Now I have a 1080p TV, how do I set it up for terrestrial TV including HD broadcasts

Charlie-Bravo

Hopefully someone can fill me in on what I do next in terms of DVB terrestrial I've been reading on here about the conax and viaccess cams but don't fully understand how things work as I am a complete novice.

I currently have NTL cable over MMDS here in Greystones and am happy to continue with that for the moment while UPC figure out what they're going to do about HD broadcast. In the meantime I'm interested in finding out what's available by way of terrestrial broadcasts and how to pick them up, so here goes...

The TV I have is a Philips 37PFL5603D/10. It has a CAM common interface slot...so I guess I can put in one of the Viaccess or Conax cards into it. What does the card do for me? Do I still need an aerial to pick up reception? Wouldn't I be better off with a set top box of some sort?

Mossy Monk

First off wait for information on what is going to happen. Nobody knows anything about HD on DTT yet.

watty

You need a FreeSat Box or a SkyHD subscription (or both to get all Satellite HD channels).

The CAM is only for Boxer TV (which will not be HD any time in next few years). Boxer will supply a suitable CAM.

Irish DTT transmissions will be MPEG4, that's not the same thing as HD.

There is no offical Terrestrial Digital till next year. Tests at the moment. The Official launch service will not be HD.

Terrestrial reception, analogue or Digital needs a roof aerial or at worst an attic aerial in most locations for reliable reception.

A set box with HDD and twin tuners is better than TV even for Terrestrial as it is the only way to decently record. At the minute you are better with separate Terrestrial or Satellite boxes.

UPC(NTL) also does a recording set-box.

The three digital systems are not compatible.

Charlie-Bravo

Thanks Watty and Mossy Monk,

I see what you are saying about the Boxer TV and there being no HD being provided in the meantime. I just have one question about that - what type of aerial does the boxer box need? I'm not allowed external aerials or dishes where I am.

With having digital NTL cable anyway and using it in the interim until UPC develope their HD service I'll be happy enough with that. At least at this stage I have future proofed myself for any advancements, allowing me a choice of means of receiving a digital quality TV whether HD or not. I don't like the idea of stumping up initial costs and 'renting' a PVR/DVR (which ever you wish to call it) as I already pay a reasonable sub fee for cable.

STB

astrofluff wrote: »

Hopefully someone can fill me in on what I do next in terms of DVB terrestrial I've been reading on here about the conax and viaccess cams but don't fully understand how things work as I am a complete novice.

I currently have NTL cable over MMDS here in Greystones and am happy to continue with that for the moment while UPC figure out what they're going to do about HD broadcast. In the meantime I'm interested in finding out what's available by way of terrestrial broadcasts and how to pick them up, so here goes...

The TV I have is a Philips 37PFL5603D/10. It has a CAM common interface slot...so I guess I can put in one of the Viaccess or Conax cards into it. What does the card do for me? Do I still need an aerial to pick up reception? Wouldn't I be better off with a set top box of some sort?

I think the question was specifically about receiving digital terrestrial television and not Satellite television.

Astrofluff, Sorry to tell you that the TV you have bought has the MPEG2 Chip. Did you buy it recently ? The model in that series that has MPEG4 is the Philips 37 PFL 9603 H.

That means that you will receive neither the standard definition transmissions on at present nor any future HD digital broadcasts as the transport streams here will be in Mpeg4 (without a set top box which defeats the purpose of buying a TV with a built in tuner).

This is a pity for the money you have probably forked out for that piece of equipment, that is not suitable for the Irish market.

Viaccess will most likely be used by Boxer in the future for their encrypted services. In theory you should just have to insert a boxer card into that CI slot without a set top box, but as your TV is MPEG2 you will require a Set top box or an NP4 Viaccess Cam (if its compatible with that TV).

Re other comments made in this thread

The CAM slot on your TV is not only for inserting a Viaccess card (Boxer). The slot can also (with some models of idtv) be used to solve your very problem and transcode from MPEG4 to MPEG2. Its called an NP4 Viaccess Cam (about €60). Also similar Cams may indeed be used in the future to support MHEG5 for those that want interactive etc!

Finally don’t be misled by comments that its better to have a separate set top box and separate satellite receiver. I would have thought it better to have an all in one system rather than a load of different boxes cluttering up your room.

There are plenty of combination boxes available on the market should you wish to invest in one (and are covered in various threads here – technomate, Mvision, Clarketech).

Although I haven’t tested it I am very impressed by the spec of the AB IP Box 9000HD (Plus) Linux twin tuner, although a tad expensive. Still it does have a twin tuner, 500g hard drive, plays divx as a media player, is MPEG4, is DVB-S compliant, supports DVB-S2, DVB-T and DVB-C.

