SKY HD box - scart ?

advido

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..my Sky HD box gives a superb output via both HDMI and component BUT I have to use the scart to output to a HDD/DVD recorder.... using the scart the quality of my picture is severely degraded - colours 'smearing' and lack of fine detail, halos around edges....

This means that any signal being recorded by the DVD recorder is of a far lower quality that when viewed straight from the SKY box...

If I record a Freeview signal from the inbuilt tuner of the recorder (this is linked back to the Sky HD box via HDMI-2 on my TV) because the signal has not come out via the Sky scart it is once again 'top notch'... Therefor the problems must
lie with a poor signal coming from the Sky scart...

I've 'upgraded' to quality scarts but this makes no difference whatsoever...

Does anybody on here get this sort of problem or is my Sky HD scart output typical of what to expect...?
 
The best you'll get is RGB so make sure the Sky box is set to output RGB within the Sky "Services", "Picture Settings", "Video Output" and also that you are connected to the socket marked "TV Scart".
Make sure your DVDR is set to input RGB.
 
The best you'll get is RGB so make sure the Sky box is set to output RGB within the Sky "Services", "Picture Settings", "Video Output" and also that you are connected to the socket marked "TV Scart".
Make sure your DVDR is set to input RGB.

...Yes.... this is exactly my setup...

This means that all recordings made for archive to dvd are of a far lower quality than the original. (even in HQ - 1 hour mode)... makes a bit of a mockery of 'digital' recording if you ask me !

Is there any other way of outputting a signal from the Sky box ?

Is component connection 2 way - can that be used ??
 
...Yes.... this is exactly my setup...

This means that all recordings made for archive to dvd are of a far lower quality than the original. (even in HQ - 1 hour mode)... makes a bit of a mockery of 'digital' recording if you ask me !

Is there any other way of outputting a signal from the Sky box ?

Is component connection 2 way - can that be used ??

Digital recording? Via scart? Don't think so. You may be recording on a digital medium, but it is definitely an analogue signal that you are recording if you are feeding your DVDR a signal via scart.

Just in case your DVDR does not like RGB input, you could try the s-video and audio outs from the Sky box, if your DVDR supports s-video in.

Test the actual signal that your Sky box is outputting via the RGB TV scart - connect that direct to a scart in on your TV, and compare the pic quality via HDMI with the pic quality via RGB scart. If the scart connection to your TV gives the same pic quality as what your DVDR is recording, then that is going to be the best you can hope for. If the scart connection to the TV looks better than the scart picture you are recording on your DVDR, it sounds like your DVDR does not like an RGB input.
 
Concensus is that the Sky HD Scart is crippled, maybe by intent, maybe poor components.

Consensus, are you sure, or is that just your opinion again? ;)

ATB

Max
 
Are there any DVD recorders with component inputs?
There's another thread where possible future HDMI inputs have been mentioned.
I've used both scart and broadz' s-video/l-r audio methods, and both - quite understandably - produce a recorded picture inferior to the original.
Now I use the second of those methods, mainly because the cabling is less obtrusive.
 
I have seen enough people state it to make it concensus:D.

Many even say that the component is gimped.

I still think it's your opinion! ;)

Definition of consensus:- Consensus has two common meanings. One is a general agreement among the members of a given group or community, each of which exercises some discretion in decision making and follow-up action. The other is as a theory and practice of getting such agreements (for information on the practice of achieving formal consensus, see consensus decision-making).

Achieving consensus requires serious treatment of every group member's considered opinion. Once a decision is made it is important to trust in members' discretion in follow-up action. In the ideal case, those who wish to take up some action want to hear those who oppose it, because they count on the fact that the ensuing debate will improve the consensus. In theory, action without resolution of considered opposition will be rare and done with attention to minimize damage to relationships.

source

ATB

Max
 
>>>>Test the actual signal that your Sky box is outputting via the RGB TV scart - connect that direct to a scart in on your TV, and compare the pic quality via HDMI with the pic quality via RGB scart. If the scart connection to your TV gives the same pic quality as what your DVDR is recording, then that is going to be the best you can hope for. If the scart connection to the TV looks better than the scart picture you are recording on your DVDR, it sounds like your DVDR does not like an RGB input


...the picture from my SKY HD via scart straight into my TV is also very poor .. in fact just the same as the pic coming in from the DVDR via scart...(proving that loss of quality is not in the DVDR in/out signal but the scart output from the SKY HD box)
This leads me to state again that the output via scart from the SKY HD box in not up to the standards that I personally require.. definitely not good enough when we keep getting all this hype about HDTV and 'digital' - no signal loss / quality images ect ect. Why don't SKY put an HDMI "OUT" on it - then you know its gonna' be a pure digtal /crisp / clean signal.... What i'm getting when playing back DVD recordings from SKY is not a lot better that S-VHS or even VHS...
It's like having two standards in one box 1968 and 2008 !
Come on Sky give us something a bit better in your next generation HD box....

The picture from my SKY HD box via HDMI into my TV is superb..... the picture from my SKY HD box with scart - either directly into my TV or via my DVDR is terrible and simply not good enough....
 
...this is an example of what i'm getting via SKY HD box
HDMI to TV
and
SCART (rgb) to TV.

See how much cleaner the HDMI is (the red square - the white line round the 'select' box) ?

The scart give lots of smearing and therefor lack of definition...

Try this out on the the SKY menu screen and see how yours is !
 

