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Fox-HDR T2 Picture-in-Picture

DSmanDSman Posts: 1,225
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Just bought one today, can't believe it hasn't got PIP. I was so used to using it on the 9200T, big disappointment. :cry::cry: :mad:
Does anyone know a good reason why this function was omitted?
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    Probably because very few ever used it. myself included apart from the novelty value. In any case the possibilty of including 544 x 576, 704 x 576, 1440 x 1920 and 1920 x 1080 in the output video stream in either combination is probably simply not worth the complication.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,375
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    What on earth did people use it for? It's not like it was viable enough to have one showing Soccer Saturday and the other a late 90s rom com movie.
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    DSmanDSman Posts: 1,225
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    I found it very useful.
    If I want to watch one programme but keep track of another one.
    Useful when watching e.g. two sports and being able to flick the sound between the two.
    If I'm watching a recorded programme but want to know when a live programme starts.
    I'm not saying I used it every hour of every day but it was very handy to have.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6
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    I agree, the new Sony one does have picture in picture, and it works very well.
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    aaj1000 wrote: »
    I agree, the new Sony one does have picture in picture, and it works very well.

    Is that the SD version (rebadged Digivision) or the Sony SVRHDT500 ?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6
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    The Sony SVRHDT500 is the box I have. It has picture in picture.

    The manual for it is here

    http://www.sony.co.uk/product/dvd-recorder/svr-hdt500
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    [QUOTE=DSman;50833247Useful when watching e.g. two sports and being able to flick the sound between the two.
    If I'm watching a recorded programme but want to know when a live programme starts.
    I'm not saying I used it every hour of every day but it was very handy to have.[/QUOTE]

    Why not just set the second one to record and view it at your leisure ?

    Some TV's will in fact give you PIP from it's own tuner and a second input.
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    DSmanDSman Posts: 1,225
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    Why not just set the second one to record and view it at your leisure ?
    Yes I know I could do that but there are certain times when I don't want to do that.
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    soulboy77soulboy77 Posts: 24,494
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    ...Some TV's will in fact give you PIP from it's own tuner and a second input.
    That was my thought, many of the well known brands of TVs have PIP (or PAP). I wouldn't expect it or require it as a capability from an external device.
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    stylostylo Posts: 368
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    PIP is a 'must' feature for me, and would be a deciding factor on upgrading to an HDPVR from my current standard-def model.

    Great for catching up on the news during ads... press 'PIP' and 'swap' until the main programme comes back on.
    Far better than putting up with the annoying 'Go Compare' and 'Good with Fud' among many others!.

    If the Sony has this PIP feature where other's don't, that will be the make I will go for :)
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    DSmanDSman Posts: 1,225
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    Thank you stylo :)
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    GaryBGaryB Posts: 4,259
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    stylo wrote: »
    PIP is a 'must' feature for me, and would be a deciding factor on upgrading to an HDPVR from my current standard-def model.

    Great for catching up on the news during ads... press 'PIP' and 'swap' until the main programme comes back on.
    Far better than putting up with the annoying 'Go Compare' and 'Good with Fud' among many others!

    If you're using a PVR, why not just record everything you want to watch that contains ads and then skip through them with a few stabs of the 30 sec jump button when playing them back? That's what I do.
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    GaryB wrote: »
    If you're using a PVR, why not just record everything you want to watch that contains ads and then skip through them with a few stabs of the 30 sec jump button when playing them back? That's what I do.

    Given the choice of the brill programmeable skip keys and PIP I know which facility I would not want to lose :D

    I wonder if the Sony has similar (I doubt it). I also doubt it's been anywhere near a Sony plant, most likely a rebadged Digifusion and sold for an inflated price (Like the SD model)
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    stylostylo Posts: 368
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    GaryB wrote: »
    If you're using a PVR, why not just record everything you want to watch that contains ads and then skip through them with a few stabs of the 30 sec jump button when playing them back? That's what I do.

    Why would I want to record something I'm already watching 'live' just in order to skip the ads?! :confused:

    It's not just ads btw, it's also useful for any breaking news / updates you want to keep an eye on, without having to constantly flick back and forth between channels.
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    stylostylo Posts: 368
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    Given the choice of the brill programmeable skip keys and PIP I know which facility I would not want to lose :D

    I wonder if the Sony has similar (I doubt it). I also doubt it's been anywhere near a Sony plant, most likely a rebadged Digifusion and sold for an inflated price (Like the SD model)

    And in the same vain, I know which facility I wouldn't want to loose :D

    It's a feature, like many others, which is down to personal choice whether it's used or not. 3 of us on here find it useful, you don't, no big deal.

    Not going down the road of manufacturer-bashing just to try and prove a point :)
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    stylo wrote: »
    Why would I want to record something I'm already watching 'live' just in order to skip the ads?! :confused:

    It's not just ads btw, it's also useful for any breaking news / updates you want to keep an eye on, without having to constantly flick back and forth between channels.

