I know Sky HD cannot receive ITV HD, but what about digital satellite PC 
cards?  I keep thinking about getting Sky HD, really only for the FTA 
channels as I do not receive movies / sports through Sky (most of the HD 
content is on these two premium mixes).

I would like to build a home media PC / HTPC and would like to add a 
satellite card, if I could receive all the free HD channels, BBC, ITV and 
C4.

Anyone know if ITV HD is EXCLUSIVE to freesat boxes?

Slider wrote:
> I know Sky HD cannot receive ITV HD, but what about digital satellite PC 
> cards?  I keep thinking about getting Sky HD, really only for the FTA 
> channels as I do not receive movies / sports through Sky (most of the HD 
> content is on these two premium mixes).
> 
> I would like to build a home media PC / HTPC and would like to add a 
> satellite card, if I could receive all the free HD channels, BBC, ITV and 
> C4.
> 
> Anyone know if ITV HD is EXCLUSIVE to freesat boxes?

In essence yes. ITV have adjusted the SI parameters so it isn't normally
'stumbled upon' by a scan with a standard DVB-S receiver. However, some
have managed to hack the settings (using BBC HD's as a starting point)
and added it to their standard DVB-S cards and boxes.

Search within AV Forums and Digital Spy for further info on the hack.

You have no chance at all using a Sky Digibox for it.

In , Mark Carver
<mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>Slider wrote:
[...]
>> Anyone know if ITV HD is EXCLUSIVE to freesat boxes?
>
>In essence yes. ITV have adjusted the SI parameters so it isn't normally
>'stumbled upon' by a scan with a standard DVB-S receiver. However, some
>have managed to hack the settings (using BBC HD's as a starting point)
>and added it to their standard DVB-S cards and boxes.
>
>Search within AV Forums and Digital Spy for further info on the hack.
>
>You have no chance at all using a Sky Digibox for it.

Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their HD
digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?

"Mike Henry" <{$mrtickle$}@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message 
news:1luk645vnr7g3i2pcu098tcp8k3q2r025j@4ax.com...
> In , Mark Carver
> <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>>Slider wrote:
> [...]
>>> Anyone know if ITV HD is EXCLUSIVE to freesat boxes?
>>
>>In essence yes. ITV have adjusted the SI parameters so it isn't normally
>>'stumbled upon' by a scan with a standard DVB-S receiver. However, some
>>have managed to hack the settings (using BBC HD's as a starting point)
>>and added it to their standard DVB-S cards and boxes.
>>
>>Search within AV Forums and Digital Spy for further info on the hack.
>>
>>You have no chance at all using a Sky Digibox for it.
>
> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their HD
> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
>


Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes on 
their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.
-- 
JohnT

On 01/07/2008 22:14, JohnT wrote:

>> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their HD
>> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
> 
> Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes on 
> their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.

What would copyright have to do with it?

In , "JohnT" 
wrote:
>"Mike Henry" <{$mrtickle$}@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message 
>news:1luk645vnr7g3i2pcu098tcp8k3q2r025j@4ax.com...
>> In , Mark Carver
>> <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>Slider wrote:
>> [...]
>>>> Anyone know if ITV HD is EXCLUSIVE to freesat boxes?
>>>
>>>In essence yes. ITV have adjusted the SI parameters so it isn't normally
>>>'stumbled upon' by a scan with a standard DVB-S receiver. However, some
>>>have managed to hack the settings (using BBC HD's as a starting point)
>>>and added it to their standard DVB-S cards and boxes.
>>>
>>>Search within AV Forums and Digital Spy for further info on the hack.
>>>
>>>You have no chance at all using a Sky Digibox for it.
>>
>> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their HD
>> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
>>
>
>
>Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes on 
>their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.

Sky wouldn't be breaching copyright by fixing their digibox software, any
more than a TV manufacturer breaches copyright by manufacturing TVs used
to watch programmes. Sensible answers please!

"Andy Burns"  wrote in message 
news:D9CdnSNmB_KYNPfVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
> On 01/07/2008 22:14, JohnT wrote:
>
>>> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their HD
>>> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
>>
>> Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes on 
>> their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.
>
> What would copyright have to do with it?
>


Everything.
-- 
JohnT

On 02/07/2008 08:24, JohnT wrote:

> "Andy Burns"  wrote in message 
> news:D9CdnSNmB_KYNPfVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>> On 01/07/2008 22:14, JohnT wrote:
>>
>>>> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their HD
>>>> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
>>>
>>> Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes 
>>> on their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.
>>
>> What would copyright have to do with it?
> Everything.

