New Freeview HD hardware: eXtra Terrestrial Freeview HD tuner

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105 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#158140 19-Aug-2008 21:04

extra Terrestrial box does HD on component...whereas zinwells,etc do not.

does this help?

inichol

29 posts

Geek

#158155 19-Aug-2008 21:35

pete9321: extra Terrestrial box does HD on component...whereas zinwells,etc do not.

does this help?

Hi Pete

Thanks for the reply

I realise that the component signal is HD on these boxs and it looks great when viewing directly on my Samsung HD TV - but I want to record video on my Panasonic DVD recorder which has only S Video and Composite inputs.
These outputs from the eXtra Terrestrial receiver are not as good as expected. So when I record from these outputs and play them back they look awful.

I am just wanting a means of recording video so that when I play it back it looks like DVD quality - not like sub par old VHS tapes.

Note that recording old standard Satellite Sky and playing back looks heaps better than when I record from either the S Video or the composite ports on the ET box - even with a HD progamme being watched.

Ian

pete9321

105 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#158174 19-Aug-2008 22:18

not a expert on recording units, but I think you really need a recorder with component input, if you want good quality recordings, as its HD on component, on these units...whereas, as we know the so called accreditted crap are not HD on component.

Jaxson

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#158283 20-Aug-2008 11:12

I had another go with the composite output last night and I did get it to work a bit better. I think there's a crossover here in that it's probably not that bad, but compared to HD via HDMI etc, it just looks awful! It's my personal view that the lower outputs are not that good, and I think the zinwell does a better job of these outputs.

Like I say, the HD output is awesome on the extra terrestrial, but at a pinch, you will get an output and gain the extra channels of the freeview service with this box on a sd tv. Digital TV has it's own set of picture issues (like blockiness artefacts/low bit rates etc) which means there is often new issues now instead of the old interference/ghosting/banding etc. Most of the new issues are from broadcast, and I think any box is going to work about the same as any other. Now explain the price differences for what are all essentially the same bit of kit!!

mattstutter

49 posts

Geek

#158473 20-Aug-2008 20:57

Hi All,

I have the ET box also, and my findings are very much the same as the rest of you - my reception of prime via UHF was bareable, but to be honest unwatchable on my 40" samsung LCD. So my signal via DTT is 100% but my quality is about 50-60% (would like to know how I can increase the quality too). SO digital is MUCH better, picture looks PERFECT!! Have had a few scrambled looking pictures, but VERY briefly and that was during the storms last week.

I had been using the component connection up until today, when I bought an HDMI cable. I found the colours to be a bit hyped via component (had to dial back my colour setting about 7 points), and via component almost a bit too flat. Nothing a bit of a twiddle with the TV settings can't solve. The actual picture detail was very hard to point out differences via either HDMI or component. I'm using the 720p setting, as my panel is 720p native. Feeding it 1080i didn't give me any difference, but I figure one less conversion can't hurt.

I've also had the digital dropout via the coax output and optical (can't remember which one I'm using now, once I worked out it didn't matter I moved on). The lack of any digital feed on channels with no ac3 feed when the tuner is set to ac3 is FRUSTRATING at the least... Normally not a problem, if I'm watching an HD show I turn on the amp, but if I'm channel surfing in the ad break - nothing. dumb. Most HT amps can be set to auto for the digital input and provide AC3 decoding or PCM on the fly.

My next comment is probably more towards the networks - but tv3 is MUCH quieter than the others, which is fine, I know why they've done it and more headroom and dynamic range is AWESOME.. but again, channel surfing back to the TVNZ channels can rip your ears off... Especially with those screaming commentators on the Olympics eh...

Would be great to be able to edit the channel list and rearrange them - I've programmed a pronto so isn't really a problem anymore but why sport extra is channel 20 and not 8 or 9 just seems silly...

Looking forward to a firmware update to fix these little niggles - REALLY looking forward to USB recording as promised..

pete9321

105 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#158480 20-Aug-2008 21:13

audio dropout prob is fixed...software upgrade avail next week
off

www.freeviewnz.com

extra terrestial HD still the most preferred unit on the market.......price dictates....!!!!

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pete9321

105 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#158482 20-Aug-2008 21:18

P/s.......remember.....for gods sake...prime is not on Freeview DTT....so why do you even mention it...sorry...you have to do a RF loop thru....
if your antenna is not up to standard, then obviously it will be crap quality.

On another point.......why is Prime not on Freeview?
Because too many of you kiwis let it happen ,without complaining...total crap.....its FTA...(free normally) so why not on the new HD DTT platform?

answer
N.Zlers are sheep.....!!
contact the commerce commission, and sort it out NOW.....GOD!!

