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lots of posts around this forum relating to your questions..... have a look around the Foxtel & Optus section for more detailed info. (Click on the 'K' in the Forum Links above)
But briefly...
Foxtel Digital is not Digital TV. It's just a decent quality TV signal through cable (better) or satellite (not so good), certainly not high def, getting close to standard def, but still not as good. It looks great on a medium size TV, say up to 36", but on a big plasma or LCD, you'll certainly get a much better picture from the Digital FTA channels (but of course not as many channels as Foxtel).
You HAVE to have an analogue TV tuner card in order to get Foxtel Digital into your MCE box, and you cannot then receive Digital TV at all through the same MCE box. You cannot use a Digital TV card, and then use the AV inputs for Foxtel either. You also can't use multiple TV Tuners unless you pay for another Foxtel box per month.
Foxtel's box has an SVHS out, a composite out, and 2 x SCART Out (Component, or RGB, or SVHS configurable). Audio is either analogue or RCA SPDIF Digital.
It doesn't have the FTA AC3 issues as it doesn't get the Digital FTA stations, just normal analogue ones.
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Foxtel Digital is not Digital TV. It's just a decent quality TV signal through cable (better) or satellite (not so good), certainly not high def, getting close to standard def, but still not as good. It looks great on a medium size TV, say up to 36", but on a big plasma or LCD, you'll certainly get a much better picture from the Digital FTA channels (but of course not as many channels as Foxtel).
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TiggerK
In what way is Foxtel Digital not digital? Not high definition for sure, but not digital?
And, for the record, it looks just fantastic on my 50" plasma.
OK, point taken, It depends on your definition of Digital. Foxtel can, but does not generally transmit a standard definition signal, unlike current Digital FTA TV, so it's not 'digital' if 'digital' means a standard or high definition picture. Strictly speaking Foxtel in general is a Digital SD signal, but because they want to provide lots of channels within a fixed bandwidth, they reduce the bandwidth of most channels, so the quality varies from SD quality on a couple (Pay Per View Movies for example), to very average on others (like How To Channel etc). This applies to cable Foxtel Digital, I am told Satellite is not anywhere as good a signal.
Overall, it's a nice clean signal though, and I have no complaints with it. I'm really pleased that Ozbear gets a good picture on a 50" plasma, as that was my future upgrade path!!! (or an LCD..). I do hear many others complaining about Foxtel Digital quality on their plasmas, so it will depend on many factors, location, signal strength, cabling, plasma quality and of course, what channel you are watching!!! And of course if you compare it to an HD signal, it's no contest.
It is also 'digital' in the fact that you can interact with it, i.e hit the red button and get more info, different angles (when available of course) etc.... But is that 'Digital'??
Foxtel are s.l.o.w.l.y progressing to more SD content so we can just sit back and wait. No doubt they will go HD sometime in the future, like the UK, but don't hold your breath, it'll be years away. (IMHO).
Foxtel is digital as opposed to analogue. Signal strength has nothing to do with the quality of the picture, you either get it or you don't. Ditto for FTA digital.
"Digital" has nothing to do with being able to interact with it, SD, HD, or any of the content.
anymore than a digitsed phone converation has to do with the words spoken.
Foxtel Satellite also runs just fine. I have had occasional dropouts during very heavy rainstorms but that hasn't been a problem lately in NSW.
