HD Satellite box

[Richard Payne]

Does anyone know if this is a decent bit of kit?

https://www.paceshop.com/shop/product/details/ds810xe-hd-set-top-box/model/DS810XE

I've nearly bought an HD screen and I'm thinking of treating myself for Christmas.

[infocus]

I've nearly bought an HD screen and I'm thinking of treating myself for Christmas.
Ah - I've just got the HD screen - and am thinking along similar lines!

My own thoughts are to wait until Freesat starts, and see what equipment comes along then. (March-April time?) At the moment there doesn't seem to be an HD capable satellite receiver with hard drive - hopefully Freesat may produce the demand to drive such a thing to market.

[Richard Payne]

I don't think I can wait 3 months!

[StevenBagley]

I'm using a Humax HDCI2000 to view HD sat (and the other free channels) of which there are now precisely two channels to choose from: BBC HD and LUXE.TV (www.luxe.tv). The latter of which is erm pretty pointless. Works fine though. I've not used the Pace but haven't heard anything bad about it (and at that price).

To record, I'm using a PCI DVB-S card in a windows box to record the H264 stream directly to HD (500GB SATA drives in caddies make an excellent storage medium :)) Playback is a bit tricky, I've yet to find a solution I'm 100% happy with but I'm getting there :) The main problem is making sure interlaced material stays interlaced!

Steven

[Richard Payne]

I think Channel 4 will be joining the HD mob very soon, so at least there will be 2 channels.
I take it Luxe TV is nothing like Radio Luxemburg. ;-)

[Smithnc]

Isn't Channel 4 going to have Sky encoding, as it does with the other Freesat channels, I would like to be wrong!
In which case you'd need a Sky HD box , can you get that with a Freesat card?

[StevenBagley]

Isn't Channel 4 going to have Sky encoding, as it does with the other Freesat channels, I would like to be wrong!
In which case you'd need a Sky HD box , can you get that with a Freesat card?

Well Film4 is free to air atm...

Luxe.TV is the Luxury TV channel and seems to be full of promo pieces about 5 star hotels and leather handbags (and at 6mbps not that nice to look at).

Steven

[infocus]

Isn't Channel 4 going to have Sky encoding, as it does with the other Freesat channels, I would like to be wrong!
Freesat isn't broadcasting yet, so I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from the current situation of free-channels-carried-via-Sky. See http://www.freesat.co.uk/home.php . High Definition does seem to be one of the main marketing drivers for it.

(EDIT - And more information at http://www.astra2d.com/freesat.htm

Quote: "It now seems likely that Channel Four, along with E4 and More4 will be part of the Freesat line-up from the official launch date. This may be the main reason for the delay in launching the Freesat platform.............

................Channel Four’s contract expires in 2008, it seems highly unlikely, that the broadcaster will renew an expensive encryption deal with Sky Digital, though they will remain on the platform. ")

[Alan Roberts]

Ofcom has approved Freesat, and BBC HD will be carried on it. I don't yet know the timescale, but it has to be soon. I'll post when I find out.

[infocus]

I don't yet know the timescale, but it has to be soon. I'll post when I find out.
It's on the link I posted above, and specifically on the FAQ page at http://www.freesat.co.uk/help.php

That says "Spring 2008", the link from Astra says "The service will launch in March 2008." I won't hold them to the day, but "Spring" and "March" are fairly consistent! ;)

(Richard - apart from the PVR issue, I'm wondering about the ability of a receiver bought now to support the Freesat EPG etc, hence waiting a few months may be worthwhile if it's specifically for HD you want it. The FAQ link above does say

"A one-off payment will get you the lot. You'll pay for the digital box, the satellite dish and installation. There will be a selection of equipment available with a range of functionality to deliver additional benefits, such as digital TV recorders and TVs with freesat receivers built in. NB: You will still need a satellite dish with a TV with freesat receiver.

Prices and products available will be announced closer to launch.")

[Smithnc]

Sorry I was getting mixed up by the Sky Freesat service, I don't think thats available now.

[Bob Aldis]

Virgin seems to be the only way to not have a dish then?

