Something I found interesting about Sky+ HD

[Chapster5]

Well sat there as you do... Bored and wondered if sky could be plugged into the DVD play which is set up for 5.1 surround and going through I saw a tab called software. After reading for a little while it turns out sky boxes are just Linux machines which run free open source software and sky happily tell you what software they are running and what libraries. You can also download there full software library from the sky site. I personally wouldn't have thought that would do this haha just thought I would share as there really isn't a lot to the sky box as what meets the eye ,

So anyone get 5.1 surround sound on a sky box? Or still not available lol

 

[Jaff.]

So anyone get 5.1 surround sound on a sky box? Or still not available lol

think i have it on my sky box. couldent tell you tho as im a bit of a dunce when it comes to all that but i have a dvd suround sound thing and i have sky putting sound through that. only done it because i was sick of the flatscreen tv sounding pants!

 

[Chapster5]

Any ideas what ports where used on the back of the box mate?

 

[Jaff.]

i have a optical cable going from the sky box to the dvdplayer that powers the surround sound and changed the settings in the sound menu on the box. picture goes via hdmi to the tv sound goes to the dvd player via an optical cable.

ive done the same with the PS3 too, only issue im having is with the optical cables coming from the sky and ps3 into the splitter i have which then goes to the dvd player. it just wont work when going through that for some reason!

ohh and ive turned the TV speakers off because theyre pants!

 

[Vish]

Sky HD boxes do 5.1 via optical, only 2.0 by HDMI.

 

[Chapster5]

Ahhhh cheers guys mucho appreciated

 

[Adam.]

I use an optical on mines. You need to change it to dolby in the menu iirc.

 

[clancy]

optical to an amp running your surround sound. change settings to dolby surround, always have the surround sound on getting my moneys worth out of the horrible amount i spent lol

 

[Chapster5]

Just had a look back of the DVD player doesn't have an optical in only coaxial in... Doh that's that plan down the drain! >.<

 

[Jaff.]

anyone able to shed some light on why i cant get my setup to work?

ps3 and sky optical into a slitter that i have to manually set then from there to the surround sound.

only worked once but doesnt work at all now. does the ps3 and sky need to be on for it to work?

 

[Adam]

Dodgy splitter.

I use a splitter and it has been fine for years. Have you tested the Sky box and PS3 separately?

 

[Jaff.]

yeah if i use 1 optical cable from sky to dvd or ps3 to dvd it works fine but it wont work when i put the 2 into a splitter then 1 from the splitter to the dvd player.

i had it working once but i cant seem to get it anymore. this is the second splitter ive had now, first was a 2-1 auto one (about £10 from maplins iirc) this is a 3-1 manual one (cheapo £3 one from ebay)

 

[Adam]

Yeah so it has to be the splitter or maybe one of the cables, I have you checked all 3 optical cables separately either from PS3>DVD or Sky>DVD?

 

[Jaff.]

no i havent, i will have to give that a go!

its odd tho as i have had it working once. tidied it all up and it stopped working! irritating!!!

 

[KDF]

After reading for a little while it turns out sky boxes are just Linux machines which run free open source software and sky happily tell you what software they are running and what libraries. You can also download there full software library from the sky site. I personally wouldn't have thought that would do this

Can't help you with the surround sound, but the reason why you found the above and can download the libraries etc is because of the Linux licensing model. Basically, they have to to stay legal