Sky + HD and query....... hdmi etc

dragona

Righty ho....:D Have a new super duper tv (full HD) and want to get sky + .Ideally would have just got bog standard sky + but apparently it has only scart sockets at the back, not the hdmi thing......if I get a sky + HD box (which I assume has the hdmi connectors) do I absolutely HAVE to also subscribe to the HD channels? Don't want to spend the €15 a month:( Want to spend it on the multi room instead

ALSO is there any such thing as a scart/hdmi connector,/adaptor? One end scart, one end hdmi? Then I could get an ordinary sky+ box, but connect it with an hdmi cable? May sound daft, but I have my reasons!

Zonda999

dragona wrote: »

ALSO is there any such thing as a scart/hdmi connector,/adaptor? One end scart, one end hdmi? Then I could get an ordinary sky+ box, but connect it with an hdmi cable? May sound daft, but I have my reasons!

I wouldnt think so because scart is an analogue connection whereas hdmi is digital.

Not sure about that first question but i doubt it can be done. I'm not sure the added upscaling of a HD box would make all that much of a difference. I also think that 15E is a bit too much to ask considering how limited the choice is at the moment. Multiroom is much better value

big_moe

It's a waste of time getting a sky+ HD box if you don't want the HD channels (i don't think you can even do that)

if you get a regular sky+ box and a good scart cable set up as RBG into your tv, you should get very impressive results.

yes, there is a scart - HDMI adapter... it's over £100 sterling and a waste of money in your case. just because the picture is being transferred with HDMI doesn't mean it's going to look any better.

http://www.lektropacks.com/view_product_standard.php?product=102&sub1=55&show=55 for curiosity!

adam

Headshot

big_moe wrote: »

http://www.lektropacks.com/view_product_standard.php?product=102&sub1=55&show=55 for curiosity!

adam

wow never saw anything like that before

couldnt see it working but mg for the price £ 125 .00 pounds it want too

big_moe

yeah its useful for some situations, like when you want to connect to an amplifier and it doesnt have scart. bit pricey though!

Headshot

big_moe wrote: »

yeah its useful for some situations, like when you want to connect to an amplifier and it doesnt have scart. bit pricey though!

does it upscale the picture?

big_moe

no. upscaling TV signals is over-rated. Upscaling DVDs now, that actually makes a difference. in most cases upscaling a TV image makes the picture looks worse, it's adding in information thats not there and most times it makes it pixelated... all TVs have a scaler built in and they do the job grand. (then again some TVs have better scalers than other, but thats another days work!)

adam

dragona

big_moe wrote: »

It's a waste of time getting a sky+ HD box if you don't want the HD channels (i don't think you can even do that)

if you get a regular sky+ box and a good scart cable set up as RBG into your tv, you should get very impressive results.

yes, there is a scart - HDMI adapter... it's over £100 sterling and a waste of money in your case. just because the picture is being transferred with HDMI doesn't mean it's going to look any better.

http://www.lektropacks.com/view_product_standard.php?product=102&sub1=55&show=55 for curiosity!

adam

Oh my goodness -I don't think so.....At the moment I have regular sky box connected via scart, but have an all in one dvd/surround system (Philips HTS6515 ) and it is bloomin annoying having to change the input on the remotes all the time, from watching dvd to tv. Keep switching from AV to hdmi and back again, both on the tv set and the surround....! Just irritating - I just wanted to get the video(ie telly) on hdmi and it would switch automatically! But if it can't be done, it can't be done:(

big_moe

if you put it through the DVD system you wouldn't have to keep changing the TV input, correct. but you would have to keep changing the DVD input!

ShiverinEskimo

If you want to watch HD you need to use the HDMI cable. The extra 15 a month is worth it IMO because I watch a lot of sport in HD and Sky 1 and all the movie channels are in HD now aswell as a few others.

Also the Sky HD box has an optical audio out which means I get proper full surround sound.

15 is a lot - but the difference in picture quality between SD and HD is staggering - and whats the point of having a great big HD tv if you're going to be watching everything in SD on it?

dragona

big_moe wrote: »

if you put it through the DVD system you wouldn't have to keep changing the TV input, correct. but you would have to keep changing the DVD input!

? The manual (:D) says that it has simplink or something, and all connected hdmi things can be controlled with the one remote...When I put in a dvd I get the dvd sound automatically, but have to keep changing the input via the remote to hdmi, and then back again on the dvd AND the tv remote when I want to watch telly!

dragona

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

If you want to watch HD you need to use the HDMI cable. The extra 15 a month is worth it IMO because I watch a lot of sport in HD and Sky 1 and all the movie channels are in HD now aswell as a few others.
15 is a lot - but the difference in picture quality between SD and HD is staggering - and whats the point of having a great big HD tv if you're going to be watching everything in SD on it?

Well we don't have the sport or movie channels -too expensive methinks.

ShiverinEskimo

Well HD was made for Sport and Movies - TV shows almost look 'fake' in HD bedause they lack atmospherics.

Why buy a HD tv if you have no intention of watching HD? SD looks worse on a HD tv than it does on a standard one IMO.

dragona

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Why buy a HD tv if you have no intention of watching HD? SD looks worse on a HD tv than it does on a standard one IMO.

I didn't intentionally by a HD tv It just is one! Old one died , new one was a good deal, so there we are! I imagine most new tv sets these days are HD or HD ready anyway?

ShiverinEskimo

Yea probably are I suppose. HD is the bomb. Not least for the xbox too.

dragona

Well I finally decided to get the sky+ hd and to my horror have discovered its back at €149 from €75 a couple of weeks ago. I wanna CRY:(

ShiverinEskimo

I feel your pain - I bought TWO of them them on multiroom that cost me 300. two weeks later they dropped them to 75.

McGetty

Probably hiked it up because Christmas is coming, was gonna get it for my Dad for Christmas because he watches a lot of sport, but now I'm not sure at that price... I wasn't sure how good a present it would be anyway, given that it adds to your monthly bill. "Here's €15 extra per month on your bill, merry Christmas!" I still have some questions, though:

They don't have a full HD TV, only 720p/1080i (32"), can you still notice the HD difference at that resolution?

Also, they already have a Sky box in the house, and at the already massive price, I'd rather not pay some guy to come round and install it. If I ordered the HD+ box, would it be as simple as unplugging the old one, putting our card into the new one and hooking it one where the old one used to be? Actually, do Sky even give you the option to just order a box and not pay for installation?

Thanks in advance to any responses

ShiverinEskimo

As far as I know you can just buy the box and hook it up. If you have a local sky installer/shop he'd probably sell you the box and tell you to increase your subscription.

150 quid for the box is worth it, full surround, HD and don't forget that it's a recorder too. The difference between SD and 720p/1080i is staggering. The HD box only outputs at 1080i max anyways - no 1080p so you'd be fine even with a 720p TV.

McGetty

Double post, sorry...this one didn't show up when I refreshed the page at first.

McGetty

Thanks, will have a look around town (Limerick) for a place that does them. Getting it from a store is preferable even without considering the installation fee as I've heard very bad things about waiting for Sky engineers to call round, and even their own website warns of a 9 week waiting list. Only worry now is that the site says the box costs €500 if you don't buy the HD Subscription with it. Here's hoping the retailers are allowed to sell it for the lower price.

ShiverinEskimo

Yea it's bound to be subsidised plenty by sky because of the subscription. Like O2 and vodafone with the mobiles - much cheaper to buy it off them because they'll earn money on it.