UK Digibox: Classic or Dud

Sky uses a standard that it created all by itself and uses a bit rate of 4 Mbps Variable nominal.

Here's an explanation of how it works (this is how sky works at least DVB is very similar though):

Channels are arranged in bouquet of 8 channels. The 8 channels are supplied to a statistical multiplexer as 270Mbps SDI lines. The multiplexer dynamically assigns bandwidth to the channels, 32Mbits to assign in the case of sky. Each channel has a bandwidth floor and a nominal badwidth. The multiplexer decides where bandwidth should be allocated to get a picture quality of a certain level and dowcodes the SDI to the appropriate bandwidth. So channels with lots of movement get higher bandwidth and other channels get less. Some channels in a bouquet get priority and bouquets are normally organised with a couple of premium channels and a few lower value channels and maybe a data service.

As far as an objective assessment of quality BBC 1 looks better on freeview than it does on sky but the difference is not stark as the BBC not on the main sky satellite and I think they give it higher nominal bandwidth. The difference between bbc1 and one of the less premium channels is starker on sky. There are lots of other factors; the original footage has a lot to do with picture quality, but modern all digital 50 and 270Mbits footage obviously provides the best end product.

Blimey! How does this work.? I was thinking that there wasn't too much quick moving action on QVC, but have you seen how fast that steam cleaner blasts away grime??

Mooro, I am sorry to hear about your problems. Although it's on an entirley different technological level, I recently bought a set-top (AKA indoor) aerial on special offer and then took it back to exchange it for a daft 'all-in-one' remote control, which was slightly more expensive. I had the extra three pounds all ready to make up the difference, BUT THEY REFUNDED ME AS IF IT HAD BEEN FULL PRICE, so I was quids in there then. I reckon they might refund you full price, Mooro.

(see upthread)

"Ftn is available on FREEVIEW solely dedicated to general entertainment with a mix of talk, drama, comedy, reality and documentaries. Broadcasting from 6pm to 6am, Ftn features quality original programming from Living TV, Bravo, Trouble and Challenge."

Sounds like the TV equivalent of a tea bag.

Top Up TV Channel 60 11pm - 5am

Television X - The Fantasy Channel (Adult Only)

available for a separate monthly fee - terms and conditions apply.

(* Do people still say TV station?)

We get pretty good reception through our aerial but the lady at the DTG suggested it needs an upgrade cos it can't receive the digital frequencies - is this likely to be the case? Should we just give up now and beg Argos to take the box back?

Will Digiboxes work with a set-top aerial?

I would persevere a bit, all these things are a bastard to get working.

this morning i came into the room with the tv to find the digibox was on channel 60 when i could've sworn i left it on 70 last night before going to bed (to tape 'peel'). the tivo is capable of turning the digibox over but doesn't know about channel 60. poltergeists, obviously.

robster, don't you have 14 days grace with argos? i'd give it another go. try a signal booster.

In theory, but not always in practice. 'Oh, you've broken the seal!' etc.

I used to have a digibox that worked fine with a portable aerial so I could give it a go.

You peed on your set top box?

Actually I would quite like to get started on broadband - we've yet to establish quite what all the holes coming into our living room do.

You may need to upgrade your ariel, and the down cable from it. I spend some of last night fixing the 80s vintage ariel cable and we still only got the BBC bouquet. Go for the highest gain ariel you can get (£40 from homebase, Maplin etc.) Get double screened cable and use distrbution amplifiers whereever you split.

What can this possibly mean (when ITV News is still available on other platforms)?

15:35 Relocation, Relocation
16:40 Relocation, Relocation
17:45 Relocation, Relocation
18:50 Snowmail
18:55 Relocation, Relocation
20:00 Relocation, Relocation
21:00 Inside Waco
23:05 GBH
00:40 Relocation, Relocation