    Bit of a stupid argument, why not get more than 1 TV/monitor if you want to watch more than 1 channel at once. :confused:

    There's loads of other ways of achieving the same. I am watching TV with a laptop by my side. If I want to see the news or even live TV from another channel I can use that. Time to get into the 21st century.

    In my experience Sony simply can't make a decent pvr, hence the reason to rebadge. No problem with the tellies though as my signature shows.
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    stylostylo Posts: 368
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    Bit of a stupid argument, why not get more than 1 TV/monitor if you want to watch more than 1 channel at once. :confused:

    There's loads of other ways of achieving the same. I am watching TV with a laptop by my side. If I want to see the news or even live TV from another channel I can use that. Time to get into the 21st century.

    In my experience Sony simply can't make a decent pvr, hence the reason to rebadge. No problem with the tellies though as my signature shows.

    That has got to be the most ridiculous statement yet, as it's the whole point of PIP!!.

    I am in the 21st century sunshine, so can we have less of the snide jibes.

    As stated, it's a facility some of us like. You don't, but each to their own.
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    grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    stylo wrote: »
    That has got to be the most ridiculous statement yet, as it's the whole point of PIP!!.

    I am in the 21st century sunshine, so can we have less of the snide jibes.

    As stated, it's a facility some of us like. You don't, but each to their own.


    It's a gimmick borne of the digital age, out of interest yours is the first post in thousands bemoaning the loss of this feature (plus one) - (that ought to tell you something :eek:) . I still have it on my TV, a 9200T and a Topfield 5800. If you want it buy a Sony pvr. I doubt it it will stand the test of time. Basically it's outdated by modern kit that allows you to for example use something like a Foxsat-hdr to view different recorded content on multiple TV's independently of what the main output is sending.
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    stylostylo Posts: 368
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    It's a gimmick borne of the digital age, out of interest yours is the first post in thousands bemoaning the loss of this feature (plus one) - (that ought to tell you something :eek:) . I still have it on my TV, a 9200T and a Topfield 5800. If you want it buy a Sony pvr. I doubt it it will stand the test of time. Basically it's outdated by modern kit that allows you to for example use something like a Foxsat-hdr to view different recorded content on multiple TV's independently of what the main output is sending.

    Graham, I'm not bemoaning the loss, as it's already on my current setup, and I will make certainly make sure it's on the next upgrade I make as it's obviously a feature that some manufacturers have decided to continue with.

    Without the need for multiple tv's / monitors/ PCs, I can get exactly what I want on one tv by pressing one button.

    The OP was very disappointed to find this feature was missing from their new purchase. I can fully understand their frustration if they have been making use of it previously.

    I have 3 Sony TVs here, 2 of which have PAP, but this isn't a feature I have used very much at all.

    The PIP is different, because it's unobtrusive, and can be placed in any corner of the screen while waiting for ads to finish, or waiting for a 'pending news announcement' to come on, amongst many other uses.

    This has nothing to do with 'gimmicks', It's to do with personal choice, and one that I will make on a future upgrade, whether it be a Sony or other make that includes it.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5
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    Wouldn't be so bad if the 'BACK' button worked for program selection. It will work during the time the i-plate is displayed, but after that it forgets the previous channel.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13
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    DSman wrote: »
    Just bought one today, can't believe it hasn't got PIP. I was so used to using it on the 9200T, big disappointment. :cry::cry: :mad:
    Does anyone know a good reason why this function was omitted?

    Totally agree DSman. I love this feature of the 9200T although I don't use it that often but now I'm getting the HDR Fox T2 I'm rather disappointed it has been dropped from the spec.

    I always thought if there were twin tuners you would get two pictures but hey, I'm a girl, what do I know? Surely the tech-heads out there could find a way around it.
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    DSmanDSman Posts: 1,225
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    Yes Doppa, I'm missing it more and more now. I often flick channels when adverts are on and go back when the ads have finished. You didn't have to guess when the ads have finished. It was very useful for that. Definitely a retrograde step by Humax.
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    Martin LiddleMartin Liddle Posts: 3,243
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    Doppa wrote: »
    I always thought if there were twin tuners you would get two pictures but hey, I'm a girl, what do I know? Surely the tech-heads out there could find a way around it.
    On the 9200 the support for PiP was provided by the chipset. As far as I know the HDR chipset doesn't have the capability so the chances of anybody managing to implement it are extremely small.
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    Old BlueOld Blue Posts: 111
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    I used to use PIP to see how much of the start or end of a programme was being missed by the 9200T's "accurate" recording system, but as the T2 seems to never crop any recording it's not a feature I miss.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2
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    On the 9200 the support for PiP was provided by the chipset. As far as I know the HDR chipset doesn't have the capability so the chances of anybody managing to implement it are extremely small.

    Same Broadcom SOC in the Humax T2 and the Sony HDT and the DigitalStream DHR. PIP is in the chip spec.

    The DigitalStream has PIP and this can be used during playback as well as live (and there is a PREV button to go to the last channel).

    PIP seems to be a design choice.

    Both the DigitalStream and Sony have configurable SKIP/JUMP buttons like the HUMAX.
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