All posts by Tony Hill
Below are all of Tony Hill's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.I have very recently purchased a Sagecom Freesat HD PVR to replace my old (but good) generic satellite Humax HD receiver and also a new HDMI-enabled Yamaha AV amp to replace my old (but good) non-HDMI Yamaha amp. Connecting all - these two boxes plus another motorised satellite receiver + DVD player - not my favourite job, went OK. Starting to use Freesat/new Amp, video was fine but audio another matter. A major benefit of HD is Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound but I was not receiving it from BBC HD/BBC One HD. It took me a little while to realise that the Sagecom box was not transferring Dolby via the HDMI route. Installing a (coax) S/PDIF cable remedied that but watching lots of BBC HD output I only got Dolby 2.0 and not 5.1 - what to do? My old pairing of Humax/old Amp had produced 5.1 correctly before so I looped through to the Humax and connected it to the old amp. I thus could compare new v old set-ups. Lo and behold - identical outputs with 2.0 for even Jules Holland. This morning I tuned to BBC HD for the HD preview session and for the whole several hours I got 5.1 (on both set-ups). As soon as the preview ended and regular programming started, the audio dropped back to 2.0 So, I conclude that both my old and new boxes are operating correctly and the problem was with the BBC who, no matter the preview and trailers extolling the merit of Dolby Surround sound, seem to broadcast (on their HD channels) nearly all the time in 2.0 Am I right or do I have some technical problem with my new boxes?
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Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | High defiTuesday 28 February 2012 2:42PM
Dorchester
Vis-a-vis HD and improved sound, etc I have two comments/questions:
- my Freesat box indicated BBC HD broadcasting in 5.1 sound all the time but my amplifier (and my ears) tell me that is usually 2.0 Why is this? Incidentally, BBC HD preview ALWAYS has 5.1 sound even though the programme when actually broadcast has 2.0!
- I cannot get sub-titles on ITV1 HD; is this so? Because of this I only watch football in HD on ITV1 - perhaps others similarly (I have to use sub-titles on ALL drama on all channels and absolutely ALL American programs)
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Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | High defiWednesday 29 February 2012 2:42PM
Dorchester
Briantist
Re 5.1 sound. Yes Freesat box to amp is by digital connection. I didn't mean that I NEVER get 5.1 sound - I do, but the number of programmes broadcasting in 5.1 seems to be limited. The Yamaha amp clearly shows (by icon) when it is receiving 5.1 v 2.0. And, as I said, the BBC HD preview is always in 5.1 - as are some of the "fill-ins" between programmes. The Freesat box and amp are quite new - the amp to replace a higher spec Yamaha amp (replaced because it had no HDMI connections) and I tested using that amp and found the same results - only 5.1 sometimes.
Any comments?
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Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | High defiThursday 1 March 2012 4:10PM
Dorchester
Briantist:
5.1 Sound - my point is that the BBC tout 5.1 sound as a benefit of going HD (and make sure all their previews ARE in 5.1) but rarely deliver it, even though the programme is available in 5.1 as demonstrated when excerpts are shown in HD Preview. Are we being short-changed?
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Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | SwiWednesday 7 March 2012 11:32AM
Dorchester
Just carried out Rowridge retune (Phase 1). We are on the edge of the transmitter coverage area in Dorset (just a few miles East of Dorchester). BBC channels on my Sagem Freeview box show Signal Strength of about 75% and Quality about 95%. Previously Strength was about 55%.
However, we do have a masthead amplifier - no signal would have been received before without it - and assume that we need to keep it. Is that right?
I also assume that with the increased strength we would be OK for Freeview HD - is that so?
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Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | SwiThursday 8 March 2012 2:29PM
Dorchester
To Nick Flowers:
Where do you live? My strength now about 80% in far west of the coverage area.
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Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | High defiThursday 15 March 2012 2:11PM
Dorchester
Adrian
I use BBC HD teletext (mainly on freesat but sometimes Freeview) every day with no difficulty - other than the frequent non-updating of info, especially on a Friday! I'm not sure why you don't receive it.
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Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | High defiFriday 16 March 2012 7:48PM
Dorchester
Adrian:
Although I know that I can use teletext on HD channels on the BBC, I have just checked against non-HD BBC1 and the results are identical. Pressing "Text" (or the red button) on my remote brings-up the teletext. The link you provided about "Interactive Services" I think refers to the additional programming which is carried via the red-button (alternative matches at Wimbledon, for example) and not to ordinary teletext. I can only conclude that there must be a fault with your equipment somewhere or other.
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Are you really watching free TV in high definition? | High defiTuesday 20 March 2012 2:43PM
Dorchester
I only have freesat HD not Freeview. Do you get teletext on BBC SD channels? Now the Rowridge transmitter is (after tomorrow) at full power, I shall almost certainly get a Freeview HD box - perhaps, Panasonic. So I will be interested to hear what you discover.
(PS: My upscaling SD Sagem Freeview box gives picture quality very, very nearly equal to the HD output of my Sagem Freesat box!)
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Saturday 23 April 2011 2:28PM
Dorchester
I have a HUMAX HDCI-2000 which I bought for the 2006 World Cup. Ch4 HD didn't seem to be available before a couple of days ago but is now showing at:
12606V 27500 3/4 QPSK DVB-S2