SKY HD box SD quality

[drummerman]

Still gaining knowledge. Can someone tell me if I can expect better SD pictures from the SKY HD Receiver as opposed to freeview, same reception quality? Is there any processing going on within the receiver?

I walked into the shop where I bought my TV from earlier (which is still in the box sitting next to me, I got to re-arrange my whole lounge first) and was astounded at the quality of a non HD broadcast via sky hd box on the same set.

Also, has anyone had a professional ISF calibration done and what was the result/cost?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I have seen / heard costs ranging from 250 to 350 for the isf calibration. if you go to another popular av forum and do a search you will get a particular chaps name crop up and he is your man for the isf. I do know of a shop that offers it but i think they put a mark up on the guys fee, so maybe better to source direct.

 

[drummerman]

Thank you Gander

 

[drummerman]

Gander:
I have seen / heard costs ranging from 250 to 350 for the isf calibration. if you go to another popular av forum and do a search you will get a particular chaps name crop up and he is your man for the isf. I do know of a shop that offers it but i think they put a mark up on the guys fee, so maybe better to source direct.

Sorry to drag this issue on and on but I've done some reading up on the subject of ISF calibration. There does'nt seem to be an industry standard setting of the panel, rather it's a service done to user preferences ie. two different calibrations, one for night time viewing the other for brighter day light settings.

What can they do that I can't accomplish myself?

Admittedly probably with a lot of trial and error but then my time costs nothing in this context.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

drummerman:
Still gaining knowledge. Can someone tell me if I can expect better SD pictures from the SKY HD Receiver as opposed to freeview, same reception quality? Is there any processing going on within the receiver?

I walked into the shop where I bought my TV from earlier (which is still in the box sitting next to me, I got to re-arrange my whole lounge first) and was astounded at the quality of a non HD broadcast via sky hd box on the same set.

Also, has anyone had a professional ISF calibration done and what was the result/cost?

Thanks

SD pictures with the Sky HD box are excellent, definitely better than freeview.

 

[Anonymous]

My understanding of SD over Sky HD & freeview, based on a recent artical in Home Cinema Choice Magazine, is the the pixel rate on freeview is actually better than on sky's format (dependent on channel). However the Sky HD box does upscale to 1080i, although the scaler in my opinion is not very good.

If you have bought a decent TV (and it sounds like you have if you can have it ISF calibrated) you can allow this to scale the picture up to the panels native resolution. This would avoid the SKY upscaling, then the TV down scaling, to re-upscale (if your new TV is 1080P), So I would set your sky box, (like I have) to automatic, under the picture settings.

In terms of calibrating the screne, just look for one of you dvds, that is THX certified, it has a screen calibration tool, I have always find this to be the best way, and it will save you the cash.

Or you could do a search on goolge under your tv's model reference, you will usually find somebody on some forum has posted the settings for optimum viewing, altough I always feel different people like there picures set up in different ways, so the THX would be the best way to go.

It would be nice if WHF mag. would publish what they think the optimum settings are, after they have tested the TVs though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous]

my understanding is that they can actually get into settings for the tv that you cant and therefore calibrate it in a way that you couldnt even start to do. I may be wrong though. I think there has been quite a debate on the subject on other forums. People who have had it done though say its amazing and way beyond anything you can do with the THX dvd's. I have been told that the panasonics are the best tv's for isf calibration. Even better than than pioneer allegedly. I was told this by someone in the industry and he wasnt trying to sell me a panasonic tv by the way. This is why i keep suggesting to people to get the panasonic pro panels and get it calibrated over and above buying a pioneer tv and save money in the process.

 

[drummerman]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

 

[Anonymous]

Sky HD is worth getting for the quality of SD picture alone in my opinion. I've had it for over 2 years now and I am still amazed how good it looks even on a large TV like the 46 inch Sony ... it is miles (or even light years) better than the quality offered by freeview, however it does depend on the bit rate of a given channel (i.e. Dave will never look good while BBC is superb).

 

[drummerman]

I'll organise it this week. Apart from the SD picture quality it seems to be the only viable alternative for some half decent HD programming too, at least in the forseeable future by which time my initial 12 months contract will have expired and leaves me free to jump to freesat or whatever if it has improved by then. Thanks