Confused - Sky - HD - Blue Ray

[Tech_biff]

I'm not very technology minded. I currently have plain Sky TV and an LCD TV. I want to upgrade to Sky+ and an HD ready TV and thought I may as well get a Sky HD box. So I've been 'trying' to research and am confused... will it support blue ray? Or is HD and blue ray the same thing? Would I be better off getting a blue ray hard drive/DVD recorder and receiver? Or should I hold off, is it likely Sky will launch a blue ray box?

I'd also like to get home cinema surround sound, but it looks like many don't work with Sky TV.

Any suggestions on the above would be greatly received. Thanks.

[Robbo]

HD and Blue Ray are essentially different things.

HD is the number of pixels on screen, Blue Ray is the technology used to stick it on a disk.

A Blue Ray recorder would have no advantage over a HDD recorder such as Sky+, although you would end up with removable media.

[Yorks]

Hi Tech_biff.

Welcome to Techwatch.

Quite a few questions there! I am no expert on Sky or HD as I have neither, but HD receivers are not the same as HD DVD recorders. An HD TV or receiver as I understand it can receive and diplay High Definition tv channels.

HD DVD and Blu-ray are 2 separate systems used for recording HD quality tv using a suitable PVR, a little like the old VHS/Betamax saga.
In the last month or so it would appear that the Sony developed system (Blu-ray) has won the battle and that many PVR manufacturers are ditching the Toshiba (Microsoft supported) HD DVD. This is following the decision by Warner Bros to back the Blu-Ray Disc format.

As to what you buy and when....... whatever you buy today, will be out of date by tomorrow. But if you want it today then you have to buy it today.

Yorks

[Tech_biff]

Originally Posted by Yorks

Hi Tech_biff.

HD DVD and Blu-ray are 2 separate systems used for recording HD quality tv using a suitable PVR, a little like the old VHS/Betamax saga.
In the last month or so it would appear that the Sony developed system (Blu-ray) has won the battle and that many PVR manufacturers are ditching the Toshiba (Microsoft supported) HD DVD. This is following the decision by Warner Bros to back the Blu-Ray Disc format.

As to what you buy and when....... whatever you buy today, will be out of date by tomorrow. But if you want it today then you have to buy it today.

Yorks

As I'm not too bothered about HD at the moment then, is a Sky HD box worth getting? Or would you recommend it over a standard Sky+ box?

[Robbo]

If you have not got a HD Ready TV, you would not be able to reap the benefit of a HD Receiver, so there is not much point in paying out extra for one.

[southernsatellite]

I have Sky HD and don't feel its worth the extra £10 a month at the moment, reason? The film channels show stuff that has been on before, the Docu channels are okay but in my opinion the HD content looks much better using my Golden Interstar HD receiver and a Diablo cam (as this can accept my Sky card) as the pictures have a lot more detail and the colours are more vibrant than the Sky HD box can muster. Also come July time Freesat from the BBC and ITV will start and the rumors are that 3 HD channels will be broadcasting free to air these being BBC HD which already is, ITV HD for 3 hours a day and CH4 HD which is currently on Sky EPG contract but will be FTA aparently.

The plus side of the Sky box though is the electronic programme guide, the recording function and the 'Anytime' programmes.

My advice is to hold out until freesat launches, to see what they have to offer and not get tied in to their 12 month contract.