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Thread ID: 86241 2008-01-09 10:48:00 LCD/Plasma owners plod (107) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
628872 2008-02-29 22:25:00 Are you on Sky UHF or Digital. I got hooked up to Sky Digital the same time I got my new TV (see other posts) and I would say it is as perfect a picture as you could ever get.
:)

Hi Trev. This is what I hoped/feared. Someone has a good picture and I don't. I have Sky digital, but as I said the decoder is pretty old. Also the signal strength and quality may not be the best. Signal strength is 76 with BER 2.2E-05 in good weather (BER 8.4E-05 in bad weather). Signal quality is 80%+ in good weather (60%ish in bad weather). What are your equivalents?


Would I be right in guessing that signal strength is based on dish placement/direction and quality would be based on wiring from dish to decoder? And so long as a signal strength is high enough to make sure of some sort of reception then signal quality is all that matters for the output from the decoder?
Too simplistic?

Thanks
Barnsley (11708)
628873 2008-02-29 22:28:00 Are you on Sky UHF or Digital. I got hooked up to Sky Digital the same time I got my new TV (see other posts) and I would say it is as perfect a picture as you could ever get.
:)

Oops, I forgot to ask. What model Sky decoder do you have?
Barnsley (11708)
628874 2008-02-29 22:35:00 Would I be right in guessing that signal strength is based on dish placement/directio

yeh and if you have the dish ONE degree out of whack you'll notice a considerable degradation
drcspy (146)
628875 2008-02-29 23:18:00 Was going to get one,but sounds so complicated ,I now can't be bothered. Cicero (40)
628876 2008-03-01 00:22:00 Hi Trev . This is what I hoped/feared . Someone has a good picture and I don't . I have Sky digital, but as I said the decoder is pretty old . Also the signal strength and quality may not be the best . Signal strength is 76 with BER 2 . 2E-05 in good weather (BER 8 . 4E-05 in bad weather) . Signal quality is 80%+ in good weather (60%ish in bad weather) . What are your equivalents?


Would I be right in guessing that signal strength is based on dish placement/direction and quality would be based on wiring from dish to decoder? And so long as a signal strength is high enough to make sure of some sort of reception then signal quality is all that matters for the output from the decoder?
Too simplistic?

Thanks
Signal 76, Ber 3 to 5
Quality 40%
Got high overcast and starting to rain, but picture is still pretty good .
:)
Trev (427)
628877 2008-03-01 23:22:00 Signal 76, Ber 3 to 5
Quality 40%
Got high overcast and starting to rain, but picture is still pretty good.
:)

Hmm. Signal strength seems similar to mine, but quality is much lower - so that does not explain it.

Anyway, my wife says it looks fine to her; but she doesn't watch the sport.

I have passed my old CRT 29" to the in-laws. I think I might borrow it back to compare the Sky picture it to the new shiny 37" plasma. It may just be that the Sky picture was always pretty bad and I was just getting my hopes up for something better on the new TV, when really that was never gonna happen because it can't create a good picture from a bad (very compressed) Sky input. Rubbish in rubbish out?

I will let you know what I discover.

Thanks for your help.
Barnsley (11708)
628878 2008-03-02 02:52:00 Oh I forgot. Model of decoder DTH 310-4 made April 2000.
:)
Trev (427)
628879 2008-03-02 09:03:00 Ok . Got hold of my old 29" CRT and compared to new 37" Plasma . The plasma just shows up the weaknesses in the sky output more clearly . Makes me happy that the plasma is fine (by the way, it is fantastic with DVD) but a bit annoyed that the best output we get is so poor quality . Roll on HDTV .

The issue is mostly with Sky:
a) Low definition highly compressed programming
b) Crappy old decoder (well before 2000) that doesn't allow component output .
c) There is no s-video output socket from the decoder (only 2 scarts and 1 composite) although s-video output is an option in the decoder advanced settings .

The issue is a little bit with me:
I'm not sure if you can send an s-video signal through a scart to scart lead and I cannot seem to find a scart to s-video lead . I'm also assuming that composite to s-video is not available and would be stupid as I would be trying to get a slightly better quality output from a poor quality connection at the decoder end .

Any help on this last bit?
Barnsley (11708)
628880 2008-03-02 20:22:00 This is probibly what you want. I have one. Use to use it on a Grundig VCR that I use to own.www.dse.co.nz Got a s video socket on it.
:)
Trev (427)
628881 2008-03-09 00:54:00 The picture quality of ESPN is rubbish, but at least the content this morning just after 6am was terrific.

Oh, yeah and thanks Trev, I picked up an s-video lead and the picture is (a bit) better.
Barnsley (11708)
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