Utter TV klutz has digital switchover questions

Posted by: Bruce Woodhouse on 18 April 2011

We are coming up to digital switchover this summer and I want to start looking for our home solution that is simple, effective and reasonably future proof. Despite being generally cognisant of new technologies I know absolutely nothing about TV etc so have some fairly basic questions. Your help really appreciated. I know I could go to a local electrical shop but have little faith that I will understand the pubescent staff.

We have a small 15yrs old B+O CRT TV as our only telly and analogue only signal at present. The TV works fine and no sign it needs replacement. It is probably only used about 1-2 hours per month; bit of sport for me, bit of Brian Cox for my wife. We also use it to record the odd film and watch DVD's via a DVD player and HDD recorder. We have an iPad and laptops and my wife occasionally watches something via iPlayer. We have no Freeview reception at home so it looks like we have to go with Freesat as it is unclear if this will change before September. I'm very happy to keep the same TV if it will work out fine and do not want a subscription TV service.

So the questions;

Firstly re the TV. It is not 'widescreen' format. Can Freesat programmes be accommodated without being a 'letterbox' across the screen or is this a problem?

Any other reasons why a Freesat box might cause problms with the TV? How about how this would connect to the current DVD/HDD set up? What about picture quality? The screen has a lovely picture now but would an old TV not be optimised for a digital signal and this quality be lost?

I wondered about a one-box solution, ie a Freesat box which includes a DVD recorder/HDD and perhaps BluRay as a bit of 'future proofing'. I also assume that buying something that can feed HD is a good idea for when/if we ever change our TV, but would that create compatability issues with the current TV? Since the TV is so basic would it be better to buy a really basic Freesat box?

Can a set top box can be used as a media streamer, ie as I believe some TV's are now networked connected. For example could this be used stream BBC iPlayer through the TV perhaps? Not exactly a key feature for now but again I'm thinking about future proofing. How about using it to look at photos via USB? Are these extra features or would they all do this?

Finally can somebody explain how a slingbox and associated technologies work (or rather what they do). I've seen some set top boxes have this included. We have an adjacent building which is connected to the main house ethernet and it has a PC etc where I might occasionally choose to watch TV rather than being in the house. I know I could do this with another dish/cable/tuner/licence in that building but would rather not. Does slingbox give me that option?

Thanks for your help. Please do not use any acronyms when replying longer than 'TV' (which I am just about OK with).

Bruce

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Eloise

First off, as far as I know, there is only one DVD/HDD recorder with built in Freesat: a Panasonic model. With the Panasonic there are options for both DVD recording or Blueray. There are several FreeSat+ boxes available combining a receiver with HDD recording.

All FreeSat boxes should have a Scart type output which will plug into a spare Scart on your TV. If you get a HD box it should support scaling of HD channels to SD for Scart. AFAIK they output for most channels can be set to pan and scan mode for non-wide screen, the effects can be unpredictable and depend on the channel on my previous (albeit a while ago) experience.

Slingbox can take an output and pipe it onto a network. Another option to do very similar (though limited to the satellite feed) is Elgato's network EyeTV device (can't recall it's full/proper name).

Eloise

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Bruce Woodhouse

SD is 'normal TV definition' TV yes?

Are the usual channels still broadcast in SD too, if so would they work in non-widescreen mode?

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Dungassin

Originally Posted by Bruce Woodhouse:

So the questions;

Firstly re the TV. It is not 'widescreen' format. Can Freesat programmes be accommodated without being a 'letterbox' across the screen or is this a problem?

I'm afraid you'll have to put up with the letterboxing (or buy new TV), unless you are happy to "zoom" the picture, losing parts of it in the process - assuming your freesat box will let you do that, as your 4:3 TV won't have that facility. Even if you got a new widescreen TV, you would have the same problems with black bars at the sides of 4:3 program material, and black bars at the top and bottom with 2.35:1 (and greater) aspect ratio material. Just learn to live with it.

Not a problem. The only trouble with digital TV is that whereas with analogue, a poor signal just gives you increasing "snow", with digital TV works fine until the signal drops so low that you get pixellated dropouts and very rapidly no picture/sound at all.

The Panasonic Freesat HD/DVD/Bluray recorder (the only one of which I am aware) will work fine with your TV. I doubt that you will be disappointed with the quality of the picture. SWMBO (sorry for the acronym!) uses Freeview with our old analogue TV and is perfectly happy with it, as am I on the rare occasions I actually watch that set.

Don't really know. There is no reason why you couldn't hook up your PC (with an appropriate connecting lead) to the TV if you reallly want BBCiPlayer. For your information all the current sets (as far as I can see) sometimes have BBCiPlayer built in (needing a dongle etc), but the other channels' catchup services have yet to make their way into the built in bits

I'm afraid I still haven't quite got the hang of quoting/replying to individual bits on this "updated" forum, so I apologise for my replies being in the "grey" box.

