Colour quality on SKY Digital

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UnrealWarCheek

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Topic # 31273 11-Mar-2009 13:04

Hi there,
I'm wondering if anybody else is having quality issues with their SKY digital decoder/satelite?
The problem I'm getting is that the SKY picture looks like an 8bit gif with no dithering!! e.g what would normally be smooth gradient of colour (a persons face, wall) now appears as a banding of similar colours! I've had this problem for a week now. I've compared the quality of TV3 (UHF) against TV3(SKY Digital) and UHF is much better although the UHF reception is slightly off.
I've had the technician around this morning because I had tuning issues with decoder, I thought the RF tuner on the decoder was faulty. It turned out that the TV had lost its fine tune on the channel that the decorder broadcasts on.
But having solved that, the colour/image quality was still as I described and the 'technician' couldn't see it. "you have an old TV" he said, "It's the TV". It was only after he left I remembered that the PS2 and DVD was still fine when played through the AV. Plus the colour quality was still bad even when using the composite out on the decoder to the AV in on the TV.
I'm now down $40.
Thanks 'SLY' TV!
Any suggestions?
Cheers.

clevedon

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Reply # 200667 11-Mar-2009 18:02

I suggest you get a new 50" Full HD Plamsa and mate it with MySky HDi and a PS3, you'll never look back.

rugrat

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Reply # 200694 11-Mar-2009 20:16

UnrealWarCheek:

Hi there,

I've had the technician around this morning because I had tuning issues with decoder, I thought the RF tuner on the decoder was faulty. It turned out that the TV had lost its fine tune on the channel that the decorder broadcasts on.

Cheers.

Sounds like you have the decoder connected to RF on your tv, worse possible way to connect it for picture quality.

Connect it up through av, as your ps2 and DVD are and the quality should improve.

cyril7

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Reply # 200740 11-Mar-2009 22:24

You have connected via the lowest common connection method, RF, which in the Sky box (and all other DVB and VCR/PVR) uses a <$1 part to perform a complex task that will often produce less than desirable results. Connect via composite or if possible s-video of component, all of which your Sky box should support.

From my experience, the general video quality of sky transmissions and STBs is quite good, yes I accept some channels have low bit rate and issues related to that, however in general you should expect good video performance.

By the way a connection via RF is not supported by Sky, complain about it and they dont want to know as its not the expected minimum connection method, and rightly so.

Cyril

UnrealWarCheek

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Reply # 200780 12-Mar-2009 10:25

I have tried connecting via the 'composite out' on the SKY box to the AV in' on the tv before. I've always been aware of the better quality you recieve by that method, but as the TV has one 'AV in' RCA connecter (plus 1 more on the front of tv), that's been allocated to the DVD.
Regardless of which connection method, be it RF or AV, the colour remains the same; I still get banding of similar colours instead of smooth gradient.
For example, take a 24 bit JPEG and change it to an 8 bit (256 colour) GIF, this is difference in quality I'm experiencing for all channels. I suspect the decoder may not be decoding the satelite feed properly, but I don't know.

cyril7

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Reply # 200781 12-Mar-2009 10:29

Sounds like you have a duff decoder, I would ask for replacement, problem is if the Sky installer does not accept its an issue you will find it difficult. However I can say that colour banding as you describe is not normal.

Cyril

UnrealWarCheek

86 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 200783 12-Mar-2009 10:40

Thanks,
I've been as methodical as possible in identifying the problem, but I should have been more prepared (assertive?) before the technician came. I get the feeling they're trained to 'double talk' the client into thinking it's not SKYs problem, could be wrong though.
The difference is like night and day on the colour quality, it's like an effects filter that you'd apply to a movie clip. Sadly the decoder was set to the Discovery channel when he came i.e. plenty of white fast moving backgrounds where you don't really notice the problem.
I'll give it a few days before I call SKY again.

Johnk

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Reply # 200880 12-Mar-2009 17:57

just jumping in and asking a kind of related question, i want to hook up my decoder to tv using scart to component, its a really old box, ( digital though ) if its an option in the advanced menu does this mean it will work? idont want to change and then lose picture alltogether haha

cyril7

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Reply # 200885 12-Mar-2009 18:53

Hi, if the box supports component then it will have it as an option for the TV SCART setup, the original PACE DSR600s and Zeniths are the only boxs not to support component. If you select it and have no connector for it there is no problems as composite is output from the TV SCART at all times.

Cyril

Johnk

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Reply # 201330 15-Mar-2009 21:06

just managed to track down the pin # for the sky box, and dug out the cable i want to use, it is a Belkin High performance double shielded scart to component video/stereo audio cable. the scart settings i have on the box are, composite, s-video, and RGB. now in not to clued up, but RGB is the same as component is it? if thats the case, i have the right cable do i?

Dingbatt

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Reply # 201342 15-Mar-2009 22:24

Johnk: just managed to track down the pin # for the sky box, and dug out the cable i want to use, it is a Belkin High performance double shielded scart to component video/stereo audio cable. the scart settings i have on the box are, composite, s-video, and RGB. now in not to clued up, but RGB is the same as component is it? if thats the case, i have the right cable do i?

No. As far as I know RGB is NOT the same as Component. RGB is a european standard and component is US/Japan. And since the latter rule the CE world component has become the de facto standard for analogue video.

Areas of Geek interest: Home Theatre, HTPC, Android Tablets & Phones, iProducts.

cyril7

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Reply # 201359 16-Mar-2009 07:14

As Dingbatt says, RGB is component, but not the variety you require, unfortunatly that STB will not support Component in the form YCrCb which is what you require.

Cyril

Johnk

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Reply # 201442 16-Mar-2009 16:31

damit, just got home and read your replys, was looking forward to seeing a little increase in pic quailty using that cable when i got home today. oh well.
thanks for the replys guys.were would i find a scart to RGB cable? and if i was to find one would this work with my tv? LA40S71BX
http://origin.samsung.com/au/products/tv/lcdtv/images/LA40S71BX.pdf

if not do u think it would be worth getting a scart to s-video cable, or just stick with what i have?
many thanks again.
john

cyril7

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Reply # 201473 16-Mar-2009 19:14

Hi, in the absence of RGB, S-video is fine, it bypasses 90% of the issues.

However be aware that some TVs have difficulties with the S-video presented by earlier Sky boxs, the issue is not with the box, but with various TVs, if you experence blotchy, sometimes B/W colour then you need to make an adjustment to the connection, sometimes this can effect even composite connections. I must stress this is not a fault of the Sky box, but due to a common short cut in some TVs input circuits they dont like the S-Video output of some earlier Sky boxs, this is easily fixed with the applicaiton of a 5c resistor.

Cyril

Johnk

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Reply # 201478 16-Mar-2009 19:32

cheers for the help
i will try looking at getting a s-video cable,
thanksjohn