Paging the HDSatellitisti/FreeSatisiti

Toying with going HD. Seems that Sky want an extra £10/month plus £99 for
a HD+. Maplins have a Humax HD+ for £260 + delivery which will do 1080i.
Am I right in thinking that SkyHD is only 720p (or i)? Is 1080p even
envisaged in the near future for satellite? Is freesat any good? Can it
be 'topped up' like freeview? I have tried their website but it's not
very forthcoming!

 

If you go the Sky route and don't want to wait for 2 months to have a
proper install (and you already have Sky+) you can buy a SkyHD box from
Tesco, plug it in, ring Sky up to pair your viewing card and hey presto,
more disk space and access to free HD channels (more than on Freesat).
It's an extra tenner a month for the other HD content though.

Not heard of any plans for HD broadcasts to go 1080p.

 

Is this in most shops, and how much is the box that way?

I'm not hugely fussed about the full upgrade but quite like the idea
of getting BBC HD.

 

They'll both do 1080i as well.

Unlikely , not in the next year or two anyway.

It's ok for the SD channels , a similar list to what you'd find on freeview
, so no Sky1
The HD stuff is basically BBC HD which has a decent selection of programs
and ITV HD which doesn't.
You won't get lots of films or sport in hi-def

I don't believe so , no.

 

There are cheaper ways of doing it I think, it's really just a shortcut.
The box is 200 but you have to buy it in-store - if you buy through
Tesco Direct you just get a voucher to call Sky and arrange fitting. It
was in our nearest Tesco Extra, I don't think there are issues with
stock. It does say "New customers only" and "Engineer to fit only" on
it, but it does work ok and loads of people on AVForums have had similar
success.

I couldn't be arsed to wait, and I decided to go for the HD sub as well
as part of a general home cinema upgrade (Onkyo 606, Pan TH-42PX81, Sony
Blu-ray, Sky HD).

I was tempted by the Pan TH-42PX85 with the FreeSat decoder built in,
until I saw that FreeSat really has very few HD channels. There's a
comparison site somewhere and Sky has a lot more choice than either of
the alternatives.

 

I have one of those Humax freesat HD+ boxes, it works well.
There is a slot behind the front cover which will take a standard Santanda
type top up card.
You will need a second cable to the dish/LNB if you want to record and
watch at the same time.
At the moment it only gets BBC HD and occasional ITV HD offerings.
C4HD is not yet available on freesat.
AFAIK BBC HD is 1028p, at least thats what the display claims.

 

I thought all HD channels had to be paid for. Who broadcasts free ones?

--
Veggie Dave
http://www.iq18films.co.uk

"To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim
that Jesus was not born of a virgin." Cardinal Bellarmine

 

I'm still occasionally wondering about getting Sky+ and every other bugger
is moving on to HD! I must get those wooden wheels changed on the chariot
soon.

 

BBC and ITV, apparently. One is a separate channel, the other a red-
button 'service'.

 

Though with a half-decent receiver, you can tune to it. I just use an HD
PCI card in my HTPC. Works a treat.

 

CH4 as well I think, but there's precious little HD content on there.

 

It's worth repeating that to take advantage of the Tesco offer (or
grabbing a HD box from any 3rd party) you need a quad LNB, those with
Sky+ will already have one in place. If no Sky+ you need a proper
install.

 

And for anyone thinking of getting one, make sure you read the small
print as most won't fit a Sky dish. This one does however -
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/69582/Electrical-Supplies/TV-Range/Aerials
-Fixings/Labgear-Quad-LNB

--
Krusty

'03 Tiger 955i
'02 MV Senna (for sale) '96 Tiger (for sale)
'79 Fantic Hiro 250 (for sale) '81 Corvette (for sale)

 

I know I'm going to regret this but why quad? One for the viewing and one
for th recording equals two. What am I missing?

 

The main thing you're missing is a link to a dual LNB for a Sky
mini-dish - afaik they're not available. You could use a dual on a
round dish, or a round dish LNB on a Sky dish with an adaptor, but
quads are cheap enough so it's not worth the hassle.

--
Krusty

'03 Tiger 955i
'02 MV Senna (for sale) '96 Tiger (for sale)
'79 Fantic Hiro 250 (for sale) '81 Corvette (for sale)

 

multiroom, you can have either another Sky+ or two more sky boxes around
teh house

 

Very odd and highly annoying IMHP

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 145 2.0 Cloverleaf 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Bell broadcast in 1080p, but.... only over here in Canuckistan. Having said
that, Bell frequently make Sky look professional and competent so count your
blessings!

 

You *nix lads, eh? Defining your own standards is a way of life to
you.