Is HD ticket worth the extra 10 bucks?

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227 posts

Master Geek

#1556532 20-May-2016 20:30

ockel:

DickDastardly:

ockel:

DickDastardly:

ockel:

rugrat:
tangerz:

richms:

IMO there is a sort of justification at the moment where the HD streams are separate from the SD ones because the SD boxes are antiques. Once they have moved to a single transmission when all the mpeg 2 dinosaurs are gone, then I think it is a real ripoff to be charging more for the HD.

The biggest problem with sky is the lack of HD. No docco channels in HD, no news channels, only sports and the junk movie service.

My guess is that dropping the HD ticket may be one of the things that happens when Sky complete the new decoder roll out, swap their transponders to MPEG4 and shut off the duplicate SD transmissions. As you say, it's kind of been justified until now as it required separate bandwidth to the SD signal, but when HD is the only signal being broadcast then the extra charge really should go.

I'm sure I read a while ago, once new roll out happens the HD channels will have one stream no SD stream.
But they still want extra money for HD and if you don't pay it the picture will be sabotaged by the Sky decoder and downscaled to SD.

That way they save on not having multiple streams for same channel and still get to charge for HD.
Be interesting to see what happens now people getting more choices for content.

Which is why, given the greater choices in the UK, we're having a good long look at Sky UK.

If I take the Original or Variety bundles I can add Sport or Movies - but I cant have them in HD. [The fine print says that is not an option]

So I have to take the Family bundle (which is just the Variety bundle plus an HD ticket plus box sets). So I'm paying 6 quid a month to have the Variety bundle in HD. Yay. GBP32/month plus GBP6/month for HD. Then I can add Sport at GBP27/month plus another GBP6/month to have Sport in HD. Thats GBP59/month plus GBP12/month HD ticket to get HD Sport in the UK? Surely that cant be right. Someone please help me understand the pricing model cos I must have it wrong to pay NZD144 for Sport in HD.

Especially with the plethora of general entertainment, cable and sport offerings to choose from.

Ok from what I can remember from when I had UK Sky and from what I can see on the Sky UK site (based on the a Sky + box rather than their Q System)

The Original Bundle –

20 per month

270 Channels and Free to Air HD

Free 2tb Sky Box

HD is an extra 6 pounds.

Family Bundle (which was the basis of my post above)

38 per month

350 Channels inc 50 in HD

HD is included.

Any Sport and Movies is then on top of that

Seems like you need the Family Bundle before you have HD sports or movies….

I had the Family Bundle and no HD extra charges...

Its funny cos the only HD I see on Original or Variety is the 11 HD FTA channels. No Sky HD channels. And despite being H.264 Sky UK still charges an HD ticket (two HD tickets when you see that Family is Variety plus 50 channels are now in HD too (as well as the SD channels)).

So Sky UK still charges an HD ticket. Got another example of a satellite or cable provider that has dropped the HD charge post-upgrade (being my original question).

Agreed, Sky UK can still charge for HD, but if you go for a higher package, HD gets thrown in. Even if you have every known package from Sky NZ HD does not get thrown in (Ok, I believe the second decoder option will get you HD, but thats not the point!)

Another satellite or cable provider that doesn't charge extra for HD? Direct TV in the States, even on their basic package (50 bucks a month for 145+ channels) includes loads of HD channels included in the introductory package. No sign of charging HD as an extra. The HD they offer is 1080p quality and although there are some specialist HD channels that do come at an extra cost and there are further packages that give you more HD channels (5 dollars extra gives you more channels inc movies again in HD)

I stand corrected.

But I still beg to differ on Sky UK. I dont think you can get HD content unless you're on Family. Would love a UK subscriber to actually clarify that they have HD on a lower tier. Going from Variety to Family - same channel lineup but voila duplicate channels in HD. ie you're paying a GBP6/mth HD ticket. Hardly getting thrown in - you're paying for it.

I don't think you can get HD unless your on Family too (well that's as much as I could gather on Google). Happy to hear from any UK based Sky subscribed Geekzoners.

However, here is an interesting thread from last year...might answer lots of your questions...have a look over a coffee..

Sky UK HD Channels

I don't want no sugar in it - thank you very much

bmt

574 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1556545 20-May-2016 20:36

It's sad that HD has been around for over a decade and yet we are still getting SD TV broadcasts. Let alone being charged for HD pay TV content.

Speculating that HD content potentially costs more for Sky to buy, it wouldn't really make sense to turn around and make the HD ticket free as well. A double price hit.

On a side note, the CEOs for both Sky TV and Sky City both seem like absolute weasels. Coincidence..?

MikeB4

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#1556556 20-May-2016 20:46

bmt:

It's sad that HD has been around for over a decade and yet we are still getting SD TV broadcasts. Let alone being charged for HD pay TV content.

Speculating that HD content potentially costs more for Sky to buy, it wouldn't really make sense to turn around and make the HD ticket free as well. A double price hit.

