Connecting TV to Sky Box. Scart or RCA?

Only Sky HD has HDMI output. Sky HD includes Sky+ functionality. Not sure how the hard disks will survive the vibration in a marine mobo environment. Make sure the TV also has a HDMI input if going down this road.

As to Jim's original question, a standard scart with 3 phono's at one end will push through a small hole and can be connected either to phono's directly on the back of the TV or to a SCART/Phono adaptor, and quality will be just fine.

HD is a waste of space on screens smaller than 50" and certainly anybody with eyesight over the age of 40 is not going notice the difference between SD and HD. HD is really only going to be an advantage with HD projectors on large screens or very large LCD tvs over 50".

PS: If you only want free view channels, then installing a SKY set top box is not a good way to go as the EPG use is limited with added channels. Much better of with one of the smart free view sat set top boxes with customiseable and autolearn EPGs. (ie BBC1-4, ITV1-4, Sky News, CNN, etc).
 
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you could route the skybox HDMI through the BOSE which would carry audio as well and no need to bother with optical cable.

[/ QUOTE ]Naah, that requires the Bose system to be always turned on to watch the TV. Unless the Bose box allows straight HDMI pass-through when switched off, but I don't think it does.
 
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HD is a waste of space on screens smaller than 50"

[/ QUOTE ]I beg to disagree on this one, it all depends on the viewing distance. Besides, the 32' screen we're talking about is not a full HD. I think it's appropriate, for that kind of usage.
 
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HD is a waste of space on screens smaller than 50" and certainly anybody with eyesight over the age of 40 is not going notice the difference between SD and HD. HD is really only going to be an advantage with HD projectors on large screens or very large LCD tvs over 50".



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Speaking from experience from owning a SKY+ and a SKY+HD box, the benefit of a HDMI is quite noticable on a 37" and 42" screen. The pure digital signal thru HDMI is far superior to Scart, even on SD material.
 
Thanks again folks for all the info.

When I wrote my last post with points 1-5, I meant to say Sky+HD, not just Sky+

Having read the advice above I think I'll stick with my plan 1-5 except I'll buy the Humax Foxsat HDR box as linked to in one of jimg's posts.

Reasons for getting the humax are (a) I need a box with HDMI output so it's this or the Sky+HD, and I am advised above this unit works better (EPG-wise) than the Sky box if I'm mainly interested in freesat channels (b) it's smaller than the Sky+HD box

I dont want to record programs so I could get the non-recording Humax box but it is too small, whereas this recording box happens almost to fit perfectly my current cut-out for the basic sky box, so needs minimum joinery work to install neatly :-)

Thanks folks for all this useful information. Much better than an AV forum :-)
 
The only part I am not sure about with the Humax ( which is the one I prefer ) is the coax out to the other TV's?
 
I spent ages faffing around with RGB, S video, HDMI etc. and in the end decided the picture looked no better than with a thin yellow composite video lead. The picture quality is limited by the small sat dish anyway, and it seems you don't want to watch it very often, and hardly worth the effort for guests.
 
With a digital picture, it is either perfect or starts blocking. if you get a clean picture that is it, the size of the dish makes no difference assuming you have that clean picture.

If you cannot see the difference between composite and HDMI, what can I say! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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Dont forget that the satellite systems also feed radio.
Praps a nice bit of Classic FM round the boat.
You dont seem to like my approach - oh well never mind - I'm pleased with my system.

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Sorry, wasn't criticising your system at all, and nothing personal intended. It's just the way stuff can come across on forums. All i meant was that I have no desire whatsoever to have TV on my dashboard and no-one on my boat would ever use Skybox control in the cabins, but those things are just my personal choices. As i say, no criticism of your (much more technically advanced) TV system intended :-)
 
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I have no desire whatsoever to have TV on my dashboard

[/ QUOTE ]Funny you mentioned. In spite of the fact that it might seem a bit bling, that's the part of Hurric setup which I liked most. During long pitch black night passages, I'd rather have a nice movie running near the radar screen, than a useless chart.
 
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the picture looked no better than with a thin yellow composite video lead. The picture quality is limited by the small sat dish anyway

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fully agree (as long as the cable is no longer then a few meters)
 
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