCA have used HD cameras for a number of years.

Ive seen some from Austrian Channel ORF 1 HD
Shame the commentary is in Dutch, still its less annoying than the whinning statistical bore, James Allen

J1nxy · 30 Sep 2008 at 23:58

I don't think you mean FOCA as thats the F1 constructors asscociation....

And to be honest the feed makes bugger all difference as it the de-interlacer/scaler in the TV which deals with how motion is shown. My 1080p Plasma shows perfect motion with 576p inputs, or 720p, 1080i, 1080p and 1080p/24.

Kol · 1 Oct 2008 at 00:15

HD F1... yummy. Once this becomes HD, then I will get my own HD equipment. For now anything HD I watch at my parents (a bit awkward as they now live 2 hours away

)

Mr Latte · 1 Oct 2008 at 00:22

J1nxy said:
I don't think you mean FOCA as thats the F1 constructors asscociation....

And to be honest the feed makes bugger all difference as it the de-interlacer/scaler in the TV which deals with how motion is shown. My 1080p Plasma shows perfect motion with 576p inputs, or 720p, 1080i, 1080p and 1080p/24.

Your right on the FOCA, name is wrong (its left me) but all F1 TV is handled in house by Bernie's company and is all captured in full HD just downscaled for terresterial broadcasts... Sky for example however can at will hash up a mix of content for instance from say FOX USA that broadcasts originally in 720p and in the UK transmit this as 1080i. True that most broadcasters use
1080i to start with but not all. I believe the ORF feed for F1 is 720p 18MBS so chances are European stations already showing F1 in 720p may mean thats how it will be transmitted. Upscaling this to 1080i wont make any benifit.

Regards the feed, well it can make a big difference, the whole point of a 720p broadcast is that its 60 frames and thus more ideal for sport and fast action. Ok this is re-sampled to 720p 50Hz for HD Europe/UK transmissions but a 720p source with even 50 frames would give smoother frame response than a 1080i with 25 frames which HD across Europe uses. 1080i's extra resolution only benifits in allowing more detail.

The key is the source material in 720p has more frames/double actually its not any form of processing or de-interlacing within a display. Faster frame response basically means smoother transisitions hence why the latest displays offer 120HZ/100HZ+ that add additional frames in real time in their processing to make an image seem smoother.

Mr Footlong · 1 Oct 2008 at 08:32

smogsy said:
justin you could have gotten it cheaper have fun with it though

Do tell. All the sky deals that I was aware of involved having to have at least one of their channel packages. The only other ways I know of as alternatives would be a car boot/Ebay, unless I am behind the times in this respect.

londonbairn · 1 Oct 2008 at 09:46

A problem also with the new boxes (Pace) is that sometimes the HD channels lose sync with sound and video over optical, a known issue and hopefully they will fix it. This happened last night with CL, Charlie Nicholas was >200ms out of sync! Changing channel back and forth seems to fix.

Does anyone know if the new EPG will actually make use of the resolution? One thing that annoys me is the Sky EPG looks like its just upscaled from SD.

Also, why do they not let the Sky Boxes output 5.1 over HDMI?

wolvers · 1 Oct 2008 at 10:24

rafster said:
A problem also with the new boxes (Pace) is that sometimes the HD channels lose sync with sound and video over optical, a known issue and hopefully they will fix it. This happened last night with CL, Charlie Nicholas was >200ms out of sync! Changing channel back and forth seems to fix.

My samsung one does this too although it only seems to be on the DD broadcasts. What's worse is that the sound is already behind the image so using the sound delay just makes it worse.

londonbairn · 1 Oct 2008 at 10:33

wolvers69 said:
My samsung one does this too although it only seems to be on the DD broadcasts. What's worse is that the sound is already behind the image so using the sound delay just makes it worse.

The Thompson one downstairs seems fine, it is indeed annoying :|

wolvers · 1 Oct 2008 at 12:52

rafster said:
The Thompson one downstairs seems fine, it is indeed annoying :|

I'd still rather have the Samsung box as the two previous thompson boxes I had were a nightmare. The list of faults is too long to mention.

csmager · 1 Oct 2008 at 12:56

wolvers69 said:
I'd still rather have the Samsung box as the two previous thompson boxes I had were a nightmare. The list of faults is too long to mention.

My Thomson box crashed a few times when I first bought it (January), waking up in the morning to a blue screen, failed recordings and it needing a reboot. After a month or so (probably a software update) the box has been quite literally faultless. My only complaint is that the fan is a bit noisy, but you only notice that when the TV's off.

JUMPURS · 1 Oct 2008 at 15:14

I have a sky+ sub, with multiroom and have all the channels, so i am like £57 a month or sommit. If i took sky HD, would i need to pay yet another tenner on top of that?

Mr Footlong · 1 Oct 2008 at 15:23

JUMPURS said:
I have a sky+ sub, with multiroom and have all the channels, so i am like £57 a month or sommit. If i took sky HD, would i need to pay yet another tenner on top of that?

Sadly yes, we get stiffed £10 PER BOX on our 2 hd boxes and if you get an additional box they state that it will be a new 12 month hd subscription contract. Whether that is just for the new box or a 12 month additional for both I don't know.

JUMPURS · 1 Oct 2008 at 15:26

That sucks, i would like HD, but don't really want to pay £67 a month for it.

londonbairn · 1 Oct 2008 at 15:43

It is annoying, we pay nearly 95 quid a month (including Setanta, Setanta Multiroom and all Sky channels) !

JUMPURS · 1 Oct 2008 at 15:55

Oh yeah, i forgot i had my setanta too

If the F1 and Setanta go HD i might be tempted.

[DOD]Asprilla · 1 Oct 2008 at 15:57

JUMPURS said:
Oh yeah, i forgot i had my setanta too
If the F1 and Setanta go HD i might be tempted.

Setanta have to go SD first (as do ITV).

londonbairn · 1 Oct 2008 at 16:06

Setanta should go to HD, or at least have a better BR.

Regardless, I think it's a good package so don't mind paying for it.

Begbie · 1 Oct 2008 at 19:38

Still got two codes for new customers for £49 for the sky hd and half price for the year. Email in trust.

Begbie · 1 Oct 2008 at 19:39

J1nxy said:
All the Thompsons have component.

Not the new ones.

DinAlt · 1 Oct 2008 at 20:32

Hi,
I've got an SD 55" rear projection tv that my wife won't let me get rid off until it dies. Would it be worth getting an HD box now or should I wait?
If I do get one is this £75 deal the best I can do?
Currently have Sky Plus but really use it mostly for time shifting (normally watch DVDs when I watch the box (daughter is addicted to all the kids channels though!).
Thanks in advance.

DinAlt