[mythtv-users] DVB-S2 HD in the UK

[Andre]

On 1 Feb 2011, at 13:44, Simon Hobson wrote:

> Andre wrote:
> 
>> There's no supported way to use any of the current DVBS2 HD UK transmissions with MythTV, moan at Sky as to why you can't have a CAM instead of a Sky Box!
> 
> No, you can't really expect a commercial organisation to not do something that makes it more money - because that is what they are there to do*. You should complain to the authorities that allowed them an effective monopoly on pay TV

Well the EBU tell me that it's against EU law to provide a "public television service" in the EEC without allowing "commercial competition" in the choice of receiving equipment, cams and standards based software permits this. Sky's system is based on Open TV a commercial (not open in any sense anyone here would recognise) end to end distribution stb & epg "solution", of course Sky's system is seriously customised.

I'm advised that there is a grey area whether Sky UK constitutes a "public television service" or a private commercial one! It's precise place in the grey scale is further confused by carrying certain ITV & Ch4 regions, those broadcasters most definitely provide a "public television service" in the true definition. What North Americans call public service broadcasting and funded in part by public money, licence fees in the uk.

I'm told that this was an embarrassment for the BBC in the days when they were only available on satellite through Sky's boxes and was a significant part of the drive behind getting out from behind the Sky gatekeeper, what later led to Freesat as we now know it.

I've been following Sky's recent acquisition of Premiere in Germany, not least because I have had significant work through them in the past. It seems that they are currently pushing the adoption of Sky+HD boxes and depreciating the old Premiere compatible boxes from multiple manufacturers.

There has also been very recent legislation in the UK to ensure that Sky Sports channels broadcast on terrestrial can be watched with a standard receiver and cam. I have great hopes that this opening up of competition will be extended into the satellite services.


The reason I suggest to moan to Sky is exactly for your reasoning, tell them I am a potential customer but don't want your Sky box, sell me a cam and I'll buy your product. 

They have already dodged around existing, albeit grey legislation and are attempting the same in new territories, Germany & Italy.

I have a Sky+HD box and it's awful, regardless of pvr functionality, it's unable to render either a HD or SD picture with the correct video levels, colorimetry and for 4:3, aspect ratio. I'm told the one I have is supposed to be the best (Pace) If so I'd hate to see the rest. When I cancel I will ensure they know that their box is the reason for it.

Andre