Sky - change in quality?

veryunsure

I have had sky+ for ages but have noticed that the quality of the programs has reduced recently. There appears to be a ghosting on the screen when the characters move ... The cynic in me wonders if this is a tactic to move me to HD or could it just be problem with the sky box or TV (but my TV is 2 years old and is HD ready).

If anyone else is having similar issues I'd be interested to know!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

A Sky employee I know who has worked for them for over 14 years thinks they have downgraded the signal to make HD look better..

ummmmmmmmmmmm

moonrakerz

The BBC have done the opposite - they have reduced the quality of their HD picture and are denying that they have done so !

alisont

The Sky picture on my parents tv is awful - seemed to go today, very grainy picture quality.

Ive got my multiroom link off the same aerial and mine is crystal clear so thought it must be Dads older tv?

Il have to check all the leads tomorrow but parents cant have a picture like that looks awful:rolleyes:

I was thinking maybe time to get a new tv for the lounge but will check sky out first in case its having any problems (but would think if mine is fine fault must be with my parents tv?)

alisont

Strange parents tv picture is back to normal today!

irish_eyes_r_smiling

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

A Sky employee I know who has worked for them for over 14 years thinks they have downgraded the signal to make HD look better..

ummmmmmmmmmmm

i've just had virgin v+ service installed this weekend. Before that i had sky for 4 years and i've already seen a better picture quality with virgin even on the channels that are not HD!!!

ummmmmmmm aswell

veryunsure

interesting! Sky denied that they even could change the signal strength as 'it comes from the sattelite'.

They are coming out to take a look! Thanks for your replies, at least I know I am not the only one.

Pokerlad

Sky are a service provider as far as they provide the eqipement to allow you to view pictures from the Astra saterllite. They do not own the saterllite. Channel providers lease the space on the sat to broadcast and it is down to them how they broadcast not sky. Only control sky have is on there own channels.

chiholam

alisont - if your multiroom is working properly, and the main TV isn't - and it's grainy, it's likely to be the lead/connection to the main TV that's off. Problems with the cable to the dish tend to show up a freezing pictues, breaking up, arterfacts, blocks in the picture, not 'grainy'.

If you can, always use Scart for the main TV, and make sure it's plugged into the TV Scart at the back of the Sky box, and not the VCR Scart.

Finally, go to the picture settings on the Sky box, and set it to RGB. If the TV supports it, it's a lot clearer, if not, then it won't make any difference (no better, no worse). Note, on some TVs, only 1 of the Scart sockets supports RGB, so you may need to plug it into each of the TV Scart to check. You'll know if it works, as when you flick between PAL and RGB, it will be clearer on RGB - less 'fuzz' around the letters.

The Setting can be found on Service -> System Setup -> Picture Settings. Set Scart Control to be On. Scart Video Output to RGB (for the clearer picture). If flicking between PAL and RGB shows no difference (don't need to Save Settings to see the difference, should happen straight away), then try connecting the Scart into another socket at the back of the TV. If it all works, then Save New Settings. Oh yes, make sure the Scart if plugged into the TV Scart at the back of the Sky box.

All these tips only affect Sky boxes plugged directly to the TV via Scart (and not RF/Aerial connections, including TVLinks).

If the picture ever comes up grainy again, the simplest way to check if it's the Sky box to TV connection, or if it's the Sky Dish to the Sky connection (or even it's the Sky box) - is to just select the TV Guide. If it's still grainy when it's just showing the guide and nothing else - then it's the connection between the box and the TV - check, and reconnect. If it's perfectly clear, then it's either the box, or the connections. Check the Sky cables at the back of the box, and reconnect. If that doesn't solve the problem, swap your multiroom one with the one in the main room. That'll confirm if it's the Sky box or not.

Best of luck

markdavey

It is also possible that your box is on the way out. Dependant on the manufacturer of the box, the PSU may have had it.

juliescot

moonrakerz wrote: »

The BBC have done the opposite - they have reduced the quality of their HD picture and are denying that they have done so !

In what way - can't say I have noticed but tend not to watch much of their HD output - so random and content wise not much of interest for me.
Discovery HD seems to be very good.

As to the overall quality I watched a bit of Sleepy Hollow last night on SD (from one foe the Sky channels) and it was dreadful. So much so I gave up and ended up watching BBC 1 SD which was absolutely fine.