[HMHB]

Have you tried using VLC media player on your PC?

[TechyMike]

I did the test with the HDMI cable disconnected from the skybox - no difference. Also with SCART control on and off.

I think it is down to the fact that the output from my dvd hdd is via upscaled HDMI and the source from the SCART whether it be RGB or PAL from the skybox to the SCART in on the dvd hdd ends up the same quality on my tv.

I will test the output from the SCART on the sky box directly to my TV's SCART and see if there are any differences......

[TechyMike]

Sky box connected up via SCART to my TV. Scart control on and RGB produced a "slightly" better picture than PAL with control on or off.

My TV is also scaling the picture to fit its 1080p panel.

Tried it via the DVD SCART input and output via SCART and then HDMI, again if I were pushed, I would say the picture is better with Scart control on and RGB on.

The picture is acceptable, obviously not a patch on Sky via HDMI to my TV but for recording purposes for Sky on the DVD HDD, I am happy with the overall picture.

If I can get the same quality of picture via the SCART input on the 720, then I will have no complaints. But that needs a 720 to be bought.......

[xmb]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I have the recorder in the lounge connected to my router via CAT5.
I have a modern TV in another room which can connect to DLNA servers and play stuff.

Can I watch recordings from this DVD Recorder across the network on that television in the other room?
If so how does this work?
Is it an app on the telly?
Does the DVD Recorder have to be left powered on?
How do you scroll through recorded programs and fast forward etc? Do you need the DVD recorder remote to do this?

Any DLNA device such as a TV can play back media from the BWT720.

The device (e.g. TV) has a menu where you can view the DLNA devices on your local network and select the one you want. It then shows a menu of the folders on the device. In the case of the BWT720 Video, Photos and TV (for live TV streaming) are the folders listed. You then use the device (TV) remote to navigate the folders and list of media to select the one you want to play. This also works via suitable DLNA Apps on your handheld device.

The Panasonic can be in standby and this will still work as long as you don't set low power standby in the options.

This unit uses parental controls for playback and requires a PIN to be entered if the material is marked as G for guidance. This G flag can be set by the broadcasters or in the settings for channels you allocate to be child locked. If the child lock is on (default) then any material marked will not play back without a PIN and can't be seen on DLNA devices! Go to settings and under HDD/Disc/USB choose Settings for playback, here choose Child lock and turn off!

[xmb]

Originally Posted by Toffee952

I have a brand new Samsung ES8000 TV which is connected to my LAN but unfortunately although that recognises WD NAS drive and my PC it does not seem to recognise the 720.

That is odd as the Panasonic is DLNA certified as is the Samsung so they should see each other as a minimum! Are you sure there is not a network problem? My 720 is seen by my Sony TV as is my old BW780.

[crockett]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

...The difference between the two signal types should be very obvious.
Given that you saw no difference, strongly suggests it was composite quality at all times.

I'd have to agree with that, there is a massive difference on my Pace Sky+HD box to my DVR with the RGB enabled scart...

On a different note could anyone with a 720 tell me if their Viera Connect includes Netflix? I read somewhere its on the 2012 TV's but can't find any links confirming it on the Blu-Ray recorders.

[TechyMike]

The picture does not look like composite to me. It looks like it is RGB.

The only thing I have noticed is that when it is set to PAL, if I move up and down in the planner, the highlighted part goes fuzzy for a split second before reverting back. If the setting is on RGB, the highlighted part does not go fuzzy.

If the whole of the display took on this fuzziness, then yes I would say that is composite. But my TV is definitely changing the fuzziness to a much clearer picture and this I think is my tv upscaling.

Honestly there is no difference when watching programmes apart from when in the sky menus and you move around but that is for a split second and only on the highlighted part. The quality of the display is fine and there is no loss of quality when in PAL or RGB mode. They are the same.

If the Panasonic can only take composite in from the SCART then going on the tests I have done, I expect to see the same standard of picture display I am getting now.

[TechyMike]

Also tried the "press the tv button" on the sky remote to switch to PAL and the SKY button to go back to RGB. The quality in the picture is the same, the only difference is the split second fuzziness when moving around in the menus when on PAL.

I can take some photos and you can take a look, obviously I won't be able to catch the fuzziness, but I will take 3 photos, HDMI, one with RGB enabled and one with PAL enabled and see if you can spot the difference.

[TechyMike]

Via HDMI

[TechyMike]

Via PAL

[TechyMike]

Via SCART RGB

[TechyMike]

I can see no difference between PAL and RGB via SCART.

So is the display for PAL and RGB composite looking or RGB looking?

[HMHB]

But what about when the input of the DVD recorder is set to video rather than RGB when you do recordings from Sky to the recorder? Also set the output of the sky box to be PAL rather than RGB

I'm going to do some test recordings today

[TechyMike]

Originally Posted by JohnG

But what about when the input of the DVD recorder is set to video rather than RGB when you do recordings from Sky to the recorder? Also set the output of the sky box to be PAL rather than RGB

I'm going to do some test recordings today

My above pics are connections directly connected to the TV via SCART for the RGB and PAL tests.

Last night I recorded:
SKY PAL - DVD VIDEO
SKY RGB - DVD VIDEO
SKY PAL - DVD RGB
SKY RGB - DVD RGB

All of them were identical and all had the same quality of the pics attached.

I can confirm that setting SCART enabled to OFF, turns off RGB, even if the setting is RGB. This is confirmed as I get the split second fuzziness when SCART enabled is OFF, RGB is on. Switch back to enabled ON and the fuzziness disappears.

