Virgin HD-how to find which programmes are native/full HD & which are upscaled...??!

DEBTMONKEY1A

Hello all,

I have a 42 inch full HD Tosh sl638b backlit tv & a v+ HD box (strangely we have TIVO upstairs on standard DEF. but g/f refuses to use it as does not like controls???! Women hey...(!)-luckily we record very little on HD!).

Overall on ALL channels pic quality is definately MUCH better-but I do notice the difference sometimes between I guess 'upscaled' TV & full/native HD. An example was the judges houses on x factor-could see a tiny fly on a contestants ear....the batchelor on channel 5-superb definition of the island of St. Lucia & Dr Who simply looks fab! Now I'm guessing thse are FILMED in full HD-not being technical am I right on this?

How do you tell if a programme is filmed in full/native HD-is there a guide online/is it shown in any tv magazine guides?

Also...is it just me or does the quality in HD on for example Coronation St/Eastenders vary sometimes on Virgin HD BOX (by the way the HD box is brand new-not a refurb)_I swear sometines I could count the lines in Sally Websters face (sorry-very cruel!) & other times it's not as sharp-any ideas anyone?

P.S-All settings 100% fine & checked.

penrhyn

On Sky there is an option to set the EPG to list HD programmes in Orange, and SD programmes in white.
Maybe there is an option on cable boxes to do this?

DEBTMONKEY1A

Penrhyn-will have a look. I wonder though...on the SKY box you mentioned is it the programmes highlighted in FULL/NATIVE HD in orange or is it all of them-even if upscaled?

Kurtis_Blue

every thing you watch on the Sky/Virgin box via HDMI is upscaled, the HD programs will be shown in orange as above.

Not sure on VM where the info will be.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Kurtis...sorry to be thick (& forgive me if I'm missing the point)..as an example I know the x-factor is FILMED in HD so the final picture is , for example far far better than say a repeat of 'murder she wrote' which although it's on the ITVHD channel-obviously it's upscaled (as HD not around when filmed)??

I'm just trying to find out if there is a guide somewhere/magazine that tells you the programmes FILMED in full HD. I understand Virgin may farm it out at a slightly lower quality but still for me there is a big difference.

david39

You might like to join the Digital Spy Forums - in particular :

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=48

which specifically deals with Virgin queries, although the question you ask may also be relevant to some of the other forums on that site.

There are some very technical savvy people inhabiting those pages and I'm sure that your question will get answered, if it has not already been covered by someone else.

roddydogs

The Daily Mail Saturday TV guide gives all the HD listings.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Ah...ok Roddydogs-just nipping out to shops now-will have a gander-cheers!