KU Band HD Question

[Mikey11]

i have the opportunity to pick up a used HD MPEG2/4 DVB-S FTA receiver at a pretty decent price....

my question is....is there really that much HD out there on ku band to make it worthwhile? wether it be regular channels or feeds? keeping in mind this receiver is not capable of DVB-S2....or has most of it gone to DVB-S2 now?

i guess in the back of my mind i consider a DVB-S HD receiver as being "old technology" these days

 

[cyberham]

The only full-time HD channels on Ku I'm aware of include Shalom TV on 99W, Pentagon channel on 101W, the three Learning channels on 111W, and the PBS channels on 125W. I would say the PBS channels alone are worth having an HD receiver. There are miscellaneous feeds that pop up here and there too.

 

[Mikey11]

The only full-time HD channels on Ku I'm aware of include Shalom TV on 99W, Pentagon channel on 101W, the three Learning channels on 111W, and the PBS channels on 125W. I would say the PBS channels alone are worth having an HD receiver. There are miscellaneous feeds that pop up here and there too.

thanks....i thought all the PBS at 125w was now S2 though....is it not?

 

[cyberham]

As of this moment, 12140 and 12180 are not DVB-S2, I believe. Things are in flux this week and that could change (maybe): http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...1-pbs-mux-125w-moving-around-preparing-4.html

 

[Cham]

Many TPs are switching from DVB to DVB-S2 and S2 8PSK so best to pick up such a receiver even if you are still watching lots of SD programming.

 

[Mr Tony]

sports feeds are HD

Otherwise there are some HD feeds on C-Band

 

[ZandarKoad]

Many TPs are switching from DVB to DVB-S2 and S2 8PSK so best to pick up such a receiver even if you are still watching lots of SD programming.

I'm assuming the MicroHD can do both DVB-S2 and S2 8PSK, correct?

 

[Mr Tony]

yup

 

[skysurfer]

thanks....i thought all the PBS at 125w was now S2 though....is it not?

and I think I saw with my last scan that Shalom TV HD is also DVB-S2.

I would say one definitely needs DVB-S2 - I'm seeing a lot of Ku HD occ feeds in DVB-S2 nowdays. That's why I'm upgrading my friend's receiver to a DVB-S2 HD capable one so he can stay current with the way satellite feeds are getting to be, format-wise.

 

[guacharaca]

Being that one can buy a DVB-S2 card for less than $90 (plus shipping), maybe an HD receiver without S2 has a value of $25....and only as a back-up receiver for ku. All the good HD channels on C-band are S2.

 

[Xizer]

PBS is now DVB-S2.

I don't think there's any HD left that is DVB-S besides some wildfeeds and Pentagon Channel.

 

[guacharaca]

PBS is now DVB-S2.

I was surprised to read this so I did a quick blind-scan of AMC21. Sure enough, four of the six vertical transponders I receive are now S2. Apparently the transition was seamless for me. Those old DVBS receivers are almost worthless if you enjoy HD quality on a big screen TV.

 

[ZandarKoad]

I hate to say it, but HD receivers for Ku systems seem kinda pointless...

 

[Mr Tony]

not if you like sports

 

[toucan-man]

Super Bowl and Indy 500 looked GREAT in HD via Ku.

 

[Xizer]

I hate to say it, but HD receivers for Ku systems seem kinda pointless...

No way. PBS HD rocks.

 

[Tron]

The Summer Olympics will most likely be on 103W Ku (NBC) in glorious MPEG-4 HD ...

 

[ZandarKoad]

But you're talking about a couple of channels, that can only be accessed with a dish farm or a motorized system. Most people I know personally only have 97W.

 

[Tron]

I might be wrong, but I don't see Globecast going HD, at least not on a wide scale. Most of the clear channels on 97W are Globecast channels, and the quality is, in many cases, far inferior to SDTV. Maybe RT will go HD at some point, that might be nice if it happens.

They would also have to provide an HD capable box for their customers, which their current (poorly designed) receiver is far from. The premium (scrambled) Globecast channels require their box, as no third party FTA receiver will be authorized.

 

[stanleyjohn]

Maybe not very soon but Hd will be the norm for most broadcast in the future!SD will go the way of the vinyl record and tape.