[gkrishn]

Originally Posted by sumathindra

Get your set top box, cable and the connections checked. It just works like a charm.

Originally Posted by kirantp

I second Sumathindra. Recently watched a movie on StarMoviesHD and the 5.1 worked just great. Depends on the movie and the reception too.

Guys,
See the reply from gopikb. this is what i was talking about. the 5.1 does not work over hdmi.

Originally Posted by gopikb

gkrishn Note that Tatsky HD + set top box doesnot give 5.1 sound through HDMI. You will need to connect either the cooxial cable out from set top box to coax in of your HDTV or use TOSLINK cable to connect optical audio out from set top box to HDTV to get 5.1 sound.

And this is total nonsense isn't it? why they are supporting it over coax and not over hdmi?!?! When i first hooked my receiver to tatasky hd, it was showing only stereo. tried changing all the cables and et al. none worked.
i dont have this issue with dvd/htpc. they both work like a "charm". not the tatasky settop box.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by gkrishn

Guys,

And this is total nonsense isn't it? why they are supporting it over coax and not over hdmi?!?! When i first hooked my receiver to tatasky hd, it was showing only stereo. tried changing all the cables and et al. none worked.
i dont have this issue with dvd/htpc. they both work like a "charm". not the tatasky settop box.

Yup. That is a goof up in the Tata sky HD+ set top box design. I really dont know how they overlooked this important aspect during design and approval phase.

[Nicky]

Originally Posted by dadu

if nothing works, use the learning function to adapt the remote to the DVD remote buttons. Might take some time but its only for once.

I tried this yesteday and learning also didn't work. When it says to press the respective which is to be configured on 5-in-1 remote, LED suppose to blink fast and continues until the next action (as written in manual), but it doesn't and when i completed all the steps, i tried the remote with DVD but again, nothing worked.
now i am really worried if something is wrong with the remote but as other things like tatasky and TV working good, i am confused.


regards

[dadu]

Originally Posted by Nicky

I tried this yesteday and learning also didn't work. When it says to press the respective which is to be configured on 5-in-1 remote, LED suppose to blink fast and continues until the next action (as written in manual), but it doesn't and when i completed all the steps, i tried the remote with DVD but again, nothing worked.
now i am really worried if something is wrong with the remote but as other things like tatasky and TV working good, i am confused.


regards

Learning function works fine with me you just need to follow the exact steps slowly. If not ask for a replacement.

[Nicky]

Originally Posted by dadu

Learning function works fine with me you just need to follow the exact steps slowly. If not ask for a replacement.

Finally i got it working with normal code entering process. now i need to map/learn the specific keys.
thanks for your help Dadu.

[gkrishn]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Yup. That is a goof up in the Tata sky HD+ set top box design. I really dont know how they overlooked this important aspect during design and approval phase.

Also, are you watching the star cricket HD, the ind-eng series?!? The quality sucks. Some thing really wrong here. The quality of this particular channel has dropped a lot. tatasky is going down the drain...

[hiren.mistry]

My existing Airtel DTH has expired so I am looking at options.
Called up TataSky helpline and got the following package for HD connection:

TS HD: 2599 (includes free installation, hardware, HDMI cable and 12 mtr cabling)
TS HD+: 3990 + 500 installation (includes hardware, HDMI cable and 24 mtr cabling)

As far as channel packages go, this is what I got:
Mega pack - 5300 annual subscription (contains all channels plus all HD channels) - comes to 441 per month
Grand sports - 3605 annual subscription (all sports channels and no HD channels) - comes to 300 per month (typically 380 otherwise)
HD Pack: 75 per month (channels include: Star Plus, Star movies, Star world, star gold, star cricket, nat geo and discovery)

Sounds interesting, planning to go with the HD+ box along with grand sports pack and will try HD pack for a month.

Other option was Dish TV:
They have 41 HD channels it seems but not any star channels.
They don't have a recorder STB, so its just plain HD STB.

Connection cost:
2990 - includes 2 months HD Royal pack (this is their top of the line package, has all HD + SD channel) - this pack is typically 550 pm
4990 - includes 6 months HD Royal pack (this is their top of the line package, has all HD + SD channel) - this pack is typically 550 pm
7990 - includes 12 months HD Royal pack (this is their top of the line package, has all HD + SD channel) - this pack is typically 550 pm

One big attraction for DTV is that they hve Movies NOW in HD which is absent in Tata Sky, but then Tata Sky has all star channels.

