HD source?

loofer

Hi all,

my bro has just bought a new 5 series 40" Samsung LCD screen. It's the full HD 1080P.

He also bought a Panasonic 5.1 home theatre system. It's a DVD player with 1080P upscaler. Plugged it in yesterday and played a standard DVD. The quality appeared to be even worse than on our old TV and the upscaling dosn't really seem to help.

So he's looking to take advantage of the HD output but without shelling out. Buying Blu-Ray player/PS3/Xbox360 is out of the question. I don't think he will be looking to sign up to Sky HD either.

I know BBC have a HD channel. The TV has DVB/Freeview built in.... would the normal terrestial type aerial from wall to TV support this so he get's to see HD in all it's glory?? Does he need an intemediry device?

He hasn't connected it to anthing other than dvd player but he will be getting Virgin Media. Would the HD movie channel broadcast in HD through a standrad box but in HD format?

TIA

BillScarab

Freeview doesn't broadcast in HD. If he gets the Virgin Media V+ box (similar to Sky + but better) he wil get the BBC HD channel. Alternatively he could go for Freesat which will be broadcasting free HD channels and is launching imminently.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7384928.stm
http://www.freesat.co.uk/home.php

moneymaddad

You also need to use a HDMI cable to connect the DVD player to the TV otherwise the upscale feature won't work.

Poppycat

I have a Philips 5980 DVD upscaler goes up to 1080p on my Samsung 720p 40" LCD and it looks fine on mine I do have it set up on hdmi. I also have a Samsung 720p 26" tv with another Sumvision Phoenix dvd upscaler and that works fine too but nit as good a picture on that compared with the Philips

loofer

moneymaddad wrote: »

You also need to use a HDMI cable to connect the DVD player to the TV otherwise the upscale feature won't work.

It was actually connected with gold plated HDMI at both ends. Annoying!

loofer

BillScarab wrote: »

Freeview doesn't broadcast in HD. If he gets the Virgin Media V+ box (similar to Sky + but better) he wil get the BBC HD channel. Alternatively he could go for Freesat which will be broadcasting free HD channels and is launching imminently.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7384928.stm
http://www.freesat.co.uk/home.php

Blimey that's todays news... I timed that well.

So is this an alternative to Freeview boxes or complimentary?
Bit annoying that you have to fork out £100+ for another box plus £80 installation.

nomoneytoday

loofer wrote: »

It was actually connected with gold plated HDMI at both ends. Annoying!

The colour of the HDMI will make little difference. Digital is either on or off.

To get full HD you will need a source. Most of these charge either via sub such as Sky, or via one off payments such as bluray or Freesat

BillScarab

loofer wrote: »

Blimey that's todays news... I timed that well.

So is this an alternative to Freeview boxes or complimentary?
Bit annoying that you have to fork out £100+ for another box plus £80 installation.

It's sort of a satellite version of Freeview. But you get some limited HD stuff as well. Have a look at the website for full detials of what's on there.

http://www.freesat.co.uk

mdbarber

nomoneytoday wrote: »

The colour of the HDMI will make little difference. Digital is either on or off.

To get full HD you will need a source. Most of these charge either via sub such as Sky, or via one off payments such as bluray or Freesat

not quite true i'm afraid, whether digital or analogue it is still being carried along via electrical signaling and thus prone to degradation or interference.(except optical of course)
therefore contacts are important, but if cheap unshielded wire is used that will be the weak point not matter what type of connector

loofer

BillScarab wrote: »

It's sort of a satellite version of Freeview. But you get some limited HD stuff as well. Have a look at the website for full detials of what's on there.

http://www.freesat.co.uk

I hear you... basically a premium version of Freeview. I think the annoying thing is they bang on about Freeview, and after people have invested in the set-top boxes (which remember initially cost £80+) or have bought TVs with integrated freeview... we now get told their is another medium.

So invest in purchasing another set-top box.... or hold out if buying a TV as the newer ones will incorporate Freesat.

Oh well... any new service is good news.:j

Rant over

donnajunkie

moneymaddad wrote: »

You also need to use a HDMI cable to connect the DVD player to the TV otherwise the upscale feature won't work.

on top of that there is usually a button to press on the remote to change between sd, 720 and 1080.