HD channels on Sky basic package?

SomeDude

Hi All, I can't seem to find an answer on this anywhere, and I've received conflicting answers when phoning Sky.

Can anyone tell me which (if any) HD channels come with the basic Sky TV package?

Many thanks

Atlantic Dawn

As far as I know RTÉ1 and RTÉ2 are one you have a HD box, not sure on the others.

foggy_lad

SomeDude wrote: »

Hi All, I can't seem to find an answer on this anywhere, and I've received conflicting answers when phoning Sky.

Can anyone tell me which (if any) HD channels come with the basic Sky TV package?

Many thanks

You should be able to get any of the free to air HD channels on a sky box and also all the ITV HD channels. You won't get any HD channels provided by SKY that are exclusive to their service.

SomeDude

Thanks for the replies. I have the basic TV package. Just watching the Champions league game tonight on channel 102 RTE 2 HD. I can't see any difference in picture quality between that channel and channel 278 RTE 2 standard definition. My TV is definitely full HD TV and I have a black Sky TV box. The previous setup in the house I'm in used a non HD TV with the current box, so I'm wondering if I need to change some settings on the Sky box?

lertsnim

Something is definitely wrong as the difference for RTÉ 2 is like night and day.

greasepalm

look in rear as a hd box will have to use a hdmi cable to get hd.dont think as said basic is sd package and quality getting worse.
i bought a saorview pvr if needed to view or record and well worth it.

SomeDude

greasepalm wrote: »

look in rear as a hd box will have to use a hdmi cable to get hd.dont think as said basic is sd package and quality getting worse.
i bought a saorview pvr if needed to view or record and well worth it.

Thanks. I did that earlier in the day. But I can't see much difference in the picture quality of RTE 2 HD and RTE 2 SD.

foggy_lad

RTE and TV3 etc are only in SD on sky unless you have the HD pack. do you have a saorview aerial?

Atlantic Dawn

Is your Sky box connected to the TV with a HDMI lead or a scart lead?

In the old days

SomeDude wrote: »

Hi All, I can't seem to find an answer on this anywhere, and I've received conflicting answers when phoning Sky.

Can anyone tell me which (if any) HD channels come with the basic Sky TV package?

Many thanks

On an Irish sub you get the NI BBCs in HD + RTEs plus Some of the foreign news channels in HD e.g. Russia Today. You don't get UTV Ireland or TV3. You don't get ITV on the planner.

MarkAnthony

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Is your Sky box connected to the TV with a HDMI lead or a scart lead?

Willing to offer odds it's a Scart lead.

EdmondShiels3

Channel 5 hd is free now it became free this week. It will not be on the guide but should be able to tune it in to other channels. Have not done this, but should be the same as all the other free hd channels.

cgarvey

foggy_lad wrote: »

RTE and TV3 etc are only in SD on sky unless you have the HD pack. do you have a saorview aerial?

Not the case at all (as per earlier posts). If you have a Sky HD box, without the HD sub/add-on, you still get RTÉ (and some FTA HD channels, like BBC) in HD.

.cg

notmyusername

In the old days wrote: »

On an Irish sub you get the NI BBCs in HD + RTEs plus Some of the foreign news channels in HD e.g. Russia Today. You don't get UTV Ireland or TV3. You don't get ITV on the planner.

For clarification you do not need a subscription for any FTA channel, although on a Sky Box you may need a sub to record (it used to work with an expired card but I think that loophole has been closed).

SomeDude

Thanks for the posts everyone. Just to clarify, I am using a HDMI cable and not a scart cable.

Digifriendly

foggy_lad wrote: »

You should be able to get any of the free to air HD channels on a sky box and also all the ITV HD channels. You won't get any HD channels provided by SKY that are exclusive to their service.

just to be clear ITV2/3/4HD require an HD sub to watch them.

PabloAndRoy

SomeDude wrote: »

Thanks for the posts everyone. Just to clarify, I am using a HDMI cable and not a scart cable.

In that case I guess we are all thinking "should have gone to specsavers".

