Trying Again, Have you guys looked at the above Sony yet?If so are the Sony HD Tuners in it Top Notch? Thanks
-
CES Hands On - Samsung HW-Q990F review
Sony SVRHDT-500B Twin Freeview HD Recorder/ Questions for What HiFi Team
- Thread starter RodhasGibson
- Start date
professorhat
Well-known member
From what I've read of other people who've bought one / seen one, it shares many of the same components as the Digital Stream DHR8205...
Thanks for that snippet of info Prof.What is your honest opinion of the PQ on your DS then. Hows the citiz going,whats your fav capsules?Myself I like ristretto,andrya,rosibiya,dulsao and livanto at the moprofessorhat said:
professorhat
Well-known member
No probs - I think the DS produces very good PQ - it seems better to me if you record something and watch it from the recording than when live, but it's still good live. Not sure if you've seen my review (click here), but provides a bit more detail. Since the Sony appears to use the same Broadcom SOC and SDK, the look and feel of the menus and setup is very similar, and it shares the same XFS file system for storing files on its hard disk and also copying them off to a USB disk as long as it's bigger than 160 GB. HD is encrypted as well when copied to USB, but SD programmes in theory could be accessed via a Linux boot disk. Again, have done a guide here on how this can be done from the DS and it should be the same for the Sony.
The introduction of a picture controls menu in one of the updates helped to tweak the DS perfectly for my setup, but I haven't seen enough info to tell whether this has been included on the Sony or not I'm afraid. Might be worth a call to your local Sony Centre to see if they're stocking them so you can have a look at one.
The Citiz is going well - have to say I'm often not sure which one I'm drinking as I'm still going through the introduction pack I bought which had 250 odd capsules of random flavours so I tend to just grab a colour and stick it in! I should really pay more attention so I know which ones to purchase when I run out!
The introduction of a picture controls menu in one of the updates helped to tweak the DS perfectly for my setup, but I haven't seen enough info to tell whether this has been included on the Sony or not I'm afraid. Might be worth a call to your local Sony Centre to see if they're stocking them so you can have a look at one.
The Citiz is going well - have to say I'm often not sure which one I'm drinking as I'm still going through the introduction pack I bought which had 250 odd capsules of random flavours so I tend to just grab a colour and stick it in! I should really pay more attention so I know which ones to purchase when I run out!
Glad you are enjoying your citiz as much as I do,just ordered another 250 caps.Must go back to my 3 a day like the wife ha.Have got the Sony coming today from John Lewis will be interesting to see how it performs,with my 50" Pana.Aerial signal is very good so heres hoping I won"t be disappointed eh.professorhat said:
professorhat
Well-known member
Indeed, would be interested to know your thoughts and also whether it can output 5.1 over the HDMI or coaxial port. Any pics are always good too!
Hi Prof,well it arrived at midday today,Easy To Set up,Took me around 10 minutes.The unit is smaller than I imagined,just a pale blue led to show its on,a reset button to the right and a manual standby button on the left.No clock display on it.Clock,day date shows on the guide. Guide colour is Charcoal Background with white lettering,current programme is white background with black lettering.Fine by me.Picture so far is first rate for HD,SD I feel is better through the Pana"s Tuner. After a signal check it Reads Signal Strength 78% Signal Quality Reads 76%.What does yours read.The Remote is typical Sony and is well laid out so easy to get to grips with.I am busy studying the manual at the mo,well on and off. It does output DD and DD PLus over dig coax which I am using and hdmi [no hdmi on my denon]professorhat said:
[IMG
]http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc472/rodhasgibson/IMG_0750-Copy.jpg[/IMG]
okay have tried to get you some pics of the av set up.Not up to chebbers standard or yours i"m afraid Prof
daveh75
Well-known member
RodhasGibson said:[IMG]http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc472/rodhasgibson/IMG_0750-Copy.jpg[/IMG]
okay have tried to get you some pics of the av set up.Not up to chebbers standard or yours i"m afraid Prof
There you go...
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc472/rodhasgibson/IMG_0748-Copy.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc472/rodhasgibson/IMG_0745.jpg Have Tried Again with two more
daveh75
Well-known member
RodhasGibson said:Many thanks Dave,can"t get the hang of it.I Must be doing something wrong eh.
