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bonzobob999 · 12-03-06, 07:17 PM

Anybody have an idea when Sky will launch the HD system? what will be needed and how much they will be charging? how many channels will run in HD?............new customers only as oppose to upgrade/current contracts?

lincsat · 13-03-06, 12:30 AM

Launch looks to be around Easter, no specific charges as yet but rumours have the HD STB costing £300 with an additional £10 monthly payment. You can use a standard TV, but obviously won't get a HD picture on it, you really want a HD display with at least 720 lines resolution (preferably 1080) and a HDMI connector.

Channels include Sky 1 HD, Sports HD, Movies 9 & 10 HD, Artsworld HD, Discovery HD and BBC HD won't be far behind. AIUI, BBC will show all their World cup soccer games in HD.

bonzobob999 · 13-03-06, 04:57 PM

Not cheap then, 300 quid for a set top box bloody hell, and I presume the extra 10 quid will apply to the Plus package not the standard package.

Do you think they will bring out a freeview box that will utilize the HD broadcast?

lincsat · 13-03-06, 06:25 PM

Terrestrial freeview HDTV is probably 5+ years away. There are HDTV FTA satellite boxes available, but you won't get any Sky channels with them, probably only BBC and a few European for the next year or so.

stonedandhappy · 13-03-06, 09:25 PM

Bloody hell.

Thise price are a bit different from what I had heard but still bloody expensive.

I'd heard about £250 for the box and a min of £50 a month for the sub.

Looks like I'l be waiting a bit longer than I thought for it.

bonzobob999 · 14-03-06, 05:11 PM

So what happens if you decide after your years contract is up that you no longer want to subscribe......maybe you get made redundent.
You have to give back the 250/300 quid STB?

it'll be no good to you if you don't subscribe to HD........ebay? Are you buying the box or renting/leasing it?
Sky are such gready b**tards wonder how much HD TV costs the Yanks......free I'll bet.

Realist · 14-03-06, 06:00 PM

Thats my biggest gripe about sky is the fact that you pay loads for the gear and after 12 months its no good is you unsubscribe.

So £300 plus the monthly fee is a small fortune and at the end of it, its still no good.

Better to rent the gear and hand it back after 12 months in my opinion.

lincsat · 15-03-06, 03:06 PM

If you stop subscribing, the box will still work as a FTV (Freesat) satellite receiver and get BBC HD (and ITV/Ch4 HD when available).

With Sky's track record, I would wait until at least Christmas before buying a HD box - I would expect the price to drop by at least 50% within 9 months. Sky+ was £400 at launch and half that 6 months later!

bonzobob999 · 16-03-06, 07:45 PM

Think I'll leave it to the end of the year before I even contemplate it.
http://www.sky.com/hd/thankyou

bonzobob999 · 16-03-06, 07:46 PM

Think I'll leave it to the end of the year before I even contemplate it.
http://www.sky.com/hd/thankyou

12-03-06, 07:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
bonzobob999 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Sky HD Package Anybody have an idea when Sky will launch the HD system? what will be needed and how much they will be charging? how many channels will run in HD?............new customers only as oppose to upgrade/current contracts?

13-03-06, 12:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
lincsat Super-Dooper Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In front of the PC Posts: 6,003 Thanks: 8 Thanked 2,580 Times in 667 Posts	Re: Sky HD Package Launch looks to be around Easter, no specific charges as yet but rumours have the HD STB costing £300 with an additional £10 monthly payment. You can use a standard TV, but obviously won't get a HD picture on it, you really want a HD display with at least 720 lines resolution (preferably 1080) and a HDMI connector. Channels include Sky 1 HD, Sports HD, Movies 9 & 10 HD, Artsworld HD, Discovery HD and BBC HD won't be far behind. AIUI, BBC will show all their World cup soccer games in HD.

13-03-06, 04:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
bonzobob999 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sky HD Package Not cheap then, 300 quid for a set top box bloody hell, and I presume the extra 10 quid will apply to the Plus package not the standard package. Do you think they will bring out a freeview box that will utilize the HD broadcast?

13-03-06, 06:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
lincsat Super-Dooper Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In front of the PC Posts: 6,003 Thanks: 8 Thanked 2,580 Times in 667 Posts	Re: Sky HD Package Terrestrial freeview HDTV is probably 5+ years away. There are HDTV FTA satellite boxes available, but you won't get any Sky channels with them, probably only BBC and a few European for the next year or so.

13-03-06, 09:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
stonedandhappy Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Sky HD Package Bloody hell. Thise price are a bit different from what I had heard but still bloody expensive. I'd heard about £250 for the box and a min of £50 a month for the sub. Looks like I'l be waiting a bit longer than I thought for it.

14-03-06, 05:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
bonzobob999 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sky HD Package So what happens if you decide after your years contract is up that you no longer want to subscribe......maybe you get made redundent. You have to give back the 250/300 quid STB? it'll be no good to you if you don't subscribe to HD........ebay? Are you buying the box or renting/leasing it? Sky are such gready b**tards wonder how much HD TV costs the Yanks......free I'll bet.

14-03-06, 06:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
Realist Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Here. Posts: 2,005 Thanks: 0 Thanked 45 Times in 21 Posts	Re: Sky HD Package Thats my biggest gripe about sky is the fact that you pay loads for the gear and after 12 months its no good is you unsubscribe. So £300 plus the monthly fee is a small fortune and at the end of it, its still no good. Better to rent the gear and hand it back after 12 months in my opinion.

15-03-06, 03:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
lincsat Super-Dooper Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In front of the PC Posts: 6,003 Thanks: 8 Thanked 2,580 Times in 667 Posts	Re: Sky HD Package If you stop subscribing, the box will still work as a FTV (Freesat) satellite receiver and get BBC HD (and ITV/Ch4 HD when available). With Sky's track record, I would wait until at least Christmas before buying a HD box - I would expect the price to drop by at least 50% within 9 months. Sky+ was £400 at launch and half that 6 months later!

16-03-06, 07:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
bonzobob999 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sky HD Package Think I'll leave it to the end of the year before I even contemplate it. http://www.sky.com/hd/thankyou

16-03-06, 07:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
bonzobob999 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sky HD Package Think I'll leave it to the end of the year before I even contemplate it. http://www.sky.com/hd/thankyou