Tuning Sky TV into new Panasonic TV problem

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etekup

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#136521 29-Nov-2013 22:09

We have just upgraded to a new Panasonic Smart TV. Now that I have reconnected aerial/dish wiring the TV has tuned itself in and we have excellent reception. Included in the mix is my Sky TV decoder which has the aerial wires connected through it so as far as I can see all should be fine. However... when I have tried to retune the TV, either in digital mode or analogue mode, the TV can't seem to find the Sky reception.

Can someone please assist me here? Thanks.

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2780 posts

Uber Geek

#943187 29-Nov-2013 22:14

Normally you would have either HDMI out or RCA outputs or something from the decoder to the TV. You can set them up for RF out, but it's not really ideal (typically worse quality, more finnicky etc). Is there a reason you're doing it all through RF?

etekup

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#943189 29-Nov-2013 22:19

Thanks for the prompt reply. The leads are what we had previously and I don't think I have a HDMI lead for Sky. Can I get around this using the normal aerial leads?

Inphinity

2780 posts

Uber Geek

#943236 29-Nov-2013 23:24

I don't think the current sky decoders have RF out enabled by default (ours didn't), so if that's the case with yours you'd need to get it connected via an alternate method to see the UI to enable RF out.

etekup

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#943259 30-Nov-2013 00:32

Thanks, I have managed to sort it out, at least in the meantime. It is currently tuned in the Analogue setting but the picture could be better. I will talk to Sky about getting an HDMI cable and see if I can tune it as Digital.

old3eyes

9112 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#943287 30-Nov-2013 08:24

etekup: Thanks, I have managed to sort it out, at least in the meantime. It is currently tuned in the Analogue setting but the picture could be better. I will talk to Sky about getting an HDMI cable and see if I can tune it as Digital.

To get it to work via HDMI you will have to upgrade to a MySky box.

Regards,

Old3eyes

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#943293 30-Nov-2013 08:42

etekup: Thanks, I have managed to sort it out, at least in the meantime. It is currently tuned in the Analogue setting but the picture could be better. I will talk to Sky about getting an HDMI cable and see if I can tune it as Digital.

You won't be able to tune it as digital without getting a digital modulator which will cost megabucks.
The picture you have tuned on analogue will be as good as you are ever going to get via rf.
If the box is like mine (silver Pace box - no HDMI out) then you need a scart to component cable for best picture or scart to composite for reasonable picture. If it is an older black box then you'll most likely find there is no component out enabled leaving only composite or rf.

RunningMan

8913 posts

Uber Geek

#943295 30-Nov-2013 08:46

Using the RF (aerial) lead to connect Sky to your TV will give the worst possible picture quality available, and should only ever be used as a last resort for old TVs with no other option.

Having bought a shiny new TV, you will be very disappointed with the picture this way.

The cable from the dish should connect to the Sky Decoder, and your UHF aerial cable should connect to the TV (don't worry about feeding it through the decoder).

The best cable to use from your Sky Decoder to the TV will depend on what decoder you have. The more recent ones like MySky will have HDMI, and this is the best option. The older ones without this will often have component video through a SCART connector, and will also give a good picture. If you can post a photo of the back of your decoder, or what model number it is, someone will be able to tell you what outputs would be best from it.

The end result is that you will have Freeview channels available from the digital tuner in your TV, and Sky will be available on one of the AV inputs of the TV, rather than being tuned in to another channel number.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

jamesrobert

90 posts

Master Geek

#943351 30-Nov-2013 11:51

Whay would you have Sky, and not have a MySky HD?

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#943357 30-Nov-2013 12:17

jamesrobert: Whay would you have Sky, and not have a MySky HD?

Because HD is only on Movies and Sport. I don't watch Sky Movies and Sport and my Panasonic Recorder is quite capable of recording everything else on Sky.
Paying the extra for MySky would be money wasted for me.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#943410 30-Nov-2013 14:37

jamesrobert: Whay would you have Sky, and not have a MySky HD?