Yes you will require an aerial. You will possibly get away with an indoor one in Greystones.

watty

Except the quality of MPEG4 to MPEG2 transcoding is very poor compared to a MPEG4 set box and can't do HD ever as MPEG2 bitrate is too high.

All in one made sense in days of TV only use of screen (before videos and consoles). Now it makes no sense to have an "all in one".

If one bit breaks it is all broken.

PVR / home recording and Push VOD or Realtime VOD needs a separate box
Games is a separate box (Wii, PS2, PS3, Xbox360)
DVD and/or bluray is a separate box
VHS for old favorites not on DVD is a separate box
(Built in DVD/VHS on TVs has always been the pits).

If I'm buying a 7" to 14" portable set I want a built in DTT tuner. But if it's my Home Entertainment system I want an HD Monitor that has loads of inputs. My current CRT has:
DVD player/recorder
Sky
Motorised Sat box (22 satellites)
S-VHS
Media Server (Satellite HD x 2 , DVD, 500G x2 mirror, video, MP3s)
Occasionally PS2
GP2X video cradle
Occasionally my WS Digital Camcorder
Occasionally DTT rx to see if anything there
5 speakers on 60W per ch amp.

All-in-one is an opinion as is separates, like HiFi before. But unlike 1972 there is a lot more value in separates.

Since your tuner is a "brick" and is only about 5% of the TV cost if it is decent HD TV, then you must regard your TV as a Viewing Screen and HD sources as separate boxes ideally with Hard Disk recording.

STB

That is a lot of cables and wiring watty! VHS - Whats That! DTT 19" ! Most people watch TV on Screens greater than 19". Regardless of whether its a home entertainment system or not the basics should be right for the start. THere is no reason why those inputs for your (other hardware) wouldnt be available on an MPEG4 LCD anyhow.

The average Joe only needs one remote control, maybe 2. I would imagine that if surveyed, the average punter would prefer to have a mixture for satelite and the irish stations (available in digital through DTT) with the possibility of recording. Why because there are no bills after the initial hardware purchases. In reality only the technophiles will have the common sense.

This of course can be done from one box thanks to technology innovations in the recent year. They are about €300. I would consider some of them fairly future proof. They can also act as media servers for divx and mp3 etc. (another box less).

If you get it right from the start you can save on unnecesary future purchasing. Its no secret what the platforms will be.

This post here is a prime example of where not to start. Why pay in or around the same money for the wrong model LCD.

Fair enough if you want to buy a cheap (brick) LCD obviously geared for another market then do it knowing that you will have to buy more hardware should you wish to watch DTT or Satelite. Hey there are plenty of examples of these ready to go bricks every weekend in the Sunday newspapers.

Interestingly Humax actually have a DVB-S DVB-T MPEG4 LCD available to buy.

Totally agree about the transcoding buts its a fix for people who wish to use their TV remote control. As STB's come down in price they may become less and less required. Lets face it, there are plenty of legacy idtv's out there.

Charlie-Bravo

My original post was to understand where I could go with the terretrial stuff and the new TV's capability.

STB, it is debatable if this is a good example of where not to start but initially I wanted a 1080p that will be suitable for Full HD in the future.

I think I paid a economical amount for the 1080p TV and got the usual 5% discount too (just for asking).

In an ideal world yes, one remote for everything is good (thats why they make one 4 all!). I got a new TV and I have a panasonic blu-ray player, I dumped the DVD player and TV, so no gain in number of remote controls!

I don't care whether I have to have an extra set top box for the HD, so that will replace the other low def UPC box.

I suppose the important thing here is that I have 4 HDMI points on the TV which puts me in a good positon moving forward. Now all I need is the dobly 6.1 system installed....

STB

You will need a set top box regardless of whether its HD or not!

That digital tuner is useless in this country.

The 4 digital terrestrial channels are available at present and are broadcasting in MPEG4 SD. There may be HD channels in the future but in order to receive that you would have to have the MPEG4 chip in your TV. You dont so, that tuner will never work here ever, for anything! It might as well not be in it.

MPEG4 H264 chip = ability to receive High Definition and Standard definition DTT signals in Ireland.

mjsmyth

I was gonna suggest getting PS3 for some HD Gaming.... acts as a nice media centre too... music, video, photos, a bit of internet browsing too. The browser is ok, nothing hectic, but it works.

Oh and lest not forget the Play TV add on, it adds DTT capability to the PS3 so you can use that as your DTT tuner. It also turns the PS3 into a PVR.

mj

watty

The play TV launces on 19th Sept 2008, and is supposed to work on Irish DTT, It does dual tuner PVR. (PS3 needed of course).