So by your logic, Sky are breaching the BBC's copyright by decoding 
their programmes, right?

Hint: Sky wouldn't be doing any transmitting/uplinking, ITV do that via 
Eurobird1.

"Andy Burns"  wrote in message 
news:CJ-dnS-ajdrPqfbVnZ2dnUVZ8gydnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
> On 02/07/2008 08:24, JohnT wrote:
>
>> "Andy Burns"  wrote in message 
>> news:D9CdnSNmB_KYNPfVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>>> On 01/07/2008 22:14, JohnT wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their 
>>>>> HD
>>>>> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
>>>>
>>>> Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes 
>>>> on their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.
>>>
>>> What would copyright have to do with it?
>> Everything.
>
> So by your logic, Sky are breaching the BBC's copyright by decoding their 
> programmes, right?
>
> Hint: Sky wouldn't be doing any transmitting/uplinking, ITV do that via 
> Eurobird1.
>


What "decoding" are Sky doing? BBC programmes are broadcast in the clear and 
any digital satellite box is capable of receiving and displaying the 
transmissions. In any event, Sky and BBC must have some contractual 
arrangement, otherwise BBC wouldn't be on the Sky EPG. The legal situation 
with ITV HD is totally different. If Sky were to modify their software to 
allow their receivers to display ITV HD pictures that would be against the 
wishes of the Copyright holder. By your logic, the Freeview consortium would 
legally be able to decode (for example) Channel 4HD and transmit it on 
Freeview without obtaining the consent of the holder of transmission rights.
-- 
JohnT

In , "JohnT" 
wrote:

>"Andy Burns"  wrote in message 
>news:CJ-dnS-ajdrPqfbVnZ2dnUVZ8gydnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>> On 02/07/2008 08:24, JohnT wrote:
>>
>>> "Andy Burns"  wrote in message 
>>> news:D9CdnSNmB_KYNPfVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>>>> On 01/07/2008 22:14, JohnT wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Surely Sky could easily enable reception of ITV HD by changing their 
>>>>>> HD
>>>>>> digibox software, and there would be nothing ITV could do about it?
>>>>>
>>>>> Except, of course, that ITV own the transmission rights of programmes 
>>>>> on their network and Sky wouldn't be stupid enough to breach Copyright.
>>>>
>>>> What would copyright have to do with it?
>>> Everything.
>>
>> So by your logic, Sky are breaching the BBC's copyright by decoding their 
>> programmes, right?
>>
>> Hint: Sky wouldn't be doing any transmitting/uplinking, ITV do that via 
>> Eurobird1.
>>
>
>
>What "decoding" are Sky doing? BBC programmes are broadcast in the clear and 
>any digital satellite box is capable of receiving and displaying the 
>transmissions. In any event, Sky and BBC must have some contractual 
>arrangement, otherwise BBC wouldn't be on the Sky EPG. The legal situation 
>with ITV HD is totally different.

Please don't mix up legality (criminal offences) with breaches of
copyright (civil offences). They are two completely separate issues.

>If Sky were to modify their software to 
>allow their receivers to display ITV HD pictures 

Which are being broadcast completely unencrypted (FTA), albeit with
strange parameters, 

>that would be against the  wishes of the Copyright holder.

No. It's up to you to prove this.

If the copyright holders didn't want it broadcast FTA, then it would be
encrypted.

>By your logic, the Freeview consortium would 
>legally be able to decode (for example) Channel 4HD and transmit it on 
>Freeview without obtaining the consent of the holder of transmission rights.

Non sequitur.

On 02/07/2008 09:11, JohnT wrote:

> What "decoding" are Sky doing? 

within the STB

> BBC programmes are broadcast in the clear 
> and any digital satellite box is capable of receiving and displaying the 
> transmissions. 

Note that I said decode, not decrypt.

> By your logic, the 
> Freeview consortium would legally be able to decode (for example) 
> Channel 4HD and transmit it on Freeview without obtaining the consent of 
> the holder of transmission rights.

No, because then they would be re-transmitting someone else's programmes.

You seem very confused.