Because most channels are SD anyway and I connect the Sky to a Panasonic DVD recorder.

This offers most of the benefits of a MySky without the recurring cost (or macrovision/CGMS-A on the outputs), and lets me do things a MySky won't. Burning content to disk and watching the recorded content from media players elsewhere in the house (the recorder is networked and has a DLNA server) being two of them.

On balance, I feel that my setup works for me better than a MySky,

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#943411 30-Nov-2013 14:45

etekup: Thanks, I have managed to sort it out, at least in the meantime. It is currently tuned in the Analogue setting but the picture could be better. I will talk to Sky about getting an HDMI cable and see if I can tune it as Digital.

You have picked the worst possible way of connecting the TV to the Sky box, and will get a lousy picture that way. Seems a waste to buy a new TV and then do that. Even a bottom of the barrel $2 RCA cable from the Two-Dollar Shop would do a much, much better job.

Aerial connection = worst
RCA connection = significantly better
Component connection = better still
HDMI connection = best (if your decoder will do it)

Not sure what sort of Sky box you have, but if it's a Pace or Motorolla one it should do component out. Sky gave the the cables to do this at no cost when they replaced my decoder. Either ring sky and see if they will send you one, or drop a few tens of dollars on a SCART-->Component cable at Jaycar. A good connection will make a huge difference.

Not sure why you would spend all that money on a new TV and then save (literally) $2 by doing a crappiest hookup possible?

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#943423 30-Nov-2013 15:50

JimmyH:
etekup: Thanks, I have managed to sort it out, at least in the meantime. It is currently tuned in the Analogue setting but the picture could be better. I will talk to Sky about getting an HDMI cable and see if I can tune it as Digital.

You have picked the worst possible way of connecting the TV to the Sky box, and will get a lousy picture that way. Seems a waste to buy a new TV and then do that. Even a bottom of the barrel $2 RCA cable from the Two-Dollar Shop would do a much, much better job.
Not sure what sort of Sky box you have, but if it's a Pace or Motorolla one it should do component out. Sky gave the the cables to do this at no cost when they replaced my decoder. Either ring sky and see if they will send you one, or drop a few tens of dollars on a SCART-->Component cable at Jaycar. A good connection will make a huge difference.

Not sure why you would spend all that money on a new TV and then save (literally) $2 by doing a crappiest hookup possible?

+1
I used one of these (but a shorter one) which Sky supplied free on the install from Sky box to TV.
http://www.jaycar.co.nz/productResults.asp?w=scart+to+component&keyform=KEYWORD&SUBMIT=Search
and one of these + 3 RCA leads from the Sky box to the Panasonic recorder.
http://www.jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=PA3659&w=scart+adaptor&form=KEYWORD
The box doesn't have HDMI out so that was not an option and the recorder doesn't have component input so had to go with composite.

tkr001

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

#943425 30-Nov-2013 16:07

B1GGLZ:
jamesrobert: Whay would you have Sky, and not have a MySky HD?

Because HD is only on Movies and Sport. I don't watch Sky Movies and Sport and my Panasonic Recorder is quite capable of recording everything else on Sky.
Paying the extra for MySky would be money wasted for me.

Tv1, tv2 and tv3 are also hd if you have myskyhd

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#943431 30-Nov-2013 16:29

tkr001:
Tv1, tv2 and tv3 are also hd if you have myskyhd

Yes, I know but I have FreeviewHD TV and Panasonic Blu Ray Recorder so MySky is still of no use to me.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#943515 30-Nov-2013 21:14

+1

My Panny box records those in HD quite happily, without needing a MySky. It accepts a terrestial FV feed as well as one off the Sky Box.

I could duplicate what my Panny can do off a MySky plus streaming HD content and burning HD content to disk, but that would require an HTPC and specialised hardware to strip HDCP so that I can record off the HDMI output. I actually possess all of the kit (but not a dedicated HTPC) already if I wanted to go in that direction, but the Panny box is simple and elegant and hooking up all the other kit is frankly too much of a pain in the backside.

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