Which PVR ?

Scott

quote:

Here in Australia there are SD and HD digital recorders but googling the UK boxes doesn't seem to mention HD (High Definition) very much. Is this an issue or is everything HD now ?

Good question as I am in a similar position with a probable return next year...although my electronics will have to be left behind (except the Naim stuff) as they are all 110V.

It seem to me that HD content is still very scarce in the UK compared to here in the US but maybe I have misread the situation and hopefully someone can update us on the future rollout plans.

My apologies for piggybacking your thread!

Cheers

Jim

quote:

My apologies for piggybacking your thread!

Cheers

Jim

No problem Jim. This is something that is way down the list of priorities (as I'm sure is the same with you) but I think I'll get better answers here than from trawling around the web.

Scott

Hi guys. Currently there's very little HD content available in the UK.

The best source is "Sky" HD via satellite, and it so happens that their PVR box is pretty good, with an exceptionally well-designed interface.

Go to their website at www.sky.co.uk for more info.

tonym

quote:

Currently there's very little HD content available in the UK.

That would explain the apparent reluctance t go down a Blu Ray path on this forum to some extent then.

Having become used to watching HD content for the last 4 or 5 years, either at 720p or at 1080i broadcast levels, it's hard to go back to anything less. Sport in particular is stunning at this level.

Cheers

Jim

Agreed Jim! The rugby's been very excellent on HD over here, even if the results haven't...

The Sky HD is good, but limited channels and expensive per month.

The new Topfield 5810 is meant to be good.

Second Topfield. Splendid machine.

Guys

So this is an SD box with upscaling only? It can't record HD content? And if I understand it correctly Sky won't let you record content due to DRM issues anyway....

Am I way off beam here after a quick read?

Cheers

Jim

Cheers

Jim

Topfield is one of the more respected brands here. Especially the 5000 which is Standard Def but has been around for a few years now and has a lot of loyal users on the forums. I think their HD model has been reasonably well received but it is a bit pricey and so perhaps doesn't sell in such large numbers.

There is a new-ish brand here by the bizzare name of Beyonwiz who have released a couple of PVRs on to the market with some useful extras (networking, USB etc). Not sure if they have released a version to the UK market yet - or even if they intend to.

Re: content. Most of the HD content here is either sport that I have no interest in (AFL, cricket, rugby league) or US shows like CSI that again I have no interest in and so I'm just running via the Foxtel (similar to Sky) box which is SD although there are plans for an HD version later this year.

Just about the only thing I record here is F1 and the Tour de France because they are on in the middle of the night (one of the drawbacks of living here) but they're not in HD yet.

I'm hoping that with the return of F1 to the BBC that they will broadcast it in HD and so I'm doing ground work now for a years time.

Cheers
Scott

if you're wanting hd content the sky is the only one at present that ofers any kind of extensive service. the others are catching up but it'll take a while.

sky + HD is a great pvr it has to be said.

Ryan

And it does record in HD as well, although HD content uses up the hard drive quite significantly. 'Parsifal' on Sky Arts HD used about 15% of its capacity for example. I think it has 250GB, but 90GB is reserved for Sky's brainwashing of recording things it thinks you might like!

Neil

Terrestrial HD broadcasts in the UK are due to come on stream early next year apparently.....
Of course that will mean getting a new STB or PVR capable of receiving the HD broadcasts.

I think I am right in saying that SKY HD is 1080i only.

I'm personally going to wait until we have the main channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 etc.)available in HD before I fork out for an HD receiver.... Probably be 2009 by the time 2nd or 3rd generation machines become available..... I'm sure I read that they want the services to be available by the time they switch off analogue transmitters.
Have a look here for further info: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a93019/analysis-r...iew-hd-plan.html?rss

Blythe

Broadcast HD content over here is predominantly 1080i with some in 720P. Compared to the SD NTSC standard of 525/60Hz, either of them are stunning improvements and I currently have 30+ HD channels as part of my cable package - going back to SD in the UK would be a tough adjustment but on the other hand I'm unlikely to have a house with a basement housing a 65" Mitsubishi, so watching smaller TV's will take the edge off a bit!

On the other hand I have always preferred the standard SD PQ in PAL to SD PQ in NTSC....

As for PVR (Called DVR's here), I have Combo HD receiver/HD DVR from the cable company that costs $13/month and has enough space to record about 10 hours of 1080i HD content (I need to check disc size).

Given how far ahead the UK was with satellite broadacsting 10 years ago, it's interesting to see how it is lagging far behind now wrt HD broadcasting at least.

Although content on many channels is just as crap in both places!

Cheers

Jim