New Sky +HD install Questions

[Maximus007]

Hey all so the engineer just left about 3 hours ago,and so far we are very happy with Sky +HD having just standard sky before hand. I have a few questions though when you look at the mini display TV in the corner of the selected channel, it looks so much better than when you make it full screen at least a 40 -50% difference in quality, is there anyway I can improve the main picture? I have played around with the TV and box settings but no big changes.

Also on channels such as E4 HD and Sci Fi HD there are the two black bars on the each side usually I would just change the aspect ration but it makes no difference until I reach zoom 2 which stretches the picture then it gets a little grainy.

And finally why do the SD channels look a little worse on the HD box compared to the old pace box we were using?

Hardware
TV:Panasonic PX70 50inch
Sky Box:Amstrad 250GB HD box-came out of brand new box

[NewsreadeR]

Also on channels such as E4 HD and Sci Fi HD there are the two black bars on the each side usually I would just change the aspect ration but it makes no difference until I reach zoom 2 which stretches the picture then it gets a little grainy.

That happens when some programmes are not originally made in HD - You will get it watching The Simpsons and other programmes as well.

[Maximus007]

Originally Posted by NewsreadeR

That happens when some programmes are not originally made in HD - You will get it watching The Simpsons and other programmes as well.

Anyway around it or should I just switch to the SD station?

[NewsreadeR]

I don't think there is anyway around it - Changing to the SD channel is one way but a pain in the backside for when the next programme after is in HD

I just put up with it.

[Kenedin]

Originally Posted by Maximus007

..... I have a few questions though when you look at the mini display TV in the corner of the selected channel, it looks so much better than when you make it full screen at least a 40 -50% difference in quality, is there anyway I can improve the main picture? I have played around with the TV and box settings but no big changes.

If you compress any low-bitrate, or ( on a digi camera ) low megapixel picture on a large screen to a fraction of its displayed size, the picture quality will look good. That is why SD channels look almost HD-like when compressed into a small proportion of your screen. Conversely, as you increase the size of a SD picture, it worse it looks. If you look at a low bitrate vid on You Tube, then display it on Full Screen on a large pc screen, you really notice the difference in quality.

Originally Posted by Maximus007

..... Also on channels such as E4 HD and Sci Fi HD there are the two black bars on the each side usually I would just change the aspect ration but it makes no difference until I reach zoom 2 which stretches the picture then it gets a little grainy.

As NewsreadeR has said, HD material is shown in its native aspect ratio, be it 16:9, 4:3 or whatever. It is shown as it was originally shot. Not stretched to artificially fill the screen. The black bars are there because the tv has nothing to display - the film is being shown in its original format. Otherwise you would not be seeing it as the director intended, and it would not be HD, merely a distorted offering.

Originally Posted by Maximus007

..... And finally why do the SD channels look a little worse on the HD box compared to the old pace box we were using?

Because your eyes are getting used to viewing some excellent HD images, after which SD seems a let-down, even on some of the better SD channels. You have a 50" screen - on a 32" screen the difference between HD and SD is minimal. You may find ( as I did ) that slightly adjusting picture settings on your tv may help to ameliorate the quality of SD. It's all down to individual perception.

[Glent]

I am in the exact same situation as you, im very disapointed with SD perfomance, I have had my box replaced today and im still going to cancel. 58 a month for youtube quality TV no thanks
Not happy with new HD box