HD content on FTA channels without HD ticket?

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ZALMAN

259 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#64578 18-Jul-2010 12:33

I am looking at getting my sky this week, (just sold the tivo) but only wanting to get basic package
with HD content on the tvnz, tv3 etc

so the question is will the FTA channels be in HD without the HD ticket?
Sky have advised me they will be but Im not to sure the guy knew exactly what I was talking about.

Thanks

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1779 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

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#353008 18-Jul-2010 16:26

the HD ticket covers the sky sport 1-2 an sky movies an sky movies greats, so FTA channels 1-3 would be HD without the HD ticket.

ZALMAN

259 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#353638 19-Jul-2010 21:45

Ok thanks for that have ordered sky now hope it's all good

LookingUp

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356455 26-Jul-2010 12:49

Can I just ask a couple of questions to clarify this one, as I'm not sure I understand....?

Are you saying that if I had a receiver capable of decoding the HD stream, I'd be able to do so for these channels using my current Standard Def Sky ticket?

Or, does it mean that if you buy the MySkyHDi package you get HD on some channels for "free", but would need your account adjusted to allow this?

Ta,
LookingUp

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

Davy

196 posts

Master Geek

#356469 26-Jul-2010 13:02

Hi - I have a MySky HDi, without the dopey HD ticket. I get TV1, TV2 and TV3 all in HD without asking for anything but my Sky Sports channels are all in SD.

Hope that helps clarify things - I don't see why they still want to charge $10 extra for HD when it's the default capabililty of the MySky HDi.

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#356488 26-Jul-2010 13:23

Davy: Hi - I have a MySky HDi, without the dopey HD ticket. I get TV1, TV2 and TV3 all in HD without asking for anything but my Sky Sports channels are all in SD.

Hope that helps clarify things - I don't see why they still want to charge $10 extra for HD when it's the default capabililty of the MySky HDi.

Sky could give you SD-only channels including the FTA's unless you subscribed for the HD ticket. But it would seem only equitable that if they charged extra for you to watch a FTA channel in HD then they should pay a portion of that HD charge onto the FTA's, after all Sky is just carrying it and the FTA's get no more or less ad revenue for an HD channel than SD.

Instead Sky is essentially passing thru the HD FTA's in the hope that you'll take their MySky box rather than a Freeview DTT box, and in the hope that with a taste of the difference in HD you'll want to pay extra to see premium channels in HD rather than SD.

In most countries there is a SD STB and an HD STB. Rather than carry two boxes in inventory it makes sense to carry one and turn on/off the capability as viewers want it.

When (or is that IF) Sky offers IPTV they may decide to offer you a selection of backcatalogues or other content that doesnt get broadcast by satellite. But if I dont have decent broadband then why would I want to pay higher monthly fees for content I cant get. I'd rather pay an IPTV ticket (and yes it'll be with the same box you have now) if I want the content.

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

mattk

255 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356511 26-Jul-2010 13:47

So if you pay for the HD ticket with mysky hdi are you able to record shows/movies/sports in HD? or do they revert to SD?

clevedon

1059 posts

Uber Geek

#356520 26-Jul-2010 13:56

mattk: So if you pay for the HD ticket with mysky hdi are you able to record shows/movies/sports in HD? or do they revert to SD?

They are recorded and played back in HD. And if you have multiroom you don't pay the HD ticket.

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Asmodeus

1015 posts

Uber Geek

#356524 26-Jul-2010 14:04

Davy: I don't see why they still want to charge $10 extra for HD when it's the default capabililty of the MySky HDi.

Because they can

mattk

255 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356532 26-Jul-2010 14:11

Asmodeus:
Davy: I don't see why they still want to charge $10 extra for HD when it's the default capabililty of the MySky HDi.

Because they can

It's things like that $10 charge that drive people to torrent/nzb/whatever! It's the principle that you're paying a premium for what is pretty much the standard.

The cost of sky just doesn't add up for me, the lack of discover and history in HD and the fact that FTA HD out numbers the pay HD channels just doesn't seem like value for money to me.

Cleavedon:They are recorded and played back in HD. And if you have multiroom you don't pay the HD ticket.

Cheers! i've always wondered that. I've heard mixed reports of recorded programs reverting to SD.

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#356556 26-Jul-2010 14:47

mattk:

It's things like that $10 charge that drive people to torrent/nzb/whatever! It's the principle that you're paying a premium for what is pretty much the standard.

The cost of sky just doesn't add up for me, the lack of discover and history in HD and the fact that FTA HD out numbers the pay HD channels just doesn't seem like value for money to me.

And for some it is a paltry charge to see sports and movies in HD - some 75,000 homes must find it value for money or they'd choose to stop. Personnlly I could never go back to watching sport in SD - it just looks so grainy. I happily pay that extra to watch a better quality of picture and realise that I pay a little extra for those channels. That I get FTA in HD for nothing extra - well its nice to get something for nothing but then its not Sky's content is it? There are more than 180,000 homes that get the FTA's in HD for the cost of a STB with no monthly charge.

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

LookingUp

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356573 26-Jul-2010 15:07

Thanks, but I'm not sure that quite answered my question.

I'm looking at getting a "non-Sky" satellite decoder that will take the Sky card. The decoder will be HD capable, so I was wondering if I'll be able to receive the FTA HD channels with my current Sky card.

Or, if in the act of signing up to MySkyHDi, they change you details so you can receive the FTA HD channels.

Guess it would be easy enough to check - what happens if you stick a card from a non-HD account into a MySkyHDi box? Do you still get FTA HD?

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

mattk

255 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356582 26-Jul-2010 15:17

ockel:
And for some it is a paltry charge to see sports and movies in HD - some 75,000 homes must find it value for money or they'd choose to stop. Personnlly I could never go back to watching sport in SD - it just looks so grainy. I happily pay that extra to watch a better quality of picture and realise that I pay a little extra for those channels. That I get FTA in HD for nothing extra - well its nice to get something for nothing but then its not Sky's content is it? There are more than 180,000 homes that get the FTA's in HD for the cost of a STB with no monthly charge.

i guess my point is this-

If you buy a new TV, its hard to find one without a freeview turner built in, i.e. freeview is now a standard option and therefore HDTV is standard.

The fact that Sky charge you extra for something which could now be considered standard is not representing value for money for me.

And I absolutely agree, once you've seen shows in HD everything else is rubbish!

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#356594 26-Jul-2010 15:38

I had the HD ticket before, but gotr rid of it.
Not because it was too expensive, but because the HD content was taking up far too much of my Hard drive.
a 3 hour movie or sports game east up >10% of the drive. record a few of those and you are running out of room pretty damn quick.

LookingUp

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356597 26-Jul-2010 15:41

To answer that question, as I understand it, it's a matter of satellite bandwidth and what Sky pay for it.

HD requires considerably more bandwidth, and therefore has a higher transmission cost to Sky. Also, channels that are HD are also transmitted in SD, so Sky's effectively paying for even more bandwidth.

That's why I'll be VERY pleasantly surprised if you can get the non-premium HD channels on a standard SD ticket by performing your own decoder upgrade.

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

clevedon

1059 posts

Uber Geek

#356606 26-Jul-2010 15:53

mattk:
i guess my point is this-

If you buy a new TV, its hard to find one without a freeview turner built in, i.e. freeview is now a standard option and therefore HDTV is standard.

The fact that Sky charge you extra for something which could now be considered standard is not representing value for money for me.

And I absolutely agree, once you've seen shows in HD everything else is rubbish!

A BIG $2.50 a week.
Freeview HD is only avaliable to 75% of NZ therefore HDTV is not standard.

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