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Old 12-07-2009, 16:16
davidredge
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Right, after much deliberation i've decided to grab myself the Humax HDR this week and cancel Sky.

At the moment, we don't have a HD television (which I doubt is a problem in viewing SD), but time shift pretty much everything we watch. Now, since we'll be using scart i'm wondering if the box locks out the HD channels, or can we view them via Scart to benefit from the higher bit rate of a HD stream.
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Old 12-07-2009, 16:32
chrisjr
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Well you obviously won't get true HD via SCART, which I suspect you already know.

But some HD broadcasts may be protected and thus only available via HDMI. I would be very surprised however if there is very much free to air content that would be protected. More likely to be stuff like Sky Movies or other subscription channels.
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Old 12-07-2009, 16:44
davidredge
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Well you obviously won't get true HD via SCART, which I suspect you already know.
Indeed.

But some HD broadcasts may be protected and thus only available via HDMI. I would be very surprised however if there is very much free to air content that would be protected. More likely to be stuff like Sky Movies or other subscription channels.
I'm specifically refering to the picture quality BBC and ITV dump on our TV via satellite. As a general rule, i can expect their HD channels - excluding perhaps movie content - to be viewable via scart?
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Old 12-07-2009, 16:57
mwardy
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To prevent 'piracy' HD transmissions over scart are in composite only.

That sure stuck it to the three people left in this country with a D-VHS recorder.

Edit: Once you've thought about it I'm sure you'll agree your pq being sacrificed for the Cause is well worth it.
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Old 12-07-2009, 16:58
Nigel Goodwin
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You would like to think so, but Freesat (in their wisdom) have specified the box to disable RGB SCART when viewing HD channels, so you only get the far inferior composite quality.

Due to this, you're probably better watching it on a normal SD channel in RGB.
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Old 12-07-2009, 16:59
davemurgatroyd
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Apparently because of the way the BBC are setting protection flags on BBC HD none of the programming at present is viewable by scart.
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Old 12-07-2009, 17:06
GaseousClay
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Apparently because of the way the BBC are setting protection flags on BBC HD none of the programming at present is viewable by scart.
Incorrect. Only RGB via scart is disabled composite via scart is still available
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Old 12-07-2009, 17:24
grahamlthompson
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Pretty sure you can get SD RGB from BBC HD by using the non-freesat mode trick. Switch to non freesat mode cycle to sby and on again. Voila no drm rubbish.
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Old 12-07-2009, 18:52
Nigel Goodwin
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Pretty sure you can get SD RGB from BBC HD by using the non-freesat mode trick. Switch to non freesat mode cycle to sby and on again. Voila no drm rubbish.
Yes, but it's not a Freesat box then.
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Old 12-07-2009, 19:33
grahamlthompson
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Yes, but it's not a Freesat box then.
Same piccies though
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Old 12-07-2009, 19:54
GaseousClay
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Pretty sure you can get SD RGB from BBC HD by using the non-freesat mode trick. Switch to non freesat mode cycle to sby and on again. Voila no drm rubbish.
Just to point out there's no need to do the sby on again routine just switching to non-freesat mode enables RGB through scart.
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Old 12-07-2009, 20:21
Andrue
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To prevent 'piracy' HD transmissions over scart are in composite only.

That sure stuck it to the three people left in this country with a D-VHS recorder.

Edit: Once you've thought about it I'm sure you'll agree your pq being sacrificed for the Cause is well worth it.
Recording HD on D-VHS is a crime against humanity. I can only applaud Humax for their valiant fight against this atrocity
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Old 20-07-2009, 21:39
DDaveBB
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Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick on this query (and yes it's a week+ after the last reply).

The only point I can see for buying a Freesat HD PVR when you don't own an HD set is that you anticipate going HD in the near future.

As the Humax PVR will pick up all the Standard definition channels - why not just watch the BBC1 etc SD channels, through the RGB enabled Scart until you get the HD TV, to get the best available quality at this point.

[As an aside I'm busy reading up all the +ve/-ve points on TV's etc as it coming up to the time when the CRT TV is going to fall over and die - and so far I've not come across a clear winner].
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Old 20-07-2009, 21:53
Andrue
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The only point I can see for buying a Freesat HD PVR when you don't own an HD set is that you anticipate going HD in the near future.
You're overlooking the fact that the Humax HD PVR is the only PVR available for Freesat or was when this thread was started. Even now the only other PVR is a horribly expensive BluRay recorder.

Edit:Hmm, there's also a DVD recorder now but that's still more expensive than the Humax.
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Old 20-07-2009, 23:25
mgb77
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As the Humax PVR will pick up all the Standard definition channels - why not just watch the BBC1 etc SD channels, through the RGB enabled Scart until you get the HD TV, to get the best available quality at this point.
Downscaled HD via scart in RGB looks better than SD on a non HD TV and if you watch BBCHD in non-freesat mode you get RGB from the scart.
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Old 21-07-2009, 07:59
jonesyboy
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Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick on this query (and yes it's a week+ after the last reply).

The only point I can see for buying a Freesat HD PVR when you don't own an HD set is that you anticipate going HD in the near future.

As the Humax PVR will pick up all the Standard definition channels - why not just watch the BBC1 etc SD channels, through the RGB enabled Scart until you get the HD TV, to get the best available quality at this point.

[As an aside I'm busy reading up all the +ve/-ve points on TV's etc as it coming up to the time when the CRT TV is going to fall over and die - and so far I've not come across a clear winner].
I have not read the whole thread so not up with the overall theme. However, there is a point in getting a Freesat HD PVR, even if you dont own an HD ready TV. For example, a friend of mine and his whole village cannot get Freeview, To get digital the only option is satellite. On SD through scart, the Humax HD PVR gives the best SD signal I have seen. Better than so called upscaled Freeview(BT Vision) Unless somebody already has Sky and changes to Freesat through Sky, the Humax HD Freesat is a far supereior option. Sky is a poor option as Freesat by Sky has no HD option.

I have Freesat to an HD Ready Tv. When I tried it through scart, the RGB picture was excellent. Not up to HD HDMI standard obviously.

Sorry DDaveBB, I am not being argumentative. Just that around here, many villages cannot get Freeview yet. Freesat is therefore the best current option, other than Sky
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Old 21-07-2009, 22:29
DDaveBB
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Sorry DDaveBB, I am not being argumentative. Just that around here, many villages cannot get Freeview yet. Freesat is therefore the best current option, other than Sky
No - that's not argumentative - very valid point that the high def freesat box give better looking SD pictures. Interestingly I'm trying to sort out something for my mother-in-law as here Freeview reception is messed up by trees during the summer when it's windy - freesat is one option.
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