I have had Virgin since NTL days. They seem to have a fair amount of High Def on their on demand services, not that I am able to take advantage of it :(

BobA

[Alan Roberts]

The current BBC HD transmissions are still there on sat, using MPEG4 and the boxes build specifically for the tests. The information I have from inside sources says that the final technical details of Freesat aren't fixed yet, and that's why there's no really firm start date. They know they have to get on with it, which is probably why I heard Gary Lineker saying that if you ewant to see this match in HD you can "go to BBC HD", presumably addressed to those lucky few who have the boxes (and that doesn't include me).

[Ron Jackson]

Maybe Gary Lineker was referring to the "BBC HD Channel" available via Sky HD. I don't know about being "lucky", you just have to stump up the dosh.
As well as showing a rolling " BBC HD demo" this also shows some current BBC drama productions as well as (those few) live UK BBC outside broadcast sports transmissions such as the occasional international football or rugby match.
ITV, who also "do sport" show no sign of forthcoming HD broadcasting. I haven't got Setanta, so don't know how they transmit their sports stuff.

"Never Give Advice, And Above All, Never Give Good Advice"
Oscar Wilde

[infocus]

The information I have from inside sources says that the final technical details of Freesat aren't fixed yet, ..........
Which reinforces the view that buying a non-Sky receiver now is probably not a good idea.........

[stuart621]

Maybe Gary Lineker was referring to the "BBC HD Channel" available via Sky HD.

and Virgin Media, of course.


ITV, who also "do sport" show no sign of forthcoming HD broadcasting. I haven't got Setanta, so don't know how they transmit their sports stuff.



ITV and Channel Four are planning HD broadcasts from early next year. Virgin have promised some Channel 4 programmes in HD as part of their "On Demand" service before the end of the year, I think.

[Richard Payne]

Which reinforces the view that buying a non-Sky receiver now is probably not a good idea.........


Money has gone back into my pocket.

I'll wait to see how the dust settles. Dust settling in SD for the time being - so individual motes difficult to make out.

[StevenBagley]

Which reinforces the view that buying a non-Sky receiver now is probably not a good idea.........

On the other hand -- it is very unlikely that BBC HD will transmit via DSat as anything other than DVB-S(2) and H264 since that would make it incompatible with Sky's HD box.

Steven

[infocus]

What about EPG etc issues? Though the lack of built in harddrive recorder is more what's making me wait. I've got too used to the feature with Freeview now.

(And no doubt the SD motes have artifacts all round them, Richard?)

[harlequin]

have a look at the ''dreambox'' pvr systems which can cap/see hd on sky , and can be fitted with a CAM to allow sky card use ( allegedly )

[StevenBagley]

What about EPG etc issues? Though the lack of built in harddrive recorder is more what's making me wait. I've got too used to the feature with Freeview now.

Yes, the EPG is an interesting one and interactivity. The problem is that Sky only supports it's own OpenTV platform which is, erm, closed. I suspect the Freesat team will want to go with an open standard (MHEG) rather than have to licence sky's technology -- but that'd mean transmitting everything twice...

Steven

[StevenBagley]

Interesting new HD decoder reviewed in WotSat this month -- a combine HD Sat and freeview decoder plus a USB socket that you can plug a USB drive into to record stuff onto...

Steven

[Lusky]

What does sky broadcast in mpeg 2 or 4?
I know virgin transmit mpeg 2 and they have explained this is causing bandwidth issues which is preventing them broadcasting more linear HD channels.
Their V+ boxes can't decode mpeg 4 so they can't change to that. Apparently their solution is to transmit mpeg 4 to the headends in the street and decode the signal to mpeg 2 there before sending on to the boxes. I think it would be easier to switch off their analogue transmissions, but what to I know.
So what do sky do? do they use mpeg 4 or do they have greater bandwidth becaude it's satellite?

[StevenBagley]

So what do sky do? do they use mpeg 4 or do they have greater bandwidth becaude it's satellite?

Sky use H264 -- MPEG4 with knobs on, like pretty much the rest of Europe.

Steven