[TechyMike]

I think my TV is "correcting" the PAL recording and displaying it so it looks like the RGB version.

If I could get the files from the hard drive in their native state and check the PAL/RGB differences on say a pc then that would be better. Only way to get them from my Sony DVD/HDD is via output on DVD.

I'll see what I can do..... if of course it is possible to do these further checks.

[HMHB]

I just noticed that my current Sky HD box has the scart control set to OFF so I've probably not been recording RGB quality when transferring to the recorder!

[TechyMike]

I've just recorded the above 4 examples on DVD and played it on my pc - there are no differences at all, except for the split second fuzziness when moving around the menus - The 4 recorded pictures are identical.

[HMHB]

Is this a HD recording you've done it for or an SD? I know that you can't transfer HD recordings but they are better quality to start with so I find they transfer better than a lot of SD recordings.

[TechyMike]

SD recordings.

[TechyMike]

I know that a year or so back, the sky boxes with only 1 scart were defaulting to PAL when using the copy function. I don't use that option. I am stumped a little because both PAL and RGB recordings look the same on the TV and on my pc.

[Gavtech]

Mike - Test using real pictures, not generated graphics as they can be delivered via unpredictable routes.

[TechyMike]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

Mike - Test using real pictures, not generated graphics as they can be delivered via unpredictable routes.

I thought the best way to see any degrade in quality is to look at the menus.

I have made some recordings of actual programmes in the various modes and they all look the same.

The big question is if I purchase the 720 and hook it up and record with only composite as an input, what will the recording look like?
If it is as good as the recordings I have made, I will be happy. I guess we need someone with a Sky+ box to make some recordings on the 720 and let everyone know.

[TechyMike]

I have made a recording of BBC HD on Sky via SCART to my DVD recorder. It is now on my pc as an mpg file.
It shows the recording as RGB, then the sky setting is changed to PAL and I move around the menus so the fuzziness can be seen, then more of the programme in PAL, then I change back to RGB, move around the menus without an fuzziness and then more of the programme.

I can see no differences at all when watching the progamme.

If anyone wants a copy, how is it best to distribute? I really would like someone to comment on what is happening to my PAL/RGB settings and the quality of the recordings. They in my opinion are not composite at all but a much better quality.
However I would love a second opinion or even a third.

[TechyMike]

Just to add when I have the output via the RF connector to my TV, the fuzziness occurs for a split second as before. The picture is not as clear as the PAL/RGB using scart, but I would expect that.

[HMHB]

I just did a quick test at lunch time transferring 5 minutes of HD Springwatch onto my EX78 with RGB enabled on both and then with RGB disabled on both.

I could see a massive difference with the Sky menus but to be honest the actual picture difference between the 2 versions of the Springwatch recording wasn't that great and I'd be hard pushed to tell which was which. I must stress that this is initial testing only and I've not looked closely at the recordings.

I also only played back through the scart socket as I don't have my EX78 connected by HDMI at the moment. Over the weekend I will connect it HDMI and look at the results.

I'll do a similar comparison with SD material too.

[rossdunmall]

My 720EB arrived yesterday.

[xmb]

Originally Posted by crockett

On a different note could anyone with a 720 tell me if their Viera Connect includes Netflix? I read somewhere its on the 2012 TV's but can't find any links confirming it on the Blu-Ray recorders.

Yes, the new range including the BWT720 has Netflix. It even has a button on the remote marked Netflix for fast access!

[TechyMike]

I have got my hands on a BWT720

Will put it through its paces and let you know what I think.

Will be a while though.....

[TechyMike]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I just did a quick test at lunch time transferring 5 minutes of HD Springwatch onto my EX78 with RGB enabled on both and then with RGB disabled on both.

I could see a massive difference with the Sky menus but to be honest the actual picture difference between the 2 versions of the Springwatch recording wasn't that great and I'd be hard pushed to tell which was which. I must stress that this is initial testing only and I've not looked closely at the recordings.

I also only played back through the scart socket as I don't have my EX78 connected by HDMI at the moment. Over the weekend I will connect it HDMI and look at the results.

I'll do a similar comparison with SD material too.

UPDATE FOR YOU JOHN!!!

I have done some recordings on the BWT720 and they are very IMPRESSIVE!!!

This is for Sky through AV2 on the 720 with video set as the input. As mentioned before there is no RGB option on the 720. I still kept the Sky box as RGB and scart on. Will do further tests later.

My findings:
The menus look fine except the highlighted item, that stays fuzzy.
So I would say that the menus look better in RGB.
HOWEVER the picture recorded from Sky via AV2 (video) when played back looks far more impressive than the RGB recording made on my Sony DVD recorder.
I have recorded ITV and ITV HD on Sky using the BWT720 and they have passed my tests with flying colours.

So if you were holding back because of the lack of RGB input on the scart socket and you were worried that your sky recordings would look bad, then don't worry, the recordings look brilliant!

I have lots of further tests to do on this unit but the Sky recordings I am more than happy with.

[TechyMike]

I need some help now.

I can access my pc and play files no problem.

I have checked for updates so I know the internet connection is fine.

However when I try and access netfllex or viera connect (pressing the intenet button on the remote) I get the following message:

"Cannot connect - please try again later or confirm network connection and setting"

When I confirm network connections, the tests come back to say the internet is available.

Anyone help please?