[ph7]

Wow Wow Wow Wow Wow....i could go on.

OK ditched Sky as I was sick of the shocking picture quality of which I am certain is getting worse as they ramp for HD. I don't have the sports or movies so there was no way I was going to pay a tenner for PVR and another tenner for the HD on top!

For ten pounds extra a month I now have PVR, HD and a second unit in the bedroom compared to a single sky unit.

First off SD transmissons....so far away from the crap I've been watching on Sky it is unreal! HDMI makes sooo much difference. It has reduced the distance require to sit away by about 70%! The colour is so much more vibrant and the skin tones have vastly improved. Personally this is as impressive a leap as the HD content looks.

Of course the HD derserves a mention and looks amazing, can't wait for more content to become available. Recording is simple and have all worked flawlessly and the menu speeds are fine, certainly faster than previous TW units.

My only annoyance so far has been after setting a reminder that the only way you can cancel it is by going through the home menus into services and settings. if anything else jumps at me then I'll update.

By the way the remote code for this unit with the samsungs is 0079, not listed by telewest.

Originally Posted by ph7

Wow Wow Wow Wow Wow....i could go on.

OK ditched Sky as I was sick of the shocking picture quality of which I am certain is getting worse as they ramp for HD. I don't have the sports or movies so there was no way I was going to pay a tenner for PVR and another tenner for the HD on top!

For ten pounds extra a month I now have PVR, HD and a second unit in the bedroom compared to a single sky unit.

First off SD transmissons....so far away from the crap I've been watching on Sky it is unreal! HDMI makes sooo much difference. It has reduced the distance require to sit away by about 70%! The colour is so much more vibrant and the skin tones have vastly improved. Personally this is as impressive a leap as the HD content looks.

Of course the HD derserves a mention and looks amazing, can't wait for more content to become available. Recording is simple and have all worked flawlessly and the menu speeds are fine, certainly faster than previous TW units.

My only annoyance so far has been after setting a reminder that the only way you can cancel it is by going through the home menus into services and settings. if anything else jumps at me then I'll update.

By the way the remote code for this unit with the samsungs is 0079, not listed by telewest.

That's very good to hear, I too have been with sky for over 5 years and am also sick of the crap pq from sky so I have decided to give tv drive a go. My install is today between 1pm and 6. Hope i'm as pleased with mine as you are.

cheers
Mark

My install date is also today between 1 and 6. Bought a XB360 on launch which looked ok on my normal TV... but 2 days ago i bought a LG 26LX2R 26" HD TV for £699 from Comet and the quality blew me away!.

Slight dissapointment of 1 ddead pixel but it can only be seen when less than arms length away and you really have to be looking for it.

Downloaded a trailer in 720p from Xbox of Ice Age 2 and it was jaw dropping how clear it looked.

Was thinking about getting Sky HD but that would have cost me £300 for a box and £55 a month where as in the house we already have a TW box in the living room that my parents pay for so my box is only £10 a month for all channels.

When i found out that TVDrive was free and can act like a HD Sky+ box i had to order 1!.

Just hope TW get the World Cup in HD and its not too long until Sky allow TW to broadcast HD stations like Movies HD and Sports HD.

[ph7]

to be honest I'd be tempted to return the tv back to the shop and get a refund. I know it is only one dead pixel but it would annoy the hell out of me and I know I wouldn't be able to not look at it.

I have also borrowed a friends 360.....must buy one soon.

For the moment I've got my original xbox running with a few HD games, looks great.

I did think about it but its far too much hassle to box it back up and return just for 1 tiny tiny black dot.

When looking at a normal distance away you cannot see it... its only when you put your face right near the screen.

[ph7]

One other thing that I forgot to mention.

The engineer asked if I had ordered the HDMI lead via Telewest or if it had been sent out for free.

I told him that it was included (which I checked when ordering). He then went on to tell me that he thinks that they cost about 40 quid if you were to order it from telewest and that if you were to order the TVDrive to use on a CRT and then purchase a LCD/Plasma/DLP then you would have to buy one!


Still, cheaper than a monster!

[pnangna]

Originally Posted by ph7

to be honest I'd be tempted to return the tv back to the shop and get a refund. I know it is only one dead pixel but it would annoy the hell out of me and I know I wouldn't be able to not look at it.

I expect they would probably laugh at you, people dont seem to understand the odd stuck/dead pixel is not a fault only very few manufacturers offer a zero dead pixel policy. I have a toshiba LCD and thankfully it has no stuck/dead and im very glad as toshibas dead pixel policy is a joke.