Seriously though, the difference is enormous, if you don't see it, something is up somewhere in your set up.

muffler

SomeDude wrote: »

Hi All, I can't seem to find an answer on this anywhere, and I've received conflicting answers when phoning Sky.

Can anyone tell me which (if any) HD channels come with the basic Sky TV package?

Many thanks

There's all sorts of answers / replies being thrown up here so maybe you would get the official list from the reps on the Sky talk to forum if you posted there.

notmyusername

SomeDude wrote: »

Thanks for the posts everyone. Just to clarify, I am using a HDMI cable and not a scart cable.

What size is your TV? How far are you from the screen?

honreal

The answer is in the OP's description of his tv package 'basic' - according to sky ireland the basic package does not come with RTE2 HD.

Op do it say RTE2 or RTE2HD in the top left (or right) of the channel? If it doesn't say RTE2HD then you dont have RTE2HD

notmyusername

honreal wrote: »

The answer is in the OP's description of his tv package 'basic' - according to sky ireland the basic package does not come with RTE2 HD.

Op do it say RTE2 or RTE2HD in the top left (or right) of the channel? If it doesn't say RTE2HD then you dont have RTE2HD

Then that has changed - RTÉ2 was definitely included at one point.

As far as the channel goes he said he tried both EPG positions; if they were both viewable (ie no blue screen) then he had the HD channel open.

Another question to the OP - are you definitely viewing on HDMI? In other words do you also have a scart lead connected and are viewing through that but thinking you're watching via the HDMI lead?

Is there anybody else in the house who can view and contrast and compare?

Johnboy1951

Is it possible the TV is locked to a low res and could be adjusted in its menu?

macjohn

OP - just checking all basic options

Do you have both a scart and a hdmi cable connected. ?
If so just make sure you are selected hdmi as source.


Is the tv full hd?

notmyusername

macjohn wrote: »

Do you have both a scart and a hdmi cable connected. ?
If so just make sure you are selected hdmi as source.

Advised earlier...

He said it was full HD but even if it isn't there is still a difference when viewing HD as opposed to SD.

EdmondShiels3

Is their a option to select 1080 in the skybox settings, if so make sure that is selected. Also make sure the tv picture is setup right because their can be a hugh difference when a few settings are changed. For example changing from standard to vivid.

twinklerunner

SomeDude wrote: »

Hi All, I can't seem to find an answer on this anywhere, and I've received conflicting answers when phoning Sky.

Can anyone tell me which (if any) HD channels come with the basic Sky TV package?

Many thanks

On the epg:
RTÉ One, RTÉ 2, BBC One, BBC Two, NHK, RT

Via 'other channels'
BBC Four, BBC News, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV/UTV/ITV, Cbeebies, CBBC, plus BBC One Scot, Wales and NI.

mordeith

I have the basic entertainment package (signed up years ago so has more than the current one). I can access RTE2 HD and the BBC HD channels. Don't get the TV3 one. There is a marked visual difference between RTE2 and RTE2HD

Atlantic Dawn

Manual settings on the TV or HDMI output must be set to SD, have a look at the TV's manual, if you don't have the manual the website of the manufacturer should have it.

macjohn

notmyusername wrote: »

Advised earlier...

.

Apologies, missed it, only trying to help.
Hence I said basic question.
Sometimes worth double checking hd/full hd as not everyone up to speed on them.

notmyusername

macjohn wrote: »

Apologies, missed it, only trying to help.
Hence I said basic question.
Sometimes worth double checking hd/full hd as not everyone up to speed on them.

Sorry mate, I came across rude - didn't mean to be

In the old days

notmyusername wrote: »

For clarification you do not need a subscription for any FTA channel, although on a Sky Box you may need a sub to record (it used to work with an expired card but I think that loophole has been closed).

Sorry I may not have been clear. Many channels will not be on the EPG on an Irish SKY sub it actually limits fta on the EPG for example the Irish sd sub eliminates the UTV proper hd + variants on ITV unless the bowels of other channels has been explored.