I am extremely pleased with my new toy, but today I came across a minor irritation. On setting Grand Designs to record on Channel 4 today I was not given the choice of SD or HD. I cancelled the recording and tried by setting the recording on Channel 4 HD. Still no option given!

Any ideas Graham?

Yes refer your question to CH 4.

There is a forum PM facility.

My trusty old Foxsat HDR gives me the HD & SD options so I can't see why it's anything to do with Channel 4.

I'm very disappointed with your response repassac! I have always found your contributions very informative, but this is a discussion forum and to suggest that I refer my question to Channel 4 is less than helpful. All I wanted was to bring to the attention of the forum something I had experienced and maybe ascertain from the more experienced members if this is a know issue. It's curt replies like yours that puts people off posting!

I think the repeats on Saturdays are broadcast in SD,and the first showings on Wednesdays in HD.

I have found that CH4 do slip up with their data from time to time (not at all up to CH 5's poor performance) The post that said their foxsat recorded this suggests that I am not correct in this instance (It has happened once before). My wife has also mentioned that I am not perfect. Appols to CH4, CH5 please try harder.

You've lost me there, don't CH 4 (SD) simulcast their program's on CH 4 HD.

If they have the program in HD I presume they transmit it HD.

I have just tried to set up tomorrow's episode of Homeland and again I have not been given a choice of HD or SD. I happen to have an original Humax Freesat HDR in another room and when I tried the same settings it gave me a choice of HD or SD as normal.

Isn't C4 HD a separate channel on Freesat? Can't you record it direct from there? Wouldn't you also record SD programmes from the HD channel to benefit from the superior picture/sound quality?

Yes, but the Freesat+ products generally give both options (SD,HD) from either Channel. I can't see why the 1000s would/should be any different.

Personally I record everything in HD if possible, but others may prefer the SD option to save on disc space etc.
And I generally record the HD option from the SD channel as the SD channels are at the start of the EPG and not at 119 or 126 etc.

The SD/HD link on the HDR-1000s clearly works if the epg data is present. If you look at icons at the top of the epg when a SD channel is identified as having a HD version there is a HD icon.

afaik the reverse isn't true on either box, of you are on a HD channel you never get this programme is also in SD

If this is missing, then as Repassac says it's down to the broadcaster or perhaps Freesat in linking the G1 and G2 epgs.

If the data ain't there there's no way the box can tell it's also in HD.

As for lower channel numbers, the HDR-1000s has a perfectly good favourites option. There's little point for most in including SD versions of HD simulcast channels.

All I have on my favourites are the 5 HD channels, BBC 2 and 5. No point in including channel 4 or bbc 1.

In any case if you open the epg and tap in 108 you jump straight to the channel entry.

I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make.


(Foxsat) The fact is I have just pressed the OK button while selecting tomorrows 'Homeland' from the EPG on Ch 4 HD and got this message "An Alternative Version Of This Program is Available".

It is telling me this program is also available in SD. (your foxsat never did this then ?)

In fact all the programs on Ch 4 HD give the SD option for recording.

Error.

Sounds like a problem with your EPG updating, I'd do a Freesat scan, leave it for 30mins to let the EPG populate, then see if that solves the problem.

That is my point precisely! I have found this to be a useful function for years on my Foxsat but there seems to be a glitch on the new Freetime box!

I believe that the G2 data for this is different from G1. Other channels function correctly so my guess is broadcaster data error.

I'm not certain that this is G2 related, as my (G1) Panasonic Freesat TV does pretty much the same as the G2 1000S.

It will give you the option to record some program's in HD on BBC1/2 and ITV but nothing for Channel 4 !

You can see from the link that some program's on BBC1/2 and ITV have little blue "Also in HD" labels.

No program on Channel 4 SD has these.

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/v...4157605ad0.jpg

Is the Foxsat just programmed to give the HD (or SD) record option for Channel 4 without the data being present in the EPG.

I think there are differences in the way the logic works on the Foxsat unit which may also be using matching programme CRID data and the HD channel indication. I think there is meant to be a flag on the SD data which is missing on the CH4 programmes i checked.

Another difference is the reverse where the Foxsat tells you also in SD but freetime has dispensed with this.