Spong

1016 posts

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#158486 20-Aug-2008 21:21

Peter from Satlink sent me a copy of the updated firmware for the ET box this morning, but at this stage it doesn't appear that anything concrete has been fixed. I believe there will be a further update appearing soon. See the following page for info.
http://www.satlinknz.co.nz/extra_terrestrial.html

Also, the Freeview Shop has the current firmware upgrade plus upgrade instructions available, for download at:
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/downloads-i-23.html

As mentioned, in the case of the update I was given this morning, the AC3/AAC switching issue hasn't been fixed, and I believe the intermittent AAC audio dropout experienced by some people may not have been fixed either. As for recording to a USB drive in future goes, as I've commented to those who have bought a box from me, I don't believe you should absolutely count on this happening. If it does happen, consider it a bonus.

Tivo upgrades to operate with the new OzTivo EPG, support and service. Over 400 performed here so far. See: www.hillcrest.net.nz

mattstutter

49 posts

Geek

#158487 20-Aug-2008 21:26

pete9321: P/s.......remember.....for gods sake...prime is not on Freeview DTT....so why do you even mention it...sorry...you have to do a RF loop thru....
if your antenna is not up to standard, then obviously it will be crap quality.

Thanks Pete - sorry if I misled anyone, I meant my Prime comment as a comparison (as in my neck of the woods prime is the UHF channel to test if you're even going to get DTT HD). Prime isn't on freeview, no. I'm not using the loop thru as yeah, my aerial isn't up to snuff for Prime UHF.

Not sure that "up to standard" on the aerial is the problem - it's probably more the HUGE hill in the way between me and the transmitter. It was more of an indication that the digital signal is more robust and stronger.

Surely the day sky says so can we re-new our contract for carrying TVNZ and TV3,C4 and freeview says "no" should help?

pete9321

105 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#158491 20-Aug-2008 21:51

more folk should conplain...about no Prime on Freeview...

jasonbrice

100 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 6

#158549 21-Aug-2008 09:11

Hi All,

Thanks to Jaxson who got through the HDMI cable that I ws missing from the ET box he supplied last week!

JB

Jason Brice | Development Engineer

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Jaxson

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#158560 21-Aug-2008 09:52

Hey Jason, glad that arrived. Hope it's all going well.

So basically still nothing new on the firmware front then.

Dolby is a lot quieter than the base mpeg audio option, even when watching on TV alone, without using a receiver.

AC3 seems to work great for me on TV1 5.1 content but has the odd drop out on TV3 5.1 content. 5.1 is a laugh though on TV1, because in some instances, what are you expecting to come out of the speakers?! Rowing had this slight thud every time the oars hit the water. Makes me wonder if there isn't a chinese guy sitting in a room making some odd sounds they can mix in!

old3eyes

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#158627 21-Aug-2008 12:34

AC3 seems to work great for me on TV1 5.1 content but has the odd drop out on TV3 5.1 content. 5.1 is a laugh though on TV1, because in some instances, what are you expecting to come out of the speakers?! Rowing had this slight thud every time the oars hit the water. Makes me wonder if there isn't a chinese guy sitting in a room making some odd sounds they can mix in!

They have a couple of folly artists in the studio adding the sound effects to the surrounds..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Spong

1016 posts

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#158650 21-Aug-2008 13:14

old3eyes:

AC3 seems to work great for me on TV1 5.1 content but has the odd drop out on TV3 5.1 content. 5.1 is a laugh though on TV1, because in some instances, what are you expecting to come out of the speakers?! Rowing had this slight thud every time the oars hit the water. Makes me wonder if there isn't a chinese guy sitting in a room making some odd sounds they can mix in!

They have a couple of folly artists in the studio adding the sound effects to the surrounds..

These wouldn't be small children with uneven teeth and "less than perfect" appearance would they?

Tivo upgrades to operate with the new OzTivo EPG, support and service. Over 400 performed here so far. See: www.hillcrest.net.nz

Jaxson

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#158653 21-Aug-2008 13:31

You know the deal, if you don't have the face for TV you end up in radio...
I like the 5.1 but often there are places when it's basically not present in real life anyway.

Anyway, I'm stoked that the 5.1 works fine over AC3. I only turn on the receiver when there is a genuine 5.1 source as I hate the results of the 'theatre' or other mode that simulates 5.1 from a 2 channel source. I'd naturally prefer it to revert to PCM and the basic mpeg audio when DD is not available. Or wish one of the outputs, AC3 or PCM, would work for both audio options with my reciever for both audio output types.

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