So friends which one seems more attractive? Also how is the electronic program guide of these 2? I'm used to Airtel for 2 yrs and found it to be very intuitive and user friendly. Also the airtel remote is universal.

Update: Besides Videocon, who is broadcasting ESPN in HD?

[yajaman99]

@Hiren - I can comment on the Tatasky HD channels, it all depends what you watch. If you or the family watch Star Plus then this "Asli HD" is just mind blowing. The best part are there are no adds, the disadvantage is you don't get a chance to to perform task done during normal commercial breaks . You do have Star Movies in HD which can compete with Movies Now HD. The electronic guide on the TSHD is very easy, i have an airtel connection for the other room and find the guide to be more complex than the TS, this is just my opinion.
A note of caution: If you dont watch the Serials on Star Plus once you go HD you might get drawn in like me cause of the brilliance in viewing.

[hiren.mistry]

Originally Posted by yajaman99

@Hiren - I can comment on the Tatasky HD channels, it all depends what you watch. If you or the family watch Star Plus then this "Asli HD" is just mind blowing. The best part are there are no adds, the disadvantage is you don't get a chance to to perform task done during normal commercial breaks . You do have Star Movies in HD which can compete with Movies Now HD. The electronic guide on the TSHD is very easy, i have an airtel connection for the other room and find the guide to be more complex than the TS, this is just my opinion.
A note of caution: If you dont watch the Serials on Star Plus once you go HD you might get drawn in like me cause of the brilliance in viewing.

Thanks a lot yajaman, the star plus channel is for my wifey, I just need Star World, Star Movies. Would have loved Espn HD for F1.

Regarding the EPG - I has tried TS's channel listing and grouping and found it to be quite ok. But I could never wrap my head around DishTV's listing.

And thanks for the warning!! I hope my 32" Samsung series 5 will be able to do justice to the quality.

Cheers

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by gkrishn

Also, are you watching the star cricket HD, the ind-eng series?!? The quality sucks. Some thing really wrong here. The quality of this particular channel has dropped a lot. tatasky is going down the drain...

gkrishn, I did watch star cricket occasionally during the ongoing India-England series. But I never felt anything amiss when I watched them. Not sure if this bad quality was intermittent. But I hardly watched it for 1/2 an hour max and did not see any drop in HD quality.

[s.prashanth]

Got Videcon d2h, watched F1 in HD. Awesome experience.Got it basically for the ESPN channel.Still retaining the Cable set top box.Will Subscribe to Basic pack and HD movies and sports.

[hiren.mistry]

Guys, does it make sense to take up an HD connection to watch on a 32" full HD TV?
I have Samsung Series 5 full HD and am planning to take up either Tata Sky or Airtel HS connection, please advice.

Regards

[dadu]

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

Guys, does it make sense to take up an HD connection to watch on a 32" full HD TV?
I have Samsung Series 5 full HD and am planning to take up either Tata Sky or Airtel HS connection, please advice.

Regards

For 32" the SD is sufficient but scaling up later is a problem, as there are no exchange schemes.

I would say if you are planning to buy now, buy HD for the future. Goto both their websites and check the cost/ package for the channels you want to view and decide accordingly. Dish connections are for long term use and therefore choose wisely.

TS offers HD package for 75 +tax pm, Airtel at 65 +tax pm.

[hiren.mistry]

Originally Posted by dadu

For 32" the SD is sufficient but scaling up later is a problem, as there are no exchange schemes.

I would say if you are planning to buy now, buy HD for the future. Goto both their websites and check the cost/ package for the channels you want to view and decide accordingly. Dish connections are for long term use and therefore choose wisely.

TS offers HD package for 75 +tax pm, Airtel at 65 +tax pm.

I had a chance to demo HD channels on Saturday on a small 26" LCD and the difference in comparison with SD is quite evident. Based on that I've decided to opt for a HD conection.

Agree with what you say about the future, considering that I've haven't had any reasons to complain with Airtel have taken up a new HD connection from them.
Also have taken up 1 month HD plan to try it out, and the new connection is being installed as I type this.

Thanks mate!

[shamanth]

Hi, 2 days back i took TS HD+ recorder. I have around 4 year old Sony home theater system. Which done have Co-axial or Optical. What i found out from googling to make HD channels work in 5.1 is to have a Digital to analog converter, take output from DTH, connect to converter and give analog output to Home theater. Please confirm if i am correct?