Sky Box with s/pdif???

RIchard,

I have a Sky+ box of the original vintage with an optical output. In fact it's the only output that allows the fully monty for audio. I presume that the current equivalent will be similarly equipped.

I can't suggest you plug it into an n-Vi though unless you can lay your hands on the long awaited firmware upgrade! ]

I'm thinking about dipping a toe into this HD malarkey with Sky+. Anyone know what outputs that has?

Duncan

Thanks Duncan. Apart from a SKY+ box, anybody know of a standard SKY box (i.e. non PVR) with digital output?

duncan

sky hd has optical out

neil

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Dane:
Thanks Duncan. Apart from a SKY+ box, anybody know of a standard SKY box (i.e. non PVR) with digital output?

I used a Sony sky box (VTX-S760U) before the arrival of the HD box. This box has an optical out is this what you mean?

richard

sky + boxes can be had very cheaply lately

neil

I think the reason why the Sky+ and HD boxes have the optical out is Sky only let you get the 5.1 if you subscribe to one of these services. The standard Sky box just has the stereo analogue outs as they don't let these boxes receive 5.1.

quote:

Originally posted by adymcd:

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Dane:
Thanks Duncan. Apart from a SKY+ box, anybody know of a standard SKY box (i.e. non PVR) with digital output?

I used a Sony sky box (VTX-S760U) before the arrival of the HD box. This box has an optical out is this what you mean?

How was the Sony? Some mixed reports online. Plenty of tales of the unit being very slow and hanging regularly.

There were two versions of the Sony, I've had both. The first was a grey colour very slow and awful, the second was more silver, but looked simular but was faster. Still not as good as the more modern normal Sky boxes. Both the Sony's output optical digital sound but it is still only stereo or DPL and not full 5.1 DD. Sky+ has optical and can be had cheap, but I'm unsure about the optical working if not subscribed, but I suspect it would, but may be just DPL and not full DD 5.1 but it wouldn't cost a fortune to try out.

For what it's worth you can buy new Sky HD boxes off places like ebay for less than £200 now without being tied into a 12 month subscription. You can then obviously add Sky HD or Sky+ to your package but more importantly remove it again any time later if you so wish if you do not have the 12 month tied in subscription.

Many people also do not realise that when you pay your £10 extra for Sky HD to be turned on you actually get Sky+ functionality thrown in for free. Unlike when Sky+ was out and Sky did a deal where most people would not pay the £10 extra for Sky+ on top of the current at the time minimum £21, as £21+£10=£31 was too close to the Sky deal of £34 you pay to get it for free. Most people still today think that you need to pay this £34 or maybe now £35 for Sky+ and then £10 extra on top for Sky HD for £45 per month, but this is simply no longer true, although Sky do not widely advertise this.

Now with Sky the minimum package is only £15 so by paying £10 over the minimum package, so £15+£10=£25, you get Sky HD and you get Sky+ functionality thrown in for free, which is cheaper than paying £34/35 for a premium package that most people paid and are probably still paying to get Sky+ for free.

Being new to the Sky game, do I gather that if I buy a Sky+ box second-hand then I won't be able to use it for freeview channels unless I sign a contract with them?

No you can use it for freeview channels , but you will need to buy a one-off free to air card ( costs £25 from guess who...? Sky), but unless you have a sky subscription, you will lose the big advantage of a sky+ box (rather than any other satellite receiver) ie being able to record to HD for time shift viewing. My old/original sky+ box works fine as a free to air box but will not allow me to record to HD.

Stands back and waits for someone to say, oh yes you can...Would love to know how as it would be very useful.

Geoff

Simon,

Is there any similar trick to reduce the subscription at the minimum level which includes the sports channels and multiroom?

Neil

Optical output from an early 40GB sky+ box ( using a free to air card) does work into my nVI but there is a lip synch issue. You need about 40ms delay and there is no facility to delay ( as far as I am aware) on any sky boxes other than latest Sky HD ( where it can be done in 20ms increments).

Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Neil Bennett:
Simon,

Is there any similar trick to reduce the subscription at the minimum level which includes the sports channels and multiroom?

Neil

There is no trick, it's just that many people do not realise that you get Sky+ free with a Sky HD £10 extra subscription. So where as most with Sky+ may be paying £34-37/month for a premium package they don;t really need/want to get Sky+ for free, if you do not watch the premium channels then you are better off paying £15-21+£10. If you watch premium sport or film channels and wish to continue to do so then you get Sky+ anyway for free and to get Sky HD on top you then would have to pay £10 extra and if you want multiroom anopther £10 extra again!! One thing with multiroom is that the second room can be the same package as the main room, so in theory if you could have Sky HD with Sky+ in both rooms!!

Simon,

OK, thanks. Unfortunately I only bother with Sky at all for the sport, so I'm stuck with the £37 + £10 for HD and £10 for Multiroom, as you say.

Neil

Well, it seems the Sony box is the only standard Sky box to use a digital output. Any others out there I have missed?

It just seems a better idea to output digitally, using the higher quality DAC in the AV2. I can't imagine the DACs in most Sky boxes are anything more than adequate at best. Of course this is pure speculation and I maybe guilty of a gross misjudgement, so the question should be, what is the choice standard SKY box for both Picture and Sound?