Golf Forums - SKY HD - Is It Any Good?

The Trouble & Strife wants to spend some of her left over Christmas money on getting Sky HD.

Anyone out there got any HD services? Is the picture quality that much better?

With the Masters fast approaching the thought of seeing Augusta National in glorious HD is appealing!  If the picture clarity is glorious of course.

First things first - is your TV 'HD Ready'? (if not you can't watch programmes in HD anyway).

Secondly the programme needs to have been filmed in HD to be received in HD (hence the reason Sky has separate 'HD' channels).  

I believe all 'recent' BBC programmes are recorded in High Definition but I don't know about Sky commissioned content  anyone else know?

Having said that, the picture quality, colour vibrancy etc of HD as compared to 'standard definition' is outstanding.

Exactly - unless the program is filmed in HD there is no point watching it in HD.

For example, let's say they re-run a TV show filmed 5 years ago.  It would not have been filmed in HD and so transmitting it in HD is going to look the same as having it transmitted in SD (well perhaps there might be a very very marginal difference but not discernible).

If something is filmed in HD and transmitted in HD the quality is amazing.  I watched the US Masters Golf last year in HD and it was quite amazing.  The detail is amazing, you see the individual blades of grass.  It is so crystal clear.  It is well worth getting HD to see sporting events that are filmed in HD.

Now I do not know how much sport is actually filmed in HD.  I think a lot, if not most of the US Golf Tournaments are filmed in HD, but whether Sky transmit them in HD is a different thing.

But overall, yes I would say it is worth it as more and more programs are being filmed in HD.   

I just wish there was a way you could see the US Masters coverage in HD like how I saw it last year.  It was just amazing.

Er, yeah the TV is HD Ready. 

Sky are showing the WGC Matchplay this week in HD. Infact most of the big sporting events they air are available in that format.

And I am sure the BBC will be showing the Masters in HD.

Thanks for your comments.