Tata sky hd

[fulcrum]

Hmm.. strange. Anyone else have a straight HDMI connection from TataSky HD box to receiver? I again confirmed that my Sony receiver is in auto detect mode and it does not see Dolby 5.1 input for the HD channels. The same setup got 5.1 input in the US for HD channels, so I am wondering what am I doing wrong! Or is it possible that at this moment, for the current program, there is no 5.1 output? I remember in the US when the non-HD advertisements came on, the 5.1 Dolby used to go away.

 

[arnab_d]

@Srikarav and @Sanjay0864 thanks a lot for the informative posts on the RCA/Coax discussion. Helps to get concepts cleared. I agree its a bit personal and given high end receivers it makes sense to invest in high quality cables...

@Fulcrum: the difference between your connection and @Srikarav set up is that you are connecting your HDMI to your AVR and Srikarav is connecting his HDMI to Tv and a Digital Coax to the AVR that he has (since his AVR does not have HDMI)

My guess is the TS STB downmixes and puts only 2 channels of audio on the HDMI (along with full HD video ofcourse) whereas the full 5.1 audio is output only thru the digital Coax.

@Fulcrum: wd it be possible to connect your TS STB to your AVR through a Digital Coax and then see if your AVR detects 5.1 on the Coax in source?

Just a hunch.. I do not have these equipments ... yet...(I am planning to buy all the gear) so can't try it myself....

thanks a lot guys.. excited about HD getting into India.. have experienced it in US.. specially the movie channels , sports ESPN and HDNet quality is super...specially when they transmitt original HD recorded media...

awaiting some comments from the experiment....

 

[fulcrum]

so its 5.1 or not??

At least I am unable to get 5.1 w/ my Sony receiver. I have an Altona Line-EX box in between. I hope it is not causing a problem - it is supposed to pass through the audio. Will check with a DVD later. My DVD player is also behind the Altona box. The Altona box output goes to the receiver and the output from the receiver then goes to the TV.

 

[alokbharti]

Hi Sri,

Can you find out whether this STB can send 5.1 dolby sound over HDMI.. what all options are there in settings menu on STB for selecting audio over HDMI?

 

[arnab_d]

Hey Fulcrum.. where did you buy the Altona. I was trying to buy a Altona HDMI Audio de-embedder. They siad they do not sell in India.. did you get yours from US?

Also I think the TS STB does not o/p full 5.1 channel in the HDMI.. only two channels downmixed...I may be wrong.
Try connecting the Coax o/p of the TS STB to your AVR and see if it detects the 5.1... i think it would...

 

[pungan]

Folks, don't think any of the TataSky HD channels have 5.1 output. I have a Sony receiver with HDMI in connected from TataSky HD box. In Auto Function Detect (AFD) mode the receiver shows only 2.1 channels. This is true for NG, Disc and ESPN HD channels. @srikarkav: are you sure about 5.1? Did you set the receiver to auto detect mode?

I had a similar setup in the US and I would get 5.1 dolby digital signal for HD channels. My initial guess is that the channels themselves are not broadcasting 5.1 although the hardware can handle it. Even the Dish HD folks are complaining of the same issue.

Hey fulcrum, from where did you buy the Tatasky HD connection in Pune. Is it available in Pune?

 

[fulcrum]

Hi Sri,

Can you find out whether this STB can send 5.1 dolby sound over HDMI.. what all options are there in settings menu on STB for selecting audio over HDMI?

The only option in STB for audio is selection between PCM and Dolby. I have selected "Dolby". I see no reason why the STB would send different audio on SPDIF vs. HDMI.

 

[fulcrum]

Hey Fulcrum.. where did you buy the Altona. I was trying to buy a Altona HDMI Audio de-embedder. They siad they do not sell in India.. did you get yours from US?

Yes, I got it from the US when I moved.

Also I think the TS STB does not o/p full 5.1 channel in the HDMI.. only two channels downmixed...I may be wrong.
Try connecting the Coax o/p of the TS STB to your AVR and see if it detects the 5.1... i think it would...

That will be really strange! What is the point of HDMI otherwise! I will give it a shot though.

 

[fulcrum]

Hey fulcrum, from where did you buy the Tatasky HD connection in Pune. Is it available in Pune?

I search on Justdial for tatasky and called up one random entry on Saturday. I was told that I can get it same day! Got the box that night, but the TataSky engineer did not come to install that night. However, he turned up early morning Sunday and I was pleased! I got it from this place:
1-800 Just Dial

Yogiraj Electricals & Electronics
Mr Shivaji Khopade
+(91)-(20)-25882787
+(91)-9890470505
Shop No 8 R & D Shopping Complex, Near Punjab National Bk, Gol Market Pashan, Pashan, Pune - 411021

 

[thescorpion]

By the way for those that may not know, a 'coaxial' cable is nothing but your regular cable used for analog audio and composite video with RCA connectors.

