How to calibrate Sky

[CrispyToast]

Ok my setup can be seen below, with the ES10 feeding the iscan HD+ through component and the SkyHD box feeding the iscan HD+ through HDMI. The iscan HD+ then feeds the Sharp through HDMI @ 720P/50Hz.
I can Calibrate my es10 using a DVD based system (DVE,THX or even SpyderTV) and have done so only adjusting the setting in the iscan controls, but how do I calibrate the SkyHD input into the TV?
All I can think off is to use a HDMI equiped DVD player and calibrate the TV HDMI input using that. Is there another way?
And why don't sky have a calibration channel?
I know the Sky feed looks wrong/different to the DVD feed so it needs doing and I am not experienced enough to do this by eye at the moment.
Help

[Mr.D]

The only way to do properly would be for Sky to broadcast a test pattern.

All you can really do is assume a dvd player is somewhat accurate on the output stage and calibrate to that as a starting point, if you notice any massive deviations relative to the sky box then tweak by eye.

You might find with hdmi that the deviation between sources is fairly minimal , I've found the component output on lots of players to be very close to each other.

[Neil Davidson]

As Keith says, in the absence of Sky broadcasting some test patterns (and lord knows they've been asked often enough to consider it) you have to try and use another method.

I have a calibrated signal generator which I use to ensure that the input has been greyscaled as close as possible to industry standards. Then switch over to the sky box and set brightness, contrast and colour by eye. There are a few tricks that you can use to do this properly.

Whilst not the "perfect" results you can get from DVD the improvements are still usually dramatic.

Neil

[CrispyToast]

Ok thanks, I am on the right track then.
I also should calibrate my Sky+ box so if I remember right the sky box can pass through a picture on it's scart connectors would that be a better way to calibrate my other Sky+ box than running a dvd player on the same TV scart.
Cheers

[CrispyToast]

Ok did this today using a DVD player on both the SkyHD and Sky+ and I am happy with the results. The scart connected Sky+ box needed a bit a fine adjustment, but the HDMI SkyHD setup seems spot on.