On a side note, the CEOs for both Sky TV and Sky City both seem like absolute weasels. Coincidence..?

insults against persons is not cool

dafman

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#1556578 20-May-2016 21:36

khull

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#1556694 21-May-2016 09:13

Seems like a strange situation to be in, if you are already shelling wads of cash and having to justify additional spend for HD? Given there are alternatives out there (not just Netflix but live UK / US channels) that you can just receive with a set up front.

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#1556697 21-May-2016 09:20

khull: Seems like a strange situation to be in, if you are already shelling wads of cash and having to justify additional spend for HD? Given there are alternatives out there (not just Netflix but live UK / US channels) that you can just receive with a set up front.

yeah, seems strange to pay an extra 30% for Netflix in HD rather than SD. Must be a premium price for a premium product. And yet another 23% for 4K - a super premium price for a super premium product. Go figure.

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PhantomNVD

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#1556706 21-May-2016 10:00

But then let's put that in perspective, for NF that "30%" is only $2 ($3 locally) and 4K cost another $2 (us$4 total)

And, as mentioned above, each step also doubles your screen count.

For Sky that is $10 for HD and another $25(?) for multi room (per box/screen?)

TBH I'm on a special deal with a free 6 month HD+ in my Sky deal, but we almost never watch sky or NZ TV anymore because the content is only 'OK' but the addition of ad's and time locked/shifted content is just a very poor cousin to SVOD availability, price and function. (and I care little for sport)

For the around same $10 HD ticket, you could add an SVOD service IN HD and add content as well as HD?

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khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek

#1556723 21-May-2016 10:51

I wasn't going to entertain that with a response, but thanks

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#1556737 21-May-2016 11:07

PhantomNVD: But then let's put that in perspective, for NF that "30%" is only $2 ($3 locally) and 4K cost another $2 (us$4 total)

And, as mentioned above, each step also doubles your screen count.

For Sky that is $10 for HD and another $25(?) for multi room (per box/screen?)

TBH I'm on a special deal with a free 6 month HD+ in my Sky deal, but we almost never watch sky or NZ TV anymore because the content is only 'OK' but the addition of ad's and time locked/shifted content is just a very poor cousin to SVOD availability, price and function. (and I care little for sport)

For the around same $10 HD ticket, you could add an SVOD service IN HD and add content as well as HD?

The fact of the matter is that all providers (save Lightbox) charge additional for HD content. And as a percentage of the Netflix base price its significant - it is no different to the others. Take Netflix in SD save yourself 30%. Want the better picture, pay the extra money. Just dont expect a premium quality product for a standard price.

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

Dratsab

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#1556740 21-May-2016 11:10

Pick any viewer percentage figure then multiply it out. Take for instance figures such as 18-20% (plucked from thin air) of current Sky subscribers paying the extra $10 month for HD Ticket. With such figures generating an extra $19.2-$21.4 million per annum Sky would say it's definitely worth it!

nathan

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#1556780 21-May-2016 12:48

bmt:
It's sad that HD has been around for over a decade and yet we are still getting SD TV broadcasts. Let alone being charged for HD pay TV content.

Speculating that HD content potentially costs more for Sky to buy, it wouldn't really make sense to turn around and make the HD ticket free as well. A double price hit.

On a side note, the CEOs for both Sky TV and Sky City both seem like absolute weasels. Coincidence..?

A CEO is legally obligated to maximise shareholder return

If you feel like you're being shafted stop paying? That is the problem here. All the sheep keep paying and paying and paying thru the nose

Hammerer

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#1556786 21-May-2016 13:02

Baa Baa-baa baaaaa

ockel

2031 posts

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#1556807 21-May-2016 13:57

nathan:
bmt:

It's sad that HD has been around for over a decade and yet we are still getting SD TV broadcasts. Let alone being charged for HD pay TV content.

Speculating that HD content potentially costs more for Sky to buy, it wouldn't really make sense to turn around and make the HD ticket free as well. A double price hit.

On a side note, the CEOs for both Sky TV and Sky City both seem like absolute weasels. Coincidence..?

A CEO is legally obligated to maximise shareholder return

If you feel like you're being shafted stop paying? That is the problem here. All the sheep keep paying and paying and paying thru the nose

Are they anything like the sheep that keep bleating that they cancelled Sky weeks/months/years ago and feel the need to keep telling the world to self-justify their decision?

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

dafman

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#1556813 21-May-2016 14:15

ockel:

Are they anything like the sheep that keep bleating that they cancelled Sky weeks/months/years ago and feel the need to keep telling the world to self-justify their decision?

I think it's a pretty admirable human trait to warn off others if you discover what you consider to be a rip off. Keep up the good work all.

Sam91

620 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1556826 21-May-2016 14:58

We only have Sky for Sport. I struggle to see why people subscribe to Sky if they don't watch sport. Most of Sky's other content is readily available elsewhere for cheaper.

HD ticket is worth it. I couldn't believe the difference when we first got MySkyHDI in 2008. Still laugh when I see people with the latest expensive TV but no HD ticket : )

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