Using a SKYHD Box Purely as SD TV Upscaler?

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Assuming all you want to do is to be able to watch Upscaled Standard Definition SKY (not bothering with the recording aspects of SKYHD or even wishing to view SKYHD itself) couldn't you just replace a standard SKY DIGIBOX with a SKYHD box and continue to watch SD TV Upscaled without having to pay an extra £10 a month on your subscription using the same SKY Viewing Card you had in your DIGIBOX?

I've been told by a SKY installer that you don't need a second feed cable and that the existing one for normal SKY TV will do for receiving only SKYHD. So....I thought if that were the case why not just buy a SKYHD box fand swap it over for my SKY DIGIBOX, put in my current viewing card and continue to watch SKY but Upscaled to either 720p or 1080i?
 

Andy TW

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The answer to the above is Yes you can!The second feed is only required for the Sky+ and Sky Anytime functionality.Apart from the upscaling the Sky HD box also gives you HDMI/component connectivity and access to any free HD channels (currently BBC with Channel 4 coming soon).You will need to purchase your HD box from a local dealer rather than direct from Sky as they tend to insist on you having the full install.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="Andy TW"]The answer to the above is Yes you can!
[/quote]

So....Andy....I can continue to watch my SKY Sports Package for which I pay £38 a month, and can do so through a SKYHD box using this purely for Upscaling purposes without having to pay another £10.00 a month.

Would I need to tell SKY I've got an HD box, or just stick in my current viewing card and watch without referring to SKY at all? If so, this would be great as I could then watch everything on my current pakage Upscaled to 1080i and get virtual HD for no extra cost. That is, I would be usuing the SKYHD box rather like a DVD Upscaler. One up on SKY without paying them anymore money and better picture quality thanm SD....I like the sound of that!

I've seen the SKYHD box on Amazon for £249 which seems reasonable.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
The more pertinent question, Tallyho, is whether it's actually worth the effort. I'm not sure what TV you own, but assuming it's at the very least an HD-Ready flatscreen, it'll already have its own integral video scaling. If it didn't, you'd find that 720 x 576 resolution standard-definition content wouldn't actually fill the screen.

The point is this: you shouldn't automatically assume that the video scaling in the Sky HD box is better than that built into your TV. You may find that simply leaving things as they are gives better results. Of course, the reverse could also be true - so if at all possible, you should attempt to try before buy.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I concur, surely (depending on your tv of course) most tv's are going to do a better job of upscaling than the SkyHD box will do...
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hi

Sorry to disagree and spoil the party. I have been very interested in this issue for a while after reading somewhere, possibly this mag, that the Sky HD box was able to upscale SD to HD equivalent via either the HDMI or component HD output. I have recently upgraded to Sky HD and am currently finalising my choice of plasma. Even through a good quality scart lead the HD content is very good and a significant improvement over SD content. I currently have a 36" Panasonic CRT. However, I wanted to know: a) Whether the SD content (normal channel BBC 1,2,3,4, ITV etc. would or could be upscaled via the HD output to a HD display? and b) Whether the SD programmes that are currently shown on the Sky One HD channel (but not noted as HD in the info banner) i.e. Star Trek and many others, would be upscaled to HD, particularly as there is no difference in quality between Sky One and Sky One HD via scart, when these programmes are shown? So coincidentally I phoned the Sky HD Technical Dept earlier today and they have told me that, "The Sky box is not able to upscale any content, it is only able to show HD if and when programmes are recorded in HD, even on their own Sky One HD channel!" I was disappointed to here this. The chap was very helpful, but seemed very surprised that many of the newer DVD's and hard disk recorders were able to upscale SD content to HD.

Malwrx
 
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Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="malwrx"]
I phoned the Sky HD Technical Dept earlier today and they have told me that, "The Sky box is not able to upscale any content, it is only able to show HD if and when programmes are recorded in HD, even on their own Sky One HD channel!" I was disappointed to here this. The chap was very helpful, but seemed very surprised that many of the newer DVD's and hard disk recorders were able to upscale SD content to HD.

Malwrx

[/quote]

Well either WHAT HIS&V are correct here as they have said that the SKYHD Box can upscale SD content to 1080i or SKY are correct. Or perhaps SKY just won't let on that their HD box can Upscale because then a multitude of people like me will go for the box purely on the basis of using it as a TV Upscaler in the same way as one would use an Upscaling DVD Player to play standard DVDs. You have to set the SKYHD box to either Auto, 720p or 1080 so when your'e not viewing a HD channel and it's alreday on say 1080i surely it will then upscale that Non HD channel's pictures upto 1080i?

