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speedy23

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#95789 13-Jan-2012 03:35
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I have been following the threads concerning satellite PVRs for some time and would appreciate some up to date advice. My old STB is junk and the TV still CRT. I had Sky put in a dish about 3 - 4 years back to get Prime as we live in the country and no signal for UHF. The LNB is a dual (oval) and a twin cable was used but only one cable connected. I´m hoping it will just be a simple matter to attach an F type connector in the approved manner and plug it in up on the roof. So inside now. I would like to be able to record a couple of channels and watch a third, and have a decent sized built in drive. Not really keen to have a separate external drive, but would want to be able to transfer to the PC one way or another. Needs to be user friendly for her indoors - and me truth be known. EPG and recording from that would be great and good upscaling also. Front runners seem to be the DishTV 7090, the 9200, or maybe the Vu Duo since I am in London for a few weeks and the exchange rate is brilliant. Am leaning toward a Panasonic 42 plasma screen to go with it. Built in Freeview is of course of no use - do they come without this feature now-a-days? Any advice gratefully received.

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RunningMan
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  #568213 13-Jan-2012 08:43
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Vu+Duo always gets excellent reviews.



Jaxson
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  #568234 13-Jan-2012 09:10
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Vu+ Duo if you are there.

Are you sure you can't get UHF signal now though? HD is the way to go if you can get it is all.

speedy23

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  #568242 13-Jan-2012 09:28
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Thanks. Yes, prior to getting the dish put in, we had variable reception for Prime - often we could get nothing, sometimes a ghostly picture. No one else local uses the old aerial now. Does the Vu Duo upscale?
Also, is the EPG automatically set up for NZ if I buy over here?



RunningMan
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  #568246 13-Jan-2012 09:39
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speedy23:  Does the Vu Duo upscale?


Yes

grant_k
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  #568249 13-Jan-2012 09:43
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Jaxson: Vu+ Duo if you are there.

Are you sure you can't get UHF signal now though? HD is the way to go if you can get it is all.

Vu+ Duo will receive in HD (DVB-S2) if you are a Sky subscriber Cool





xarqi
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  #568321 13-Jan-2012 11:47
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Vu+ Duo. Get a couple! People are crying out for them here.

It does upscale, but only to 1080i, not 1080p.


Jaxson
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  #568324 13-Jan-2012 11:59
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speedy23: Also, is the EPG automatically set up for NZ if I buy over here?
yeah this data is open so you'll be fine with NZ channels at least.


 
 
 

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.
Jaxson
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  #568326 13-Jan-2012 12:01
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grant_k: Vu+ Duo will receive in HD (DVB-S2) if you are a Sky subscriber Cool


Just to confirm, there was some confusion here early on....

Do you get access to TV1, TV2 and TV3 (and sports if you've got that option) in HD on the basic sky plans?
- i.e. I have Sky basic and sports, but not my sky recorder and not an HD ticket, Do I still get HD for some channels using the card in the Vu+ Duo?      

xarqi
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  #568338 13-Jan-2012 12:18
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Jaxson:
grant_k: Vu+ Duo will receive in HD (DVB-S2) if you are a Sky subscriber Cool


Just to confirm, there was some confusion here early on....

Do you get access to TV1, TV2 and TV3 (and sports if you've got that option) in HD on the basic sky plans?
- i.e. I have Sky basic and sports, but not my sky recorder and not an HD ticket, Do I still get HD for some channels using the card in the Vu+ Duo?      

It is my understanding that an HD "ticket" is required to receive Freeview HD content rebroadcast by Sky, despite it being FTA for anyone who can receive DVB-T.  Shameful I say.

grant_k
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  #568339 13-Jan-2012 12:18
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Jaxson:
grant_k: Vu+ Duo will receive in HD (DVB-S2) if you are a Sky subscriber Cool


Just to confirm, there was some confusion here early on....

Do you get access to TV1, TV2 and TV3 (and sports if you've got that option) in HD on the basic sky plans?
- i.e. I have Sky basic and sports, but not my sky recorder and not an HD ticket, Do I still get HD for some channels using the card in the Vu+ Duo?      