Yes an AV cable is enough to get the Dolby D 5.1 sound. But you CANT say Coax IS NOTHING BUT a regular AV cable. The structure of the cables differ. 'Nothing but' means 'they are exactly the same' or 'no more than' as far as i know english. You have contradicted yourself in your 'A few tidbits of information:' section where you yourself hav specified the difference. And Coax is superior with immediately notable difference from normal AV cables even in a Low End HT.

I dont think you are an all too technical person having a lot of knowledge abt cables since you copied the information on your 'A few tidbits of information:' part from WIKIPEDIA!! COPY>PASTE is really handy uh!!


@fulcrum: Hi fulcrum, TataSky HD has Dolby 5.1 output from its HD channels. Its not a Dolby 2.1 output or a normal stereo one. The HT shows Dolby 3/2.1, which means Dolby 5.1. IM SURE ABOUT THE 5.1 OUTPUT buddy.

 

[thescorpion]

Thts basically what most of us do..hyeah:
But i need to know whtr its 5.1 or not :sad:

yeah i know lol. But the person thinks he's all too informative and s blasting at others! Thats y i BlAsTeD BACK..cool

IT IS 5.1 FOR SURE!!

 

[srikarkav]

Hi Sri,

Can you find out whether this STB can send 5.1 dolby sound over HDMI.. what all options are there in settings menu on STB for selecting audio over HDMI?

Hi alok,

Sorry i cant' test it over HDMI.Unfortunately my Onkyo receiver is part of an HTiB and does not have HDMI connections.Some other member who has a high end receiver and TS HD should test this and claryfy.

cheers,
sri

 

[rithvikgv]

Heard Dish TruHD users have got Star Sports HD,has it been added to Tata Sky HD as well?

 

[fulcrum]

The only option in STB for audio is selection between PCM and Dolby. I have selected "Dolby". I see no reason why the STB would send different audio on SPDIF vs. HDMI.

Folks, I confirmed just now that Tata Sky HD does output Dolby Digital 5.1 both through SPDIF coaxial as well as HDMI! Sorry for the confusion earlier. The culprit was the Atlona AV switcher. I now have video to my TV going through Atlona and audio going straight to my Sony receiver (via SPDIF, using regular RCA cable). If I directly connect the hd box to the receiver using HDMI, I get 5.1 too, so it is indeed independent of the connectivity.

 

[fulcrum]

720p vs 1080i: I just want to add that I checked both for viewing football and I can safely say that 720p is indeed looking better. My TV can do both 720p and 1080i and when I set both the HD box and TV to 1080i, I can see interlacing artifacts on the white lines marked on the ground, whereas with 720p, they are simply not there! If anyone wants to compare themselves, look carefully at the white lines on the ground when the camera moves.

 

[sanjay0864]

As i said i will try to compare the sound out of both the cables and give my honest opinions here.But if i felt and say i did find the quality of sound through the coaxial, in my low end system, is better, i don't think you are going to accept that.

I will most certainly accept your opinion, if that is your conclusion. Ofcourse, what defines a 'low end' system is a relative term and subject to personal opinions too.

 

[theironhorse]

fulcrum what u stated is correct as 720 is better than 1080i coz 1080 is interlaced and technicall its 580p.. at any given point of time..however human eye cant see those scenes refreshing but in fast moving scenes.. 720p is what is higher than 1080i

 

[crisp_tod]

720p vs 1080i: I just want to add that I checked both for viewing football and I can safely say that 720p is indeed looking better. My TV can do both 720p and 1080i and when I set both the HD box and TV to 1080i, I can see interlacing artifacts on the white lines marked on the ground, whereas with 720p, they are simply not there! If anyone wants to compare themselves, look carefully at the white lines on the ground when the camera moves.

Hi Fulcrum,

Did you purchase it from Mumbai and installed it in Pune? I am staying in Thane and spoke to Tata Sky cc this morning. they told me it's not possible to install it Thane right now as they don't have any trained people in Thane to install it :sad: . It would be great if you could tell me how did you get it.

 

[fulcrum]

Hi Fulcrum,

Did you purchase it from Mumbai and installed it in Pune? I am satying in Thane and sopke to Tata Sky cc this morning. they told me it's not possible to install it Thane right now as they don't have any trained people in Thane to install it :sad: . It would be great if you could tell me how did you get it.

For some reason some of my posts are not coming through (admin has not approved them yet I guess). Regarding TataSkyHD, I got it from Pune. One of the first installs in Pune I searched for Tata Sky on justdial and called one of the folks randomly. He was getting the box and also promised to get it installed within a couple of hours. I got the box delivered to me on Saturday evening and the Tatasky person came to install it next morning. You can contact: Mr Shivaji Khopade at 9890470505 to check if he has more boxes. He is from Yogiraj Electricals at Pashan, Pune.

Regarding Atlona AT-Line-EX, I got it from the US when shifting (for my TV to work here).

 

[adder]

@Mig 29
how is the PQ of SD channels,is there any changes in aspect ratio.