Is the Church Satellite System capable of HD?

[russellhltn]

You might want to plug into the HDMI output and see what you get. It might not be full HD, but still might be better than SD.

Re-reading the instructions for Optimizing Satellite Network Video in Meetinghouses dated later than most messages in this thread, it's possible that HD has started. Espeically when I read the URL "getting_hd_transmission"

[CalS201]

Last week I plugged HDTV into the receiver's HDMI connector and got 1080i. Image quality was better than SD. However, with a lot of movement on the screen there was some pixelation so the bitrate must be low.

It would be easy to get the HDMI signal to the pulpit video jack by inserting a HDMItoSDIcoax converter ($30) between the receiver output and the coax going to the pulpit. At the pulpit you would insert a SDIcoaxToHDMI converter ($30) between the video jack and the projector's HDMI input. We have been doing this for stake conf webcasts to get better quality projected image for some time.

[mevans]

It would be easy to get the HDMI signal to the pulpit video jack by inserting a HDMItoSDIcoax converter ($30) between the receiver output and the coax going to the pulpit. At the pulpit you would insert a SDIcoaxToHDMI converter ($30) between the video jack and the projector's HDMI input.

I knew about HDMI over CAT6, but wasn't aware of SDI or such converters until I saw your post. That's very interesting. Does it work well over both RG59 and RG6? I think we have a mix of both in the building and I'm not certain what goes where.

Can the signal handle being split? Like adding an SDI coax to HDMI converter at each split location? I think our chapel line is a home run to the satellite receiver; I'm just wondering about other rooms, as I know we have splitters in those lines going to each output.

[Mikerowaved]

I knew about HDMI over CAT6, but wasn't aware of SDI or such converters until I saw your post.

I've successfully used a set to carry an HDMI signal from the SD camera input at the rear of the chapel, back to the satellite box. Tried both the Blackmagic converters (~$60/ea) and the Monoprice ones (~$30/ea on sale) and they both worked flawlessly.

That's very interesting. Does it work well over both RG59 and RG6? I think we have a mix of both in the building and I'm not certain what goes where.

Yes, as long as the runs aren't too long it can handle either. If you have a choice, RG-6 will perform better allowing for longer runs.

Can the signal handle being split? Like adding an SDI coax to HDMI converter at each split location? I think our chapel line is a home run to the satellite receiver; I'm just wondering about other rooms, as I know we have splitters in those lines going to each output.

It won't work if there are standard TV-type splitters in the line. They act as a low-pass filter cutting off a good portion of the bandwidth needed for the SDI signal.

[bartj]

Sorry to jump in late on this conversation.......

The Church's satellite network does provide HD video now in the Americas (North, Central, South) and Europe. This change was made recently. Most distribution networks in meetinghouses are still SD though so you will notice marginal improvements in video quality. If you go direct out of the HDMI port of the receiver to an HD monitor or projector the quality of the picture will be substantially improved over what's it has been previously.

[aaronrsmith]

Never mind ... Somehow I didn't see the last post before writing this one. I'm not just dreaming that it was HD after all!

Since HD was available we ran SDI instead of analog to the podium this time to get HD to the projector. In the past we have had to use an hdmi splitter after the sat receiver to remove HDCP copy protection before converting to SDI. We did that tonight, but did not test without. Does anyone know if HDCP is still enabled on the sat receiver HDMI port?

We just tested our receiver tonight from the HDMI port and it looks like legit 720p 16x9, not just scaled up SD. It seems too good to be true, so I thought I'd confirm here. Are they really broadcasting in HD? We are in AZ. I'm not sure which sat we are pointed to.

[lajackson]

Are they really broadcasting in HD? We are in AZ. I'm not sure which sat we are pointed to.

In the post just prior to yours, bartj said they are. The satellites certainly are capable. You are on one of two satellites, depending on whether your dish is a large C-Band (Galaxy 19) or a small Ku-Band (Galaxy 28).

[bartj]

The church's satellite network provides HD programming in North America, Latin America, and Europe. Your issue is likely going to be your distribution system, most are SD. Upgrading the entire distribution system in a building can be very expensive, so if you are interested in HD, you may want to consider targeting HD to the areas that will have the most viewers. I would imagine the best location to extend HD to would be the pulpit. This can be done several ways, one option would be a HDMI to Coax directly to the pulpit. There are systems you can get that are sub $300.00.

[danpass]

I would imagine the best location to extend HD to would be the pulpit. This can be done several ways, one option would be a HDMI to Coax directly to the pulpit. There are systems you can get that are sub $300.00.

See my post here which describes my experience doing this, but with HDMI over cat 6.

[bartj]

I reviewed your comment and provide additional information in the other thread. The short answer is the receiver needs to be put into mono audio mode for HDMI out. Information on doing this is available on MHTech - https://www.lds.org/help/support/cisco- ... o?lang=eng.