Wait a minute...HBO HD was a channel that's showing movies rite? And all movies are suppose to be in 1:85 or 2.39:1 aspect ratios rite(i don't remember any original movies showing in 4:3 aspect ratio, even in cinema).

How come they are using those 4:3(which they crop it so that it fits into our 4:3 tvs in SD) version of the movie and play it back in the HD channel???

Felt like being cheated.

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Added on February 3, 2010, 1:06 amOk, for those people who are watching Astro SD and complaining about the lousy PQ going through the HDMI cable.

Go to your installation settings, and change your HD Settings to either 576i or 576p.

Sit back and enjoy the instant improvement in PQ for SD channels in Astro

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Added on February 3, 2010, 1:24 amOMG! I can't hide my excitement...I never thought Astro can looked so good in SD using plasma.

I can even turn of Noise Reduction and see the picture with excellent clarity!

Anyone of you tested it yet? Please give some comments after doing it.

This post has been edited by csng: Feb 3 2010, 01:24 AM

can i ask something?
i have synced my Byond remote to use with my Samsung Plasma
but why when i turn on my tv using Byond remote it goes to TV1 through analog and not the hdmi signal? I have to use my tv remote to switch to hdmi channel to watch astro again..anyone with any tips 4 me?

you do this every time you change to a SD channel, and set to 720p or 1080i when you switch to HD channel?

just tried,just the same for for SD channel for my LCD,maybe u using plasma its change alot,ofcoz plasma better than lcd watching SD channel

not oni sd channel, plasma oso good in HD channel..hehe..

Prepare the pay more if 311 & AOD go HD

Yeah, almost everyone is like that. It's like tv power button actually sending TV1 code together with on/off code.
You'll notice that sometime when you try to switch off tv using byond remote, it goes to tv1. U need to press again to switch off the tv, then when u on back it will go to tv1.
U can also switch to HDMI input using byond remote. At the bottom left, u'll find AV button.

What i'm doing is switch off tv using tv remote control, then u can switch on using byond remote. It works for me.

Hmmm... Check with a Starhub subscriber and see if that happens in Singapore as well. Because the HBO logo looks different in HD compared to SD (in HD it looks thinner, in SD got stretching because my TV is set to stretch SD signal to fill screen), I assume that HBO is using 16:9 in HD channel.

Agreed. Although on my Sharp TV, if you press the power button twice fast enough, the TV will ignore the "1" signal and switch on it's back on the last input. My TV is set to expect two number button presses before switching, or wait a few seconds after only one number is pressed before switching.

WLT HD and AEC HD is possible (assuming Astro willing to upgrade their transmission centers with HD media players and pay more for HD HK media, since these two channels is inhouse), but AXN HD... Like ppl said before, it's only in Portugal and Japan for now, and both of them are localized channels, not available outside either countries. Unless you want AXN HD with programming dubbed in Malay. I personally don't.

This post has been edited by RAMChYLD: Feb 3 2010, 10:15 AM

Honestly speaking, I don't see any difference using 576p to watch HD channels compared with 720p or 1080i.

Yesterday when i was watching WWE Raw, using 1080p, the PQ looks grainy, when i switch to 576p, the overall image feels sharper instantly.

Switch to some other channels like Wah Lai Toi and AEC, also looked better.

ok, perhaps worth trying; I just don't want to feel i have to switch the resolution every time i switch channels or between SD/HD ... that would suck

Really? I did that before, but i notice very big different between 576p to 720p/1080i especially when watching football. U'll also lost wonderful experience watching HD with a lot of details. My TV Full HD summore.
I just think if Astro can improve PQ on SD channel just like when I scaled down HD to 576i, it will be great.
Btw, i would prefer switching to component input for SD channel rather than using this method.

can someone post screenshots of ESPN and ESPNHD just for comparison?

Don't need a screenshot, if you are using LCD/Plasma, ESPN is like looking through a dirty window, ESPNHD is with the window open!

Would this really give better PQ on SD channels? In that case I can connect the byond box via HDMI and Component to my TV and just switch inputs when I switch between SD and HD channels.

This post has been edited by jooku1: Feb 3 2010, 01:58 PM

Another comparison is if u're nearsighted, ESPN is like u look with your naked eyes, ESPN HD is when u put your glasses on.

another comparison,espn is like u watch really pretty woman, but in hd, its like the woman are not really pretty...just nakeup...i mean u will see the true details..

Depend on you & your tv. some said component give better PQ than HDMI on SD channel, some said no different.
But TallJustin from Astro admit that there is different & new firmware will release to fix this issue (but dunno when).
http://stinkyfruit.wordpress.com/2010/01/2...b-yond-decoder/
You can compare it yourself, don't forget to connect audio cable as well

i experienced the same problem like you guys although i am using panasonic plasma. i managed to overcome this problem by turning on and off using byond remote.

to turn on:
1. press av button on byond remote.
2. press tv power button on byond remote - it goes to hdmi input (no more tv1)

to turn off:
1. press tv power button on byond remote.

if you guys have better suggestions, please post it here.

i experienced some minor problem...
sometimes, when watching fast moving action, my tv got lining...blur2....sometimes more than half screen...sometimes got, sometimes not...using 1080i signal...
when using 720i signal, it oni got 1 thick line...at the center of the screen...how can i solve this problem?

i can use byond remote (tv power button) to turn on/off my LG LCD...no prob......

the av button is useful...however the directional buttons wif the OK button cant be used to select the av channels...if it could then perfect!