FreeView Questions (Decoders & Installation)

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Nety

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#62395 1-Mar-2007 08:19

Concerning the EPG using MHEG-5. What is the impact of that for PC TV tuner cards? do they need to support MHEG-5 or can that part be done in software on any MHEG-2 tuner card?

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

lchiu7

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#62501 1-Mar-2007 22:54

cyril7: Basic DVB-S boxs (not TVNZ certed ones mind you) can be obtained for as little as $130. Current indications are that the DVB-T ones and certed DVB-S ones will be over twice that price. I can also assure you that one demand for basic DVB-S boxs takes off a fiqure around $90 is easily achievable. So getting a box for each TV is not so much an issue.

Cyril

I just picked up one from Trademe for $110. It was a plug and play installation and using my existing Sky dish was able to pick up TV1, TV2 (two versions) Maori, CCTV9, DW TV, TV1 (wide) and Bloomberg. The box I purchased has component video out which is nice. Comparing the quality of TV1 from the box via component to TCL digital cable via s-video (no component on the TCL boxes) I think the quality from the DVB-S box is a bit clearer. But with the almost 1.5s lag between input switching I can't be entirely certain. But certainly the quality from the TV1 (Wide) is excellent - almost DVD quality

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Nety

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#62546 2-Mar-2007 08:14

What about TV2? It seems to my eyes that TV2 on Telstra cable is not quite as sharp as TV1. How does it compare coming through DVB-S?

RobDickinson

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#62581 2-Mar-2007 14:51

Never seen telstra but DVB-S freeview via svideo on a 42" pany plasma was a sweet picture, very little blocking/edge enhancement etc.

lchiu7

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#62639 3-Mar-2007 00:25

Nety: What about TV2? It seems to my eyes that TV2 on Telstra cable is not quite as sharp as TV1. How does it compare coming through DVB-S?

To tell the truth with good programming material there isn't much difference. I am viewing on a 56" LCoS set. The differences could be 1) the TCL STB goes in via s-video while the DVD-S box uses component 2) there is about a 1.5 lag as I switch inputs and that means instantaneous comparisons are hard. Still I agree that DVD-S is pretty good, especially with say good content like Network News etc.

Update:

Seems that TV2 is slightly clearer on the satellite than via TCL. Guess it's the result of the signal being processed to be compliant with cable distribution and possibly the difference between s-video and component. Seems like the TCL signal is slightly more hard and has slightly more noticeable MPEG2 artifacts like blocking.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Kiwi Pete

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#64892 24-Mar-2007 14:52

Was in a local red barn on Thursday. Overheard a customer who was looking at a Sanyo widescreen lcd panel and asked if she could view widescreen tv on it. Customer told salesperson that they already had Sky Digital but were wanting to watch Freeview in widescreen when it started. "Oh yes",said the keen young salesperson, just ring Sky and ask them to install an oval wide satellite dish so that it will show widescreen on your tv". I did enlighten them and the salesperson said she would find out more about satellite tv.

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