Axum and Andy: My HD Ready TV's has a 1024 X 768 resolution. I can use it with my Denon DVD Player set gloriously to 1080i so why can't I do the same with a SKYHD box and continue to watch my current SKY Sports Package upscaled to 1080i .This was all I need to is swap my current DIGIBOX for a SKYHD one buy buying one outright myself for £250 from Amazon UK.

And for those who have SKYHD and are paying full whack for it, in my view there would be little point investing in the HD box and only being able to watch a handful of HD while continuing to watch everything else in 576i standard. So if those who do have SKYHD can come forward and confirm whether or not the standard TV channels are indeed upscaled to either 720p or 1080i this would be much appreciated.

Finally the fact that the SKY chap was also unaware of the fact that DVD players can now Upscale standard DVD's and indeed there are now DVD recorders with built in FREEVIEW tuners that can Upscale FREEVIEW to even 1080p, just about sums up the incomptence and very poor training and customer service you repeatedly get from SKY-They really are quite useless when it comes to obtaining simple information.

So come on WHAT HIFI S& V.................Put our minds at ease here...........What's the verdict?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
If that's the case, why can you change the settings on the Sky box to 1080i/720p/Auto etc, what does it do to the SD content when these settings are in place ?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Tallyho, go to Comet, get their £99 Sky HD deal, and you'll still save yourself money in the long run AND get HD channels in the process.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Exactly Azum-Read my thread just above yours which seems to have posted the same time as yours.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Yeah, i'm with you, i don't think the guy really know's what he's talking about...
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I don't want to go to Comet and get SKYHD because I don't want two cables-I just wnat to be able to use my existing one-feed cable with a SKYHD Box, with my current viewing card and watch all the channels in my existing package but upscaled without having to pay another £10.00 for actually wtaching HD on the HD channels. Not even interested in recording....Just want to watch Upscaled SKYTV

I remember Clare from WHAT HIFI S&V saying that the SKYHD Box can Upscale!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
You don't need 2 cables, you just won't be able to record without 2. It's cheaper than buying a £250 box off Amazon....
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Yeh but if you go to somewhere like comet they will go through SKY who will insist on a full installation. SKY won't instal just one cable-They will force you to have the 2 cables. That's why as long as I know that the SKYHD Box can indeed Upscale and that I can indeed also continue to watch the channels in my current Sports Package upscaled through the box without having to pay another £10.00 and still using my existing viewing card.....I will be more than happy....Don't want to record-Don't wnat to watch HD---just use the box to watch Upscaled TV-Period!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hehe, ok, seems like you're dead-set against a good deal, each to their own, they won't force you to do anything, it's more work for them to install 2 cables rather than leave it at 1!

Having said all that, it seems we are in agreement, and so are other forums, the HD box definitely does upscale.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Axum, if you go to somewhere like Comet, or Currys or for that matter any outlet that's giving these deals, they will sign you up through SKY. Sky's installers will then on SKY's instructions have to provide a full install because that's what our lovely friends at SKY will insist on. You may also have to have SKY Broadband and SKY talk as part of the £99 deal.

I do not like dealing with SKY. 6 years ago their cowboys came around and when they left I had to get in an independent installer to resolve so many problems. Anyway, that aside all I want to be able to do is:

I have a Digibox: Change it over for a SKYHD box

I have one cable: I wnat to be able to continue using this 'one' cable

I have an existing viewing Card: I want to continue usuing this Card by sloting it in to the SKYHD box

I wanty to continue watching my current package by setting the HDMI to 1080i on the SKYBOX to allow me to view all the channels Upscaled to 1080i in exactly the same way I can watch DVD's on my DENON 1940 upscaled to 1080i. I don't want to record anything.

I would also rather buy the SKYHD box outright because then also I won't need to connect my phone line to it or even sign up tp SKYHD because I won't be watching SKYHD---just using the box to give me much better 'Upscaled- picture quality. In effect I will be using the box as effective Upscaler
 
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Anonymous

Guest
OK, i got what you wanted in your first post.

You've obviously had a bad experience with them and don't want to deal with them, that's fine.

You do have to sign up to SkyTalk, but it's free anyway, and it's only a 1 month tie-in.

