BT Vision and Blu Ray for non-Full HD TV

[admin_exported]

Would like some advice from anybody out there to give it.

Have a Pioneer 428XD and the pictures on it from the in built digital tuner are brilliant. Took delivery of a BT vision set top box yesterday, and the pictures and sound are not nearly as good; especially watching the football last night. (Some bluuring, more pixellated, poorer colour differentiation). Is this just the way it is, or can I improve things with different cables or settings on the TV or box. If I can't get pictures as good without the box, I figure i may as well send it back.

Also wondered, as I haven't got a full HD TV, is there much benefit in having a Blu-Ray, given the extra cost of the discs and players. Or should I just get a reasonable up-scaling DVD player?

Any help would be gratefully received. Many thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Your problem is a common one, I'm afraid.
Digital does not mean 'better'. It means 'easier' for the broadcaster.
The problem is that, generally, every service provider has a fixed amount of bandwidth (think size of pipe) in which to shove all their channels. Two things complicate this. One is the means of delivery (cable and broadband providers have potentially less leeway in managing their bandwidth than 'through the air' providers, like Freeview) and the other is the type of programmes being broadcast. Sport is particularly greedy and eats up bandwidth (grass is terrible to reproduce digitally, and fast moving images and pans are a ***), so the broadcaster will steal bandwidth from other channels, thereby degrading the picture generally.
Just wait until you've got a Sunday afternoon with the footie, golf, the grand prix and an full-on action movie all playing at once. That'll really suck, picture wise!
As to the HD issue, it's an issue of balancing of personal taste and budget. One thing's for sure - once you've watched something on HD, regular TV will look hugely inferior....

 

[Anonymous]

Were you watching streaming video via the internet or a freeview channel via the BT box? I have heard others say that the freeview tuner in the BT box is not that clever.

Not all digital tuners are created equal even those from the same manufacturer. Are there signal strength and quality indicators on the BT box?

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your thoughts and advice. You're right it's the grass and fast moving action that are particularly bad, but not too bad for watching the news etc.

Cheers

G

 

[Anonymous]

Was watching a freeview channel via the BT box. It's not too bad as I have an in-built tuner in my TV, but have yet to record anything on the PVR to see if the problem remains.

There are no strength ior quality indicators.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Sorreltiger]

Presumably, you were watching football on ITV. ÿThe picture quality is famously dire however you receive it. ÿIf you want to do better, then Sky HD is the way forward, I'm afraid.

 

[Anonymous]

I tried BT vision too and was in exactly the same boat. The picture via my in built freeview and analogue was much better.

Since then I have gone over to Freesat from bbc/itv and I do not regret it one bit. The broadcasts are clearly higher bitrate than freeview etc, and MOTD last night looked fine. High def footie is amazing which we get nearly every other week now the champions league and england are playing again.

 

[Anonymous]

You have set the BT Vision box to output in a HD resolution? It will default to SD and the picture may not look as good even thought the source is SD. Also there is a signal strength display in the diagnostics menu.