[ph7]

That's not the point I was getting at; I know that a dead pixel is acceptable as part of the manufacturers standards, but that does not stop you taking a unit back and getting a refund.

You could even spout that the set doesn't suit the look of the room or something even more bizarre. The fact is you are completely in your rights to return an item.

Unfortunatly not a TV at Comet. It is not included by their 14 day return unless its faulty (which its not really)

And they have no more left so i might aswell keep it

Just on the phone to the store now. They have 1 on displayand 4 in the back. He also says i CAN swap over if i wish within 7 days of purchase.

Gonna go and swap it once i have my TVDrive installed as i have to be here. I wonder what the chances of getting another one with a dead pixel are?

[Ambient Fish]

Hi PH7, good point, well made in your original post, I have been trying to make a similar point in an other thread. I am watching far more TV now that I ever did, for some reason the TV Drive just makes it easier to get lost in the programme, the PQ on BBC1/2, STV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and SKY 1 is stunning, and as you say the HD stuff is excellent as a taster for the full blown broadcast HD.

[so99]

Do you have any pics of the box and remote and also the screen menu bar. I would like to see if the menu is the same as the current digi box.

[DynaMight]

Originally Posted by so99

Do you have any pics of the box and remote and also the screen menu bar. I would like to see if the menu is the same as the current digi box.

Menu is the same as the other TW box and heres a good site with pics: http://sutties.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tvdrive/tvdrive.htm

My box has JUST been installed. I will snap some pics on my cam and upload for you

[ph7]

Great news regarding Comet, good to see that their people havesome sense about them. Just been watching supervolcanoes in awe.

I've bee playing about with the resolution settings, 720p or 1080i. I've been told that the slightly blury menus when you are in 1080i are in the process of being updated as they look fine in 720p.

The raises the question of what I watch it in for now. All the HD content looks stunning in 1080i, but I would say hat th SD feeds are looking better at 720p (at least for the moment). I noticed this especially with some of the snooker footage today as the players cue seemed to be made of jagged lines when he approached the table...not so in 720p. This also applied to the scores on screen.

I know this isn't anything to do with my TV being native at 720p as the HD content (and any other 1080i sources I have hooked in) have always looked perfect. Fingers crossed that will get sorted in the next update.

Can anyone else see this issue? as mentioned it is most apparent in the menus.

I also get a bad image when on 1080 but fine when on 720. Started to watch the football and it looked poor. However i turned off the XD picture thing on the LG and it was much better.

That volcano one looks good and Pride is also very good quality. Just wish there was a HD film i could try.

I have started to have 2nd thoughts about TVDrive and am thinking about going Sky again.

Reason seems to be down to content. Whilst i watch SD quality football and maybe the odd 1 movie in HD, Sky will have loads of football in HD as well as some huge new movies on box office in HD,

I know its £300 but maybe it might be worth it?. I have an awful feeling its going to be xmas or after when TW get some of the HD channels from Sky for TVDrive

[Starburst]

Well now you have the TVDrive I would stick with it unless you still have a no penalty get out option and if you do change nothing is guaranteed with SKY hardware/software

However TW HD content will increase even if that isn't SKY branded as TW do have their own PPV movie contracts and the BBC will be supplying more content once the proper trial begins. Rumours of contracts with Pathe were common before launch so while proper HD channels may be thin on the ground I would expect Teleport to increase dramatically.

[TVR_Fan]

Originally Posted by ph7

Wow Wow Wow Wow Wow....i could go on.

OK ditched Sky as I was sick of the shocking picture quality of which I am certain is getting worse as they ramp for HD. I don't have the sports or movies so there was no way I was going to pay a tenner for PVR and another tenner for the HD on top!

For ten pounds extra a month I now have PVR, HD and a second unit in the bedroom compared to a single sky unit.

First off SD transmissons....so far away from the crap I've been watching on Sky it is unreal! HDMI makes sooo much difference. It has reduced the distance require to sit away by about 70%! The colour is so much more vibrant and the skin tones have vastly improved. Personally this is as impressive a leap as the HD content looks.

Of course the HD derserves a mention and looks amazing, can't wait for more content to become available. Recording is simple and have all worked flawlessly and the menu speeds are fine, certainly faster than previous TW units.

My only annoyance so far has been after setting a reminder that the only way you can cancel it is by going through the home menus into services and settings. if anything else jumps at me then I'll update.

