drop in SKY picture quality?

[drummerman]

A little while ago my SKY HD box (Samsung) froze completely. The only way I could resume functions was to unplug it at the mains. It re-booted fine but my immediate impression was the picture quality had deteriated ie. softer, more fuzzy ... less clarity. Is that possible or am I just imagining it? (All the settings are still the same).

Is there a manual update that goes beyond what the box does automatically at regular intervals?

 

[tvmog]

Interesting. How long ago did this occur? I'm convinced that the picture quality from my Sky HD box deteriorated noticebly last weekend, and I was just about to post to see if anybody else had experienced simalar issues.

 

[Anonymous]

i have noticed the drop in quality too, i asked my wife if she has noticed but she can't tell. that's women for you. the picture is not as sharp on hd as it has been.

 

[Anonymous]

AUDIO TOO?

I have only SD Sky+ and have no comment re: picture quality but watching a movie last night, I though the audio quality was dreadful. I'll quite often watch Sky using just the TV speakers but switched to the 5.1 set up just to make it reasonably audible. Even then I had to check my centre speaker connections as the dialogue wasn't very clear and I thougt the problem was mine! (it wasn't).

Um, yeah... "St Trinians" - and not a patch on the originals...

 

[Anonymous]

rogueelement:
AUDIO TOO?

I have only SD Sky+ and have no comment re: picture quality but watching a movie last night, I though the audio quality was dreadful. I'll quite often watch Sky using just the TV speakers but switched to the 5.1 set up just to make it reasonably audible. Even then I had to check my centre speaker connections as the dialogue wasn't very clear and I thougt the problem was mine! (it wasn't).

Um, yeah... "St Trinians" - and not a patch on the originals...

Hmmmm..... maybe.

I was watching Heroes on Sky HD last night and the audio definitely dropped about half way through.

It was so noticeable that I had to check that I hadn't accidently sat on the remote control.

Hopefully its a one off, but I'll keep my eye on it.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree about pic quality but not savvy enough to spot each time I keep blaming my set up and then log on here to find my eyes were right. I have to be careful here but .... at times ITV HD is a lot better than sky.

It must be a way of saving money but what a let down. Charge 10 extra then reduce quality, must be a law against that.

abbey

 

[Anonymous]

Me too> I had Sky installed Middle of Feb and thought both SD and HD were great. Now, over the last couple of weeks my SD picture seems to have deteriorated. Probably, like most people on here, i'm blaming tv or sky box settings. I've even questioned my own eyesight. HD is fine still, but SD is like watching TV through a very fine heat haze.

 

[Wightknight]

You may need to force a firmware update.

I had my Thomson box freeze in a similar way several weeks ago and had to unplug it as you did. When it booted up, I had the lip synch problem back again. I forced a firmware update and everything worked fine after that.

If you have not done a firmware update before, the instructions are below (with thanks to Daveh75):

To carry out a firmware update:

1. Switch the box off at the mains

2. Press and hold the "Back up" button and switch the mains back on whilst keeping the "Back up" button pressed

3. After about 20 seconds all the lights on the box will come on, you can now let go of the "Back up" button

The box is now downloading the firmware takes about 20 minutes. When the box has finished downloading it will switch into standby mode. Leave for a couple of minutes then switch the box back on.

 

[Big Aura]

might this be a cynical ploy by Sky to force more HD subscriptions?!

 

[D.J.KRIME]

is this a issue only with newer HD boxes as the PQ on my Thompson is fine.

 

[Anonymous]

I installed a new version Samsung HD box around 4 weeks ago. The HD pictures are fine but all SD pictures via the S video output are terrible, no better than the RF pictures. I did a forced software update when it was installed so presume that is up to date. I have investigated all cabling and setting issues and was amazed to see so many other comments about picture quality.

How do we get a response from SKY to confirm this is a real problem and not group hysteria!!!!

 

[Wightknight]

Is there a particular reason why you are using S Video? Isn't your video signal sent to your TV via HDMI?

 

[Anonymous]

The box in connected to multiple TV's. Try not to get side tracked!

 

[aliEnRIK]

Some tvs have awful S-Video sockets. My old Philips was really good but a newer philips was rubbish and my mates Samsung was also rubbish

 

[lastcoyote]

interesting..i had the same feeling that picture quality dropped just a few days ago. same as others..picture now slightly soft.

sort it out Sky!!
not got the new EPG on my new Amstrad HD box yet either.

 

[idc]

Big Aura:might this be a cynical ploy by Sky to force more HD subscriptions?!

I have been checking this post occasionally out of interest and I have not noticed any change in picture/sound quality on Sky+. I think that HD is only there to make up for the drop in picture quality from the good old CRT to plasma and LCD. I think that widescreen was just get a whole new generation of TVs sold. HD is the latest means of making money and whilst I do not think there is a conspiracy by Sky etc to change us all to HD users, there will be a drop in investment and maintanence of non HD channels.

 

[Anonymous]

idc:HD is the latest means of making money and whilst I do not think there is a conspiracy by Sky etc to change us all to HD users

I think the opposite is more likely to happen with an increased monthly minimym charge of, say, £20 or £25, where you'll get your HD channels "thrown in for free".

 

[idc]

momo72:

idc:HD is the latest means of making money and whilst I do not think there is a conspiracy by Sky etc to change us all to HD users

I think the opposite is more likely to happen with an increased monthly minimym charge of, say, £20 or £25, where you'll get your HD channels "thrown in for free".

I suppose another view is that increased competition has increased quality, but there is not enough competition that that also means a reduction in price.