Sky to offer HD Movies and Sport from the middle of the year

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paradoxsm

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#103425 7-Jan-2008 19:41

HD is a LOT better than Standard definition.
It's like watching a movie on your 21" and then going out watching it at the cinema.

I have always though DVD is too compressed and that overall picture quality actually went down when we got sky installed (MPEG compressed video data versus a good old uncompressed analogue signal) Try wathing some discovery segments when they chase animals through grass and you'll see exactly what I mean, little blocks and pasted splotches of colours.

openmedia

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#103439 7-Jan-2008 20:36

lchiu7: I am not aware that Freeview will be charging for HD content. I will make the effort to get HD over Freeview and since I don't have Sky HD over Sky isn't an issue for me.

I wonder if TCL will deliver HD content, either Freeview or the Sky programming?

Freeview in HD will be free to view (STB costs only)

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

openmedia

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#103440 7-Jan-2008 20:36

hairy1: Will there be an additional decoder to handle HD apart from Mysky 2? All the documentation I have seen from Sky seems to indicate that in order to view HD you will be required to have the new Mysky 2 box. If that is the case I can hear the uproar already!

Sky are currently planning to only use MySky style boxes for HD services.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

trig42

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#103450 7-Jan-2008 21:27

openmedia:
hairy1: Will there be an additional decoder to handle HD apart from Mysky 2? All the documentation I have seen from Sky seems to indicate that in order to view HD you will be required to have the new Mysky 2 box. If that is the case I can hear the uproar already!

Sky are currently planning to only use MySky style boxes for HD services.

So that could be the price you have to pay for HD - MySky?

I'd be tempted if the subscription didn't increase.

old3eyes

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#103497 8-Jan-2008 08:43

trig42:
openmedia:
hairy1: Will there be an additional decoder to handle HD apart from Mysky 2? All the documentation I have seen from Sky seems to indicate that in order to view HD you will be required to have the new Mysky 2 box. If that is the case I can hear the uproar already!

Sky are currently planning to only use MySky style boxes for HD services.

So that could be the price you have to pay for HD - MySky?

I'd be tempted if the subscription didn't increase.

So based on Skys current pricing model if you have a standard decoder you will have to pay $600 for the new HD /MySky box and no doubt another $20 / month for HD content. Looks too expensive for me..

Regards,

Old3eyes

walt12

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#103501 8-Jan-2008 08:58

openmedia:
hairy1: Will there be an additional decoder to handle HD apart from Mysky 2? All the documentation I have seen from Sky seems to indicate that in order to view HD you will be required to have the new Mysky 2 box. If that is the case I can hear the uproar already!

Sky are currently planning to only use MySky style boxes for HD services.

This is my point exactly. Sure you can get HD but you'll need to upgrade from a vanilla subscription to MySky2. I find their whole position/business model on "premium" services quite offensive. I really hope that Sky is forced to divest itself of Prime and we see some more sports rights flowing back to FTA broadcasters. Probably wishful thinking ...

hairy1

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#103507 8-Jan-2008 09:22

I would be surprised if they charge the HD subscribers twice. It doesn't seem to make sense the current model though. Making people pay for mysky and then HD on top would turn many people off. Also, limiting the HD to mysky severely limits the audience.

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

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cyril7

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#103509 8-Jan-2008 09:28

Exactly what they end up charging is anyones guess at this point, however from previous press releases Sky indicated that current MySky customers would be charged either a very small or no upgrade fee, and new PVR customers would pay a similar or possibly smaller fee than the current MySky to upgrade from standard or no service. A monthly fee for HD channels in addition to the normal sub would apply.

As I said will be interesting to see what pricing eventuates, time will tell.

In UK now SkyUK have pretty much stopped selling nonPVR boxs as a standard package, you can still get nonPVR boxs as an extra box, but the standard start point is Sky+ (MySky) with SkyHD at a cost premium.

All the NewCorp operations except SkyItalia have chosen to only provide PVR HD boxs, and as I understand it even SkyItalia is dropping the nonPVR HD box in favour of a more flexible PVR.

Cyril

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#103765 9-Jan-2008 11:14

lchiu7: I wonder if TCL will deliver HD content, either Freeview or the Sky programming?

I went into there showroom before Christmas and asked about HD. They said they were waiting for Sky and then would offer a HD service.

Will be interesting to see if they use the Freeview HD feed as well.

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lchiu7

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#103795 9-Jan-2008 12:46

That would be great. Their current digital service is still not as good as it could be despite the talk about upgrades etc. How hard would it be for them to degrade the HD sources?

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