By the way the remote code for this unit with the samsungs is 0079, not listed by telewest.

I think you could of made the worst mistake ever. SD signals on none Sky HD is designed for SD TV's. While Sky HD signals are designed for HD TV's.

[ph7]

Originally Posted by TVR_Fan

I think you could of made the worst mistake ever. SD signals on none Sky HD is designed for SD TV's. While Sky HD signals are designed for HD TV's.

Only with respect to their HD channels, if you purchased a HDready screen and then purely watched only the Sky HD channels your evenings would be mighty dull....look at it from my perspective:

1) I don't subscibe to the sports or movies so the £10 extra a month just for a handfull of channels isn't really worth it via Sky, whereas TW include it in with the price of the PVR functions.

2) A standard Sky box image quality when displayed on an LCD is just awful; whether there is upscalling or it is the HDMI connection the SD images on TVDrive are simply superb. It is this feature which I am most impressed with, forgetting the HD content which is also fantastic.

3) As soon as the BBC go HD (which will be free to air, at least for set top boxes) others will follow suit. Do you think ITV won't want to keep up with their rivals? Champions league in HD.....that'd be cool. Adoptation will be quick though probably not this year.

Whilst Skys HD channels are designed for HD users purely so is the video on demad via the teleport. Add the fact that skys HD channels are not all in HD as they do not have the programming for it yet and you are faced with a similar issue for telewest...there's not enough HD programming around yet to fill channels.

I understand that skys' box has many features that are appealing for others yet for me Telewest solution is a better option, even if Sky hold on to their movie and sports HD channels I'm sure that the others (Discorery, artsworld etc) will cross over to TW. Previously, we have had Sky for over 10 years and it has served well, but times change....

I really don't understand the whole Telewest/Xbox/HD-DVD is better than Sky/PS2/Blueray type biased disputes that go on with every new technology. As long as the service is good and the product does what is required for that user....what's the issue?

Im sticking with my TW box as its free and TW will get the World Cup in HD also.

Plus it wont be too long until TW get Sky HD stuff because people must sign up for 12 months with Sky so its not like someone can join Sky and then 1 month later think "Oh TW have the same, il cancel and join them" you are in it for 12 months no matter what

Spare a thought for those of us out in the wilderness, who have no choice but to use Sky (no cable service within 10 miles).

Until Sky completely ruined the last episode of BG with that now infamous well-endowed DOG, I was a very happy Zeddy with their service. Now I wonder what's in store once HD starts up next month. DOGs could be splattered about the screen worse than a mad woman's sh*t...

It seems from Sky's response to my complaint that - oops! musn't talk about it... ...just read their email footer... ...Big Brother eat your heart out!!!

Daydreaming out loud - a mixer and a sprite generator to literally black out any offending DOG. Rather a black hole than an ungainly distraction... Reckon it would have been possible in the old analog days...

Apologies to the OP - seem to have gone off the rails a bit...

[KevinPedrick]

Cheers for the Samsung remote code. I'd given up trying to program the remote for my telly.

Won't help much though since I use a Marantz amp for sound and switch sources not channels.

[ph7]

I just wish you could turn off the TV with the telewest remote and not just the volume....it would make much more sense

[KevinPedrick]

I just sat playing trying to find a way to switch off the Telly using the TVDrive remote but no luck.

An on/off button would be more useful than volume IMO.

[Andrew2]

I just got my TVDrive today. While HiDef looks great, I have found a problem. I use the RF (Ariel) output to feed other rooms. As soon as you switch to HDMI, you lose the RF feed.

I suspect my only option is to keep switching between HDMI and non HMDI everytime I want to watch in a different room

[jont]

Originally Posted by Zeddy

Spare a thought for those of us out in the wilderness, who have no choice but to use Sky (no cable service within 10 miles).

I don't know what's worse ... being that far away ... or the fact that the TW franchise ends a mile down the road and it's only NTheLL available here !!

and before anyone comments, yes I know that they are the same company now, or were til they became part of the Virgin group ... but when somebody starts to join their networks up and offer the same product/package across the UK then I'll be happy ... til then its skyHD on the 22nd for me

Jon

[Rob_Quads]

Originally Posted by ph7

Champions league in HD.....that'd be cool.

I doubt it for quite some time. At the moment they only pay for a crappy 4:3 feed so i can't see then doing HD for a while. A nice 16:9 that every oth
er broadcaster seems to get would be nice