You dont use
professorhat
Well-known member
RodhasGibson said:
Thanks for the info!
My signal strength varies, for BBC1 I get 75% strength and 100% quality, but for BBC 1 HD, I get 44% strength and between 52-56% quality. Picture is rock solid on all channels though.
On the 5.1, the key is to find out if it will transcode HE-AAC to Dolby Digital as this is what is used on Freeview HD broadcasts. To find this out, you'll need to connect into your amp via coaxial then find a programme which is actually broadcasting 5.1. Most of these are on BBC 1 HD, BBC HD or Channel 4 HD (mostly films) - there are none on ITV HD at the moment. If you're getting it, your amp should show up it's receiving Dolby Digital on all 6 channels. Wonders of the Universe on Sunday definitely broadcasts in 5.1 and I'm hoping the Formula 1 will as well!
If you get time, would be good to see some pictures of the EPG and recordings list as well - thanks!
Hi Prof,Here are couple of pics Of the Sony epg and the arcam rcube I got as well.RodhasGibson [quote=professorhat said:
[/quote]
professorhat
Well-known member
Thanks - notice there's no PiP of the programme you're watching, is there a transparency effect on the EPG i.e. so you can see the programme you were watching behind it like the Digital Stream? Hard to see on the screenshots. Or does it cut the picture completely? If so, do you still get sound while in the menus?
professorhat
Well-known member
Hope you don't mind, posting slightly bigger versions of your pics (click on them for larger version)!
Firstly thanks for your manipulation of the pics,great stuff.Now to answer your other couple of points Although it does have PIP during all broadcasts, it cuts the picture while in the menus. While in menus sound is still in operation menus are not transparent like your DS.For me it is no big deal.I do like the DD/DD+ Feature through the co-ax I must say.HD reception is very good now at 20kw from crystal palace which they will increase to 200 kw on analogue switch off mid-march 2012 I understand from my aerial friend.At the Mo I have to get within about 6inches from the screen to see any picture noise,how about you.I normally sit 5.5 metres from the screen for serious viewing or 3.5 metres when on the laptop.professorhat said:
professorhat
Well-known member
Yup, as long as you still get the sound, that would be the main thing for me.
I sit about 8-10 feet from my TV - the Forumla 1 looked excellent in HD today, especially the BBC sourced feed (i.e. the presenters and the interviews they do).
I sit about 8-10 feet from my TV - the Forumla 1 looked excellent in HD today, especially the BBC sourced feed (i.e. the presenters and the interviews they do).
Hi Prof,Just a quickie,As you know Freeview HD is broadcast at 1080i as is sky.Tell me, what resolution have you set the DS at. ie have you set it to output 1080i or have you like me set it to output 1080p. I take it that if it was set to 1080i the tv would then upscale to 1080p anyway. I am pleased with the Sony so far,I like the feature where when they show a trailer of a later programme a book me caption pops up with green button.Pressing this button it will then record the the programme should you wish. cheersprofessorhat said:
professorhat
Well-known member
I have mine set to 1080i, which means my TV then deinterlaces the picture. However, there's no right or wrong answer for this setting as a lot comes down to your TV, what its native resolution is, how good a scaler / deinterlacer it has etc. Since my TV is Full HD, I just spent some time trying out the difference between 1080i and 1080p and eventually decided I preferred 1080i.
However, someone with a 720p capable TV may well decide the picture looks better when output at that resolution, rather than having the SD sources upscaled to 1080p, then downscaled by the TV back to 720p etc. etc. - so it's best to do a comparison and go with what you think is best.
However, someone with a 720p capable TV may well decide the picture looks better when output at that resolution, rather than having the SD sources upscaled to 1080p, then downscaled by the TV back to 720p etc. etc. - so it's best to do a comparison and go with what you think is best.
Good Stuff Prof,My Tv is Full HD as well,I will try it with the Sony set to output 1080i to the tv to compare.It is interesting that you prefer 1080i though.Any reasons ie motion/sharpnees etc? cheersprofessorhat said:
professorhat
Well-known member
Yikes, it was way back last August 2010 when I first got the DS that I did the comparison, so I can't remember exactly what made me decide on 1080i now! I do remember there wasn't a lot in it!
professorhat
Well-known member
Similar threads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram