Sky+ HD

Sky+ HD

Original author(s)	Sky plc
Developer(s)	Sky plc
Initial release	22 May 2006 (2006-05-22)
Development status	Current
Website	www.sky.com/products/ways-to-watch/sky-plus-hd/

Sky+ HD is the brand name of the HDTV service launched by Sky plc on 22 May 2006 in the United Kingdom and Ireland to enable high definition channels on Sky to be viewed. For the first 2 years after launch, the service was branded Sky HD. The service requires the user to have a Sky+ HD Digibox and an HD ready TV. Customers who pre-ordered by paying a deposit before 6 April 2006 were the first to receive the service, with installations starting on 21 May 2006.

As of 21 August 2014 the number of Sky+HD boxes currently in use stands at over 10 million.^[1]

Subscriptions

A subscription to the original HD pack carries an extra fee of £10.25 (€15.00 in Ireland) a month on top of the standard Sky subscription. This fee allows customers to view any HD channels which correspond to the channel packs they subscribe to. Thus, Discovery HD and National Geographic HD will only be available if you have the entertainment extra package in addition to HD. Before that someone without the Knowledge Pack (part of the Entertainment Extra as of September 2011, which corresponds to the Variety Pack) could not view the SD Discovery or National Geographic but they can view the HD versions. Additional Pay-Per-View events on Sky Box Office HD are not available to customers unless they subscribe to the Sky HD pack.

The HD package, like Sky TV has a one-year minimum subscription and after this point a 31-day cancellation period is needed.

In January 2010, customers started being offered the Sky+ HD box as standard, and it is now optional to take the HD package. The HD package still remains at the same subscription price. The Sky+ box is no longer listed for purchase on the Sky website, and the Sky+ HD is now classed as the standard box installation.

As of late 2013, the £10.25/month HD pack is not offered to new customers - instead, customers with the basic entertainment channels may obtain selected channels in HD by subscribing to the Family package, which presently carries a £5 per month premium over the cost of the regular Variety package.^[2] Access to HD versions of Sky Sports and Sky Movies now requires a separate HD pack subscription, priced at £5.25 per month.^[3]

Sky+ recording facilities are included at no cost if a customer subscribes to any Sky TV package. Sky+ recording facilities carries an extra fee of £10.25 if a customer does not subscribe to any Sky TV package. Viewers who do not take a subscription Sky TV package or the Sky+ service will still receive all free SD and HD channels, but cannot use the recording facilities. It is for this reason that uptakers of the subscription-free Freesat from Sky service are provided with a box branded as 'SkyHD' rather than Sky+ HD. SkyHD boxes provided by Freesat from Sky do not contain hardware for recording (not to be confused with those older Sky HD boxes which existed before the rebrand to Sky+ HD. Those Sky HD boxes have recording functions which are disabled until subscribed to).

Free channels

A number of FTA HD channels are available which do not require a subscription, only an HD capable digibox such as the Sky+ HD box. BBC One HD, BBC Two HD and Channel 4 HD are broadcast free to air. ITV HD launched on 2 April 2010 in England and Wales, and can also be viewed without an HD subscription, although viewers in some regions may require a viewing card. (Viewers in Scotland and Ireland, or viewers without viewing cards, can manually tune in the channel via the 'Other Channels' function.) Channel 5 announced on 17 March 2010 that Channel 5 HD would be added to the Sky platform in July 2010, however it requires a viewing card.^[4] NHK World HD was added to the EPG in July 2011, with channel number 518, becoming the second HD news channel (after Sky News HD). It is also free to air.

Technical information

The Sky+ HD Digibox (V.1) backpanel.

The first generation of Sky+ HD Digibox were produced by Thomson. Sky have since added Samsung, Pace and Amstrad as manufacturers. The Thomson box has been discontinued and is no longer available as an A-grade/refurbished item due to its inclusion of YPbPr component video. A manufacturing fault led to a batch of up to 90,000 units manufactured by Pace / Sky starting to replace boxes, commencing in February 2009 and still ongoing in spring 2009.^[5]

For connectivity with HD ready televisions, the box outputs via a HDMI connector (adapters to Digital Visual Interface are available). The box is High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) compliant. Sky boxes manufactured prior to January 2008 also had analogue component connections (YPbPr), but as the HDCP copy protection cannot be applied to this type of output it is no longer included. Traditional standard-definition (SD) connections are available via SCART and S-Video. All programming is currently output from both HDMI and SD connections, although individual broadcasters have the option to require HDCP (and therefore HDMI) in the future. The digibox also comes with a new slimline version of the Sky+ remote control.

All HD channels are broadcast in 1080i format (though the box can be set to scale this to 720p if the user wishes), using the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC compression standard, from Astra 2A, Astra 2E, Astra 2F and Eutelsat 28A satellites at 28.2°E and 28.5°E in a new DVB transmission standard, DVB-S2. BBC HD was broadcast using DVB-S but switched to DVB-S2 on 6 June 2011.^[6]

The Version 5 EPG (electronic program guide) is almost identical to the one found on Sky+, with the exception being that by pressing TV Guide and then number 2 on the remote control, listings for only the HD channels are shown. An update was sent to the HD boxes early on 20 March 2007, which also included code for Sky Anytime. Sky Anytime TV is accessed by pressing "TV Guide" and then the red button. Version 8 of the Sky Guide, dubbed the Sky+ HD guide, has been gradually released throughout 2009 in phases based on the equipment manufacturer. This version boasts a Mini TV (similar to that in version 5's Sky Anytime), improved search functions and a completely new look. Further information can be found in the 'Sky+ HD Guide' section below. The Sky+ HD box comes complete with a remote control. The Latest version as of 2015 is Version Rev.9.

On 1 October 2010, Sky began the process of downloading open-source software to Sky+ HD receivers.^[7] Unlike the majority of software upgrades made by Sky, the open source licences require Sky to notify customers that the download has taken place. Subscribers are notified with an on-screen message that refers them to a dedicated section of the Sky website.^[8] The website also includes a download of the open source components including the building environment. Sky says that it has found a number of Open Source Software developments that provide capabilities that benefit the software used in the Sky+ HD box.

Channels

The launch line-up consisted of Sky1 HD, Sky Arts HD, Sky Movies 9 HD, Sky Movies 10 HD, Sky Sports HD, Discovery HD, National Geographic Channel HD, Sky Box Office HD 1 and Sky Box Office HD 2 (now Sky Movies Box Office).

Currently, there are 66 HD Channels available on the Sky+ HD EPG. All HD channels in the UK can be viewed using Sky HD.

On Demand

On 27 March 2007, Sky launched its Sky Anytime on TV Push-Video on Demand service for owners of Sky+ HD set top boxes. Programmes in high definition and standard definition are recorded overnight to a reserved 140GB of disk space, to give the effect of video on demand.

This has also been used to bring viewers high-definition programmes from channels that at the time didn't broadcast in HD. These have included Sky News (Technofile, Diana: The Last Word), Disney Channel (High School Musical 2) and Nickelodeon (iCarly).

Developments

Increase in HD channels

In over three years since launch, the number of HD channels available has increased significantly, thus Sky+ HD is the world's largest HD offering outside North America.^[9]

To find out the make and model of your STB, please look at the back panel of your Sky STB. To check the firmware version, using your remote control, please do the following:

Press Services ---> 0 ---> 3 = System Details

The firmware version is the 1st number on the list, the 'Model Number'

On 1 April 2015, Sky started rolling out a new firmware update adding a few new features to the existing R010 update, changes listed below. (R011 update rollout commenced 1 April 2015)

Sky brought an update to its Sky+ app, this features a similar looking design to the Sky+HD box bringing the services more in line with one another.

On 30 July 2009, Sky confirmed the launch of a "pull" video-on-demand (VOD) service for 2010, adding to the current Sky Anytime "push" VOD service.^[10] The service, delivered by broadband internet, will utilise the Ethernet port of existing Sky+ HD boxes. Sky's Anytime+ will only be available to Sky broadband at launch but sky say it will be on all service providers in the near future. Although the service may be similar to DirecTV's VOD offering that also uses an operating system built by NDS Group. NDS Group was formally a Permira/News Corporation company, but currently part of Cisco. Sky have started the phased roll-out of the new guide software for this service.

On 29 April 2010, BSkyB revealed that their new video-on-demand service would be named Sky Anytime+.^[11] "It will be a broad offering at launch with a large range of content across the range of content that we show," CEO Jeremy Darroch said. "[It will feature] progressive download using the broadband return pathway and the hard disc in a combined way. All of the boxes are VOD-ready, so we'll be able to roll it out to all of the box population." Sky Anytime+ began a staggered roll out from 26 October 2010. In March 2011 it was confirmed by Sky that the Thomson Sky HD boxes would not be suitable for the new Anytime+ service. Customers with Thomson boxes are being offered New boxes.^[12]

On 1 February 2011, BSkyB introduced a new EPG for Sky HD subscribers which switched the standard definition channels with the high definition simulcast. For example, Sky News HD, which was on channel 517, switched to channel 501. The same happened for other non-regional HD channels, including Syfy, Comedy Central, Sky Sports, E4 and Sky1.

3D

Following demonstrations in December 2008,^[13] Sky announced on 30 July 2009 its intention to launch a 3D channel during 2010, featuring a broad selection of 3D programming, which is expected to include movies, entertainment and sport.^[10] Existing Sky+ HD receivers will automatically be compatible with the new 3D service, although customers will require a new 3D compatible HDTV set to view in 3D. A 3D trailer has been in circulation in UK cinemas for the new service. It is thought that it will use the new MVC video codec. The first programme that was broadcast by Sky in 3D was the Arsenal vs Manchester United football match on Sunday 31 January 2010. The 3D match was available in nine hand-picked pubs in England and in Ireland.^[14] On Monday 29 March 2010, Sky 3D appeared on the EPG at number 217, showing "Programs Start on Saturday". Sky launched its 3D services on 3 April with the Manchester United vs Chelsea football match being broadcast in over a thousand pubs across England in 3D.^[15] As of October 2014 Sky 3D is on channel 170. From 9 June 2015 customers wanting to access Sky’s 3D content will only be able to do so via its on-demand channels. To this end, there will be a new 3D segment in the Sky Box Sets, Movies, Store and TV Guide sections.

1TB Storage

A new model set-top box was introduced in late 2009 and early 2010, which offers a new storage capacity of 1 TB available to the user.^[16] The new box allows for up to 240 hours of recording. The original Sky+ HD Box has one 300 GB Hard Drive or 500 GB hard drive depending on the model. All the Sky HD boxes use SATA to connect to the hard drive. The 1 TB box, currently made by Amstrad, is being marketed by Sky as "Sky+ HD 1 TB" and the hardware is significantly different from the original Sky HD receiver. The Sky+ HD 1 TB box actually contains a 1.5 TB drive; however, only 1 TB is available for user storage, with the remaining 500 GB being reserved for system usage. The additional space is currently used for 'Top Picks' that is downloaded to the box over the air when the box is switched off into standby over night.

See also

• Sky plc
• Sky (United Kingdom)
• Sky Ireland
• High-definition television
• High-definition television in the United Kingdom

References

External links

• Sky HD at sky.com

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