High Definition Hardware

What makes an HD image so good?

Unless you have been living in a box for the last few months you are bound to have heard about the impending release of HDTV in the UK, and the potential benefits that High Definition offers.

High Definition TV is being touted as the biggest revolution in TV for years. Bold statements such as the difference being as big as that between black and white and colour have already put HD on a pedestal.

Sky to show Ryder Cup in HD

Sky has announced it will be broadcasting live coverage of the 2006 Ryder Cup in HD.

Running from the 22nd to the 24th September, the Ryder Cup pits Europe’s top Golfers against the American elite and promises to deliver intense viewing as player’s battle it out in head to head matches. Sky claims that showing the competition in HD can only increase the drama, with Sky's Executive producer of golf commenting: "HD will not only bring viewers closer to what is happening on the course, the players' emotions, the atmosphere of the galleries, the contours of the greens, but also it will bring out the unique landscape of the K Club, and bring it to life".

Sky HD install delays

So, after months of waiting, pre-registration, and paying up front for Hardware, I am now sat happily in front of my new Sky box watching in glorious HD.

Well unfortunately not. It appears that Sky have somehow managed to run out of HD boxes, on the first day the service was made available to the general public.

I, like many others, registered for Sky HD as soon as there was a whisper about the new technology. The day the website went live, I paid my £30 to pre-register, waited for a call a few weeks later to confirm an installation date of the 22nd, and paid the £299 required for the box.

Great! All set and ready to go. Or so I thought..

Todays the Day for Sky HD

This week sees the first installations taking place for those customers who pre-registered for Skys HD service.

Apparently up to 40,000 installations will be taking place over the next few weeks with Sky racing to get as many people up and running in time for the June 9th World Cup kick off.

Skys HD signal has been live and showing on the Electronic Programme Guide for a month now, but until today only a select few have been able to see exactly what the service has to offer.

The BBCs trial HD service is also live (it can be found on channel 145 on Sky) and will be showing a couple of hours of HD programming a day, including Planet Earth, and Hotel Babylon.

Expect to see a full write up of Skys new HD service in the next couple of days.

If you have had the new service installed, let us know what you think!

Sky HD general release 12th April

It has been announced that Sky HD will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday the 12th April.

Installations of the HD service will begin next month in advance of the World Cup in June. Pre-registration has been open to interested customers for the past fortnight.

Customers will be able to book a Sky HD installation via the Sky website, certain retail stores or by calling 08702 40 40 20. A monthly subscription will cost £10 and the set-top box £299, while installation is free until the end of May or while stocks last.

Meanwhile, Sky has also confirmed that the HD box will be equipped with a 160Gb hard drive, allowing for 80 hours of standard definition recording or 30 hours of HD recording.

Sky’s HD service now available for pre order

After much waiting, Sky’s HD service is now finally available for pre order from their website. Pre orders can also be taken at Comet stores.   

The price of the new HD box has been confirmed (as expected by many) as £299, with a £10 monthly subscription. The HD channels you receive will depend on your Sky digital package. Installation for the HD package will be Free until the 31st May. The Sky + part of the subscription will be free so long as two or more Sky Premium channels e.g. Sky Sports 1 and 2 (otherwise it will be £10 a month).

To pre order, Sky is asking that customers pay £30 in order to receive installation on a first come first served basis. You will need your existing viewing card number (a bit of a pain for those of us not at home!).With installations scheduled for May, for those at the head of the queue, the long wait would appear to be over, and with the recent announcement of World Cup coverage in HD via the BBC, things are looking up!Time to judge for yourselves if all the fuss about High Definition was really worth it…

What do I need for Sky HD?

A Sky TV subscription

When Sky HD launches you’ll be able to subscribe to HD Channels.

Sky HD box

Sleek and understated, the Sky HD box is a High Definition digital recorder and receiver in one with easy digital connection via a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connector to ensure there’s no loss of quality. The box also offers SKY + features.

Vision

Sky HD is designed to work with ‘HD Ready’ TVs. To make the most of High Definition, look for screens of 23” or larger.

Sound

To maximise the experience of HD programmes that are broadcast with Dolby® Digital 5.1 surround sound, you’ll need a compatible home cinema system.

Sky High-Definition TV Fact Sheet - FAQ

Sky High-Definition TV Fact Sheet - FAQ

Sky have provided a HDTV FAQ to help answers about its forthcoming High Definition Television service:

WHEN IS SKY LAUNCHING HDTV?

· Sky is on track to launch a High Definition Television (HDTV) service in 2006.

· Sky's HDTV channel line-up will include a combination of sports, movies, entertainment and documentary programming. Full details will be announced later in due course.

· Pricing details will be announced in due course.

Sky High Definition TV FAQ

The next evolution in broadcasting is high definition TV. But what will you need to tune in?

The next big step forward in the UK will be the launch of an High Definition TV (HDTV) service from Sky. HDTV will dramatically improve the standard of digital images. High Definition can provide over four times as much data on a display screen than a standard defintion broadcast. Sky are officially launching the HDTV service in the next few months, trials were already been taking