If you don't want cabling installed, i would just tell them not to put it in, it'll all work with your existing card, and you DON'T need it connected to a phone line, not if you're an existing customer, and at the end of it you get Sky HD channels, and your normal channels, and a nice brand new Sky HD box, cheaper than retail (if they do indeed cost around £250).

But as i say, you've obviously been put off them, and that's fine, bottom line is we agree with the main point of conversation :)
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I have a sky box and have experimented with the resolution settings with the following obervations.

1 With the setting to automatic, when viewing non-hd channels then the skybox does not upscale, i also dont think my TV is upscaling either as my TV goes black for a second or two when the TV changes resolution and in this case it doesnt (this may just be my TV as it supports 576 resolution). for HD channels then the screen changes automatically to the correct resolution 720p or 1080i depending on the channel.

2. when it is set to 576, then all channels including the HD channels are displayed at 576.

3. when it is set to 720p or 1080i it sets the resolution to that for all channels, hence the picture is upscaled appropriately.

It is worth pointing out that the HD output is only supported through the component / HDMI connectors, and also that sky sports broadcasts at 720p, and the sports dont look as good when upscaled to 1080i, so best to watch at 720p.

Hope that helps
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Here's an email I received from a London Satellite Installer this morning:

Thanks for contacting us. What you wrote is not new to us. This is the main reason why we did not opt to be SKY UK installers. We think TV should be free for all.

There will be more and more channels available free, as you mentioned. The only problem you will have keeping only one feed is that the SKY HD box has the same functionality of SKY +, which will let you watch something and record something else, etc. With only one feed you will not be able to record whatever you are watching and use the timed recording function.

If you can live with that , you will only need to buy a SKY HD box and plug it into the existing system.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Yeah, exactly what i said, you don't need to have another line installed, that's purely for the recording aspect..
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hi Tallyho

First things first. Yes, the Sky HD box includes an upscaler. It's usually set to 1080i (by Sky's installers), and yes, that means it upscales standard-definition 720 x 576 TV content to 1920 x 1080i.

However, this is the crucial point: your TV does the same thing. Or much the same thing, at any rate. In the case of your particular screen, it will automatically scale any 720 x 576 content it receives to 1024 x 768 (to match its own resolution). If it didn't do this, you'd find large black areas of screen on your image, as I explained in an earlier post. This isn't, by the way, a feature specific to your television: every flatscreen with a high resolution has its own scaling included. For example, a so-called Full HD plasma or LCD, such as the Pioneer PDP-LX508D, will scale 720 x 576 TV signals up to 1920 x 1080.

So what's the purpose of offboard upscalers? Simple: they offer the potential for better quality. You're correct, you can send your DVD pictures in to your TV in 'scaled' form. All that happens here is that you bypass the scaler in the TV - or at least, a portion of it. In theory, this could give you a better image, because it's possible that the upscaling in your DVD player is better than that in your TV set.

However (also as I think I said earlier) this isn't always the case. You can find that a good TV has better scaling than that included in a cheap DVD player. You should also try to avoid too much messing about with the original image: for example, in your case, what you're doing is upscaling 720 x 576 images to 1920 x 1080i (as interlaced content), only for your TV to then scale said pictures back down to 1024 x 768 to match its resolution. In most cases, with most TVs, I'd try to avoid that much complication.

Instead, you might find better results come from upscaling your DVD pictures to 720p (1280 x 720), as this is a closer match to the native resolution of your TV set. You're also likely to see fewer jaggies and better motion, because you'll be removing the burden of deinterlacing the picture (turning it into progressive scan) from your television.

And finally, to reiterate once more my earlier point about the Sky HD box: I really recommend you try this out before committing to it. It could be that the scaling in your Sky HD box is better than that of your TV - but it could equally be that your TV is already doing the job just as well, if not better.

Cheers, Andy
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for your response Andy Kerr-Much Obliged

Thanks also to you Axum

..................and chaps just look at this reply too that I also got today from another Satellite installer:

I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but

(1) The HD box only outputs and upscales the HD channels in higher definition NOT the standard channels and you will not have access to the HD channels unless you subscribe to them. ie what you want to watch would be no different to your current definition through your amstrad.

(2) If you swap out a box you HAVE to inform sky as the card is matched to your current box. and they woulld have to pair the card to your new box.

So as you can see it would be a waste of time and money to the tune of at least £400.00 if you are buying it from a dealer with 12month warranty or about £220.00 if you buy from Ebay but i wouldn't advise this.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but i think someone has misled you into the possibilites of this venture.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
The £99 Comet deal gets better by the second.....
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