ntl stb for Home Cinema

Black Sky

quick query on ntl stb's.
there seem to be different models around, and pot luck as to what the installer turns up with. I want to hook up a second room with a home cinema amp, so can i tell them to bring a certain box for this. Certain box as in better/more audio connectors out etc.

The tax man

You'll want to get the lastest stb for that kind of set up.
It has phono outputs for audio but it also has a digital audio output.
No harm in asking for this type box but whether your request gets all the way down the line to the installer is a different matter.
Most recent new installs were getting these small stb's.
If you ended up with the silver stb(no audio output) some people a while back went and bought a scart lead with audio leads coming from it.
scart lead

JDxtra

You'll want to get the lastest stb for that kind of set up. It has phono outputs for audio but it also has a digital audio output.

What ntl model STB has this??

I have the little silver Pace box - talk about cutting corners!! It's only got a scart output.

Does NTL digital support Dolby Digital 5.1? or does it have it on any of the channels? because that would be the only real benefit of an optical lead.

Other wise whether you have a scart to 4 phono like suggested above or phono leads on their own, the sound will be the same.
It will be determined by the sound field created by your amp.

JDxtra

Earthman wrote:

Does NTL digital support Dolby Digital 5.1? or does it have it on any of the channels?

Nope.

ntl:digital is cheap and cheerful with nothing fancy like support for 5.1 audio.

NewDubliner

jdempsey wrote:

Nope.

ntl:digital is cheap and cheerful with nothing fancy like support for 5.1 audio.

I found a big difference listening to the audio on digital and comparing to the Nicam coded audio from the analogue stations. The audio from the digital box was lacking in punch and separation. The Nicam audio was much better.

I recently heard a satellite system with a digital output, hooked up to an average 5.1 system and it knocked the socks off anything that came from the NTL STB.

NTL's offering is 'Digital Quality', but you'll find that that is meaningless marketing jargon and doesn't give any clue as to how much compression they're using.

I suggest that if you're really into sound quality, avoid NTL digital completely.

JDxtra

NewDubliner wrote:

I suggest that if you're really into sound quality, avoid NTL digital completely.

I agree.

As for me I would avoid them myself but I live in an apartment at the moment with no dishes permitted so they're my only option for digital.

cgarvey

I'll third that. Video is massively compressed, and at peak time, even the main channels (RTEs, BBCs, etc.) have some serious pixelation/artifacts. Audio does lack punch compared to NICAM on the analague stations.. start amplifying that sound, and you'll notice it even more.

However, being in rented accommodation, that rules out satellite for me too

The tax man

jdempsey wrote:

What ntl model STB has this??

I have the little silver Pace box - talk about cutting corners!! It's only got a scart output.

It would be this one....Linky Linky

The optical would be pointless then-except for use as an alternative connection socket.
The sound is what I'd describe as 2nd hand compressed nicam and obviously duller for that reason.

Sky digitals first 3 movie channels show movies mostly in DD 5.1 now and the planes will fly from the back of your room to the front, the bombs will go off in the back left if thats where the effect is supposed to be.
The sound is precise, clear and just magical in my view and definitely of DVD DD 5.1 surround quality.

Alun

NewDubliner wrote:

I found a big difference listening to the audio on digital and comparing to the Nicam coded audio from the analogue stations. The audio from the digital box was lacking in punch and separation. The Nicam audio was much better.

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one! In fact from a subjective viewpoint I'm sometimes left wondering whether the sound from my ntl box is even stereo at all, especially noticeable on music broadcasts. I've been known on such occasions to actually switch back to analogue just to get improved sound! How crazy is that!

Dec4

Trying to hook up a home cinema for a friend to one of these NTL Pace digital boxes. If I connect a set of phono leads into red & white stereo output from Pace box I don't get any sound thru' home cinema speakers only thru' TV stereo speakers...any ideas anyone?
Also am I correct from reading above that none of channels available thru' NTL digital package (the basic one) are available in Dolby 5.1. I rang NTL customer services but to paraphrase the reply they "haven't been trained up in the dolby" and hadn't the remotest idea what I was talking about..
Made me glad I have Sky...