As an addendum, although I can understand your wish to hang onto the old B&O TV, you would probably be happier in the long run getting a new TV - lighter, widescreen, less faff about connecting new technology, and you could take advantage of the High Definition transmissions (and bluray) too! You say your current TV is small. Why not think about a small(ish) new widescreen?.

If you do not wish to get a new TV, and you already have a DVD/HD recorder, why not just buy a
Freesat box without built-in recording facilities. There is no reason why you couldn't use one of these with your current equipment.

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Dungassin

Originally Posted by Bruce Woodhouse:

SD is 'normal TV definition' TV yes?

Are the usual channels still broadcast in SD too, if so would they work in non-widescreen mode?

SD = standard definition

HD = high definition

All the usual channels (i.e. BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5) are there, as well as many others. They are in widescreen, so you will have to view in letterbox format (set your Freesat box appropriately)

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Bruce Woodhouse

Cheers for such a helpful reply.

Looks like I have to get used to widescreen format, which I'm not wild about. Just old-fashioned perhaps but our 19" TV starts to have a really small picture if you then crop top and bottom.

I intend looking at some good quality small flat-screen TV's to see what they are like. Never really paid much attention before but compared to the B+O the small screen TV's I've seen before had pretty dreadful picture quality (and look ugly). Perhaps things have moved on. I don't really want to buy an expensive new TV when it gets so little usage.

Cheers Bruce

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by TomK

I guess some of these Freeview boxes will let you set the aspect ratio (picture shape). You may be able to crop the ends off the wide screen picture and show it in 4:3.

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Bruce Woodhouse

Cropping implies losing a bit off each end though. Like the goal line perhaps!

I guess I need to get the box (and dish) installed and see what the pictures are like. It annoys me throwing away a perfectly excellent CRT TV. This is progress!

Bruce

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Dungassin

Originally Posted by Bruce Woodhouse:

I guess I need to get the box (and dish) installed and see what the pictures are like. It annoys me throwing away a perfectly excellent CRT TV. This is progress!

This is SWMBO's view. In our living room ("her" room) is a 36" widescreen CRT Toshiba (Dolby 5.1 etc built in). We bought this not long before the LED sets started appearing. Has an excellent picture, is VERY heavy, but no HDMI, HD etc. She intends keeping it until it packs in and although I have offered to buy her new HD TV etc, she says she's happy with it. Doesn't particularly bother me, because we have totally different viewing tastes, and I tend to do mine in my "little hidey hole" (my study) where I have the full-blown Naim AV setup. (boys and their toys, as she says)

The demise of the Toshiba may not be as far away as she thinks, as it has been repaired twice since we've had it, and I am loth to repair it again should it break down. I think I'm going to have buy her a cheapish blu-ray player in the meantime, though, because a lot of my more recent film purchases have been in that format. You can, of course, still play blu-ray discs back through a SD TV.

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Dungassin

If you do decide to get a new TV, have a look at the 22" and 23" Samsung full HD models. Not cheap, but an excellent picture. Alas, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. We have one of these in a spare bedroom for use when friends/family descend on us.

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Bruce Woodhouse

Originally Posted by Dungassin:

Will do. I run the sound from the TV (well the HDD tuner) through my main HiFi system with an adapted cable for programmes I really want to watch. Sound quality sorted!

The B+O was pricey but has been faultless. Sad to lose it.

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Dungassin

Originally Posted by Bruce Woodhouse:

The B+O was pricey but has been faultless. Sad to lose it.

We felt the same when our 24" Finlux died - that was when we bought the Toshiba.

Posted on: 19 April 2011 by Dungassin

Just had a few more thoughts.

1. If you want to watch one channel while recording another, your freesat box will have to have 2 tuners (often described as twin tuners). You will also need more than one feed from your satellite dish. Your aerial installer will advise you on this aspect. I don't know if any of the non PVR (personal video recorder) freesat boxes come with twin tuners - you will have to check.

2. You don't automatically get HD video with your freesat box. I would recommend getting one with HD video because :

a. They don't cost much more

b. You can still watch the HD content on a SD TV. I got SWMBO a Freeview HD recorder to replace her VHS machine, and she uses it with the SD Toshiba.

c. You are future proofed if you decide to get an HD TV.

3. You will find that each freesat (or freeview) box has its own little quirks. They are all basically dedicated computers, and like all computers will occasionally "throw a wobbler". The easiest way out of these is often just to power off then on again. If all else fails, a factory reset will usually cure them, but that means re-entering your settings and sometimes downloading and reinstalling updates from the manufacturer.

Posted on: 20 April 2011 by TomK

Originally Posted by Bruce Woodhouse:

Cropping implies losing a bit off each end though. Like the goal line perhaps!

I guess I need to get the box (and dish) installed and see what the pictures are like. It annoys me throwing away a perfectly excellent CRT TV. This is progress!

Bruce

That's what you're already watching unless you view in letterbox mode. BBC and ITV already broadcast in widescreen (16:9) so if you're watching a 4:3 picture the ends are already being cropped.