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the picture from my SKY HD via scart straight into my TV is also very poor

As an experiment disconnect every lead from your TV to your DVDR and Sky HD.
Now just connect the SkyHD TV Scart to an RGB capable input on the TV.
Go in to the Services, Picture Settings, Video Output menu and toggle it using the left/right arrows between PAL and RGB...do you see a difference in the pic?
 
As an experiment disconnect every lead from your TV to your DVDR and Sky HD.
Now just connect the SkyHD TV Scart to an RGB capable input on the TV.
Go in to the Services, Picture Settings, Video Output menu and toggle it using the left/right arrows between PAL and RGB...do you see a difference in the pic?

...that's exactly what I've done with the pictures I submitted... one shows the hdmi connection straight into TV - the other show my scart (rgb)((not pal)) connection straight into my TV.... not good is it ?
 
...that's exactly what I've done with the pictures I submitted

With respect...you haven't done what I asked you to do...I have a valid reason for asking you to try this...switching between RGB and PAL (Composite)...and reporting back stating if there is a noticeable difference...it has nothing to do with HDMI.
 
...that's exactly what I've done with the pictures I submitted... one shows the hdmi connection straight into TV - the other show my scart (rgb)((not pal)) connection straight into my TV.... not good is it ?

Yes, but that's not what Jaycee suggested. He said connect your Sky HD box to your TV only by scart, then toggle the scart connection between PAL and RGB. The reason is to deduce whether you really are comparing an RGB picture with the HDMI picture, or are you actually comparing a composite (PAL) picture with the HDMI picture, because either the scart connection is not capable of RGB, or the scart cable is not capable of RGB.

So, returning to Jaycee's suggestion, connect your Sky box to your TV only by scart, not by HDMI or component, then toggle the scart output between RGB and PAL. Do you see a difference then? If the answer is yes, use whichever connection gives the best picture quality (normally RGB, but some tellies just don't like RGB). If the answer is no, you can't see any difference between RGB and PAL, then either (a) again, your TV cannot decode RGB via the scart connection you have plugged your Sky box into, try another scart on the TV or go into the TV scart configuration menu and set the scart to RGB rather than composite or (b) the cable you are using between your scart box and your TV is not fully-wired, not capable of carrying the RGB signal.

It sounds to me as though you have just got used to/been spoiled by the HDMI connection, and the upscaling achieved through it, and now you are noticing that alternative connections (namely scart) aren't capable of carrying the same quality of detail.

I don't think your problem is totally down to your Sky box though - unless you can find a DVD recorder that accepts component or HDMI input, how do you intend to feed a high definition/higher quality picture from the Sky HD box to your DVD recorder in the first place?

Edit: Sorry Jaycee, just noticed you had corrected the OP in much less words than I did. :D
 
Edit: Sorry Jaycee, just noticed you had corrected the OP in much less words than I did. :D

No problem Broadz, I can see you're thinking along the same lines as me. :D
I'm fairly certain advid isn't using a fully-connected scart lead, it's not connected to the TV scart on the Sky box, RGB is not selected, it's not connected to an RGB-enabled AV input on his TV or he is unfairly comparing HD with SD.
 
It sounds to me as though you have just got used to/been spoiled by the HDMI connection, and the upscaling achieved through it, and now you are noticing that alternative connections (namely scart) aren't capable of carrying the same quality of detail.

I don't think your problem is totally down to your Sky box though - unless you can find a DVD recorder that accepts component or HDMI input, how do you intend to feed a high definition/higher quality picture from the Sky HD box to your DVD recorder in the first place?

I think that's the answer - what would have looked like a good picture through scart before getting used to HDMI now looks like a poor one
- that's been my conclusion from the start about the same thing.

Again, are there any DVD recorders with component or HDMI inputs?
 
I use the HD box scart to my Panasonic HDD/RAM recorder and the picture quality is just fine. Fine that is for SD........None of the problems that the OP has described. As far as I can see there is nothing wrong with the quality of SD output from the HD box scart......
 
With respect...you haven't done what I asked you to do...I have a valid reason for asking you to try this...switching between RGB and PAL (Composite)...and reporting back stating if there is a noticeable difference...it has nothing to do with HDMI.

YES i have !
...there is a 'slight' difference when switching between RGB and PAL.

My scart picture shows the RGB setting....
 
Again, are there any DVD recorders with component or HDMI inputs?

Problem is, the Sky box could then implement license restrictions to prevent you copying whatever you wanted off to another source. The HDMI specs include HDCP which is for this exact purpose (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi#Content_protection).

With that in mind, will we ever actually see an 'external' recorder that offers a HDMI connection?
 
Seems your best solution would be to mod your Sky HD box with a larger Hard Drive.
 
Seems your best solution would be to mod your Sky HD box with a larger Hard Drive.

Not if he wants to archive to DVD because

1. He wants to watch the recorded programmes on a different TV not connected to his Sky box.
2. He wants to send the DVDs he records to friends who live abroad.
3. He wants to watch the programmes on his Sky box on his PC.
4. I haven't though of four yet, but it will be something to do with not watching the programme currently stored on his HD box on the TV that lives next to his HD box.
 
(from ADVID - originator of this thread)

...I've just ordered a s-vhs to s-vhs cable and a component to component cable to see if it improves the output from my SKY HD box - the DVDR has both inputs - as well as 2 scarts and HDMI out....
 

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