TV1/2/3 are all available in HD on the Basic Sky plan which I am on (I don't have any HD ticket).

However, I paid the $599 upfront fee for MySky some years ago, which included the blue Sky card starting with 45, that is necessary for use with Vu+ Duo.  If you have an older PACE decoder, you probably don't have that card, although some of the later small decoders coloured silver did include the 45 card.  Having the correct smart card is the key issue as to whether you can make use of Vu+ Duo with Sky or not.

I don't have the Sport option, so can't tell you about that.  When Soho launched in November, it was also available in HD until they restricted it to subscribers only at the end of November.





xarqi
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  #568340 13-Jan-2012 12:21
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grant_k:
Jaxson:
grant_k: Vu+ Duo will receive in HD (DVB-S2) if you are a Sky subscriber Cool


Just to confirm, there was some confusion here early on....

Do you get access to TV1, TV2 and TV3 (and sports if you've got that option) in HD on the basic sky plans?
- i.e. I have Sky basic and sports, but not my sky recorder and not an HD ticket, Do I still get HD for some channels using the card in the Vu+ Duo?      

TV1/2/3 are all available in HD on the Basic Sky plan which I am on (I don't have any HD ticket).

However, I paid the $599 upfront fee for MySky some years ago, which included the blue Sky card starting with 45, that is necessary for use with Vu+ Duo.  If you have an older PACE decoder, you probably don't have that card, although some of the later small decoders coloured silver did include the 45 card.  Having the correct smart card is the key issue as to whether you can make use of Vu+ Duo with Sky or not.

I don't have the Sport option, so can't tell you about that.  When Soho launched in November, it was also available in HD until they restricted it to subscribers only at the end of November.

I defer to your experience.  My reply was based on what SKY told me by phone last time I enquired. 

Jaxson
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  #568341 13-Jan-2012 12:23
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Thanks for the update guys.

grant_k
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  #568345 13-Jan-2012 12:30
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xarqi:
grant_k:
Jaxson:
grant_k: Vu+ Duo will receive in HD (DVB-S2) if you are a Sky subscriber Cool


Just to confirm, there was some confusion here early on....

Do you get access to TV1, TV2 and TV3 (and sports if you've got that option) in HD on the basic sky plans?
- i.e. I have Sky basic and sports, but not my sky recorder and not an HD ticket, Do I still get HD for some channels using the card in the Vu+ Duo?      

TV1/2/3 are all available in HD on the Basic Sky plan which I am on (I don't have any HD ticket).

However, I paid the $599 upfront fee for MySky some years ago, which included the blue Sky card starting with 45, that is necessary for use with Vu+ Duo.  If you have an older PACE decoder, you probably don't have that card, although some of the later small decoders coloured silver did include the 45 card.  Having the correct smart card is the key issue as to whether you can make use of Vu+ Duo with Sky or not.

I don't have the Sport option, so can't tell you about that.  When Soho launched in November, it was also available in HD until they restricted it to subscribers only at the end of November.

I defer to your experience.  My reply was based on what SKY told me by phone last time I enquired. 

This FAQ from Sky makes it pretty clear:

https://skytv.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/812/kw/hd%20ticket

What they don't say is that TV3's HD channel is also included.





xarqi
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  #568355 13-Jan-2012 12:45
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So if I read those FAQs correctly, it seems that a Basic Sky subscription doesn't give HD access to the otherwise FTA content after all. You have to have a mysky HDi subscription at $15/mo more, even if you can get out paying the $599 fee up front for hardware that wouldn't be needed.

As far as I can see from the SKY site, there is no such thing as an HD ticket any more.

Or have I still got it wrong?

Jaxson
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  #568363 13-Jan-2012 12:52
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grant_k:This FAQ from Sky makes it pretty clear: 



Is there any additional cost to SKY Subscribers to get TV ONE and TV 2 in High Definition?There is no additional cost, both channels are included in the basic package for MY SKY HDi subscribers.

By pretty clear that means you would have to have My Sky HDi to get the channels TV1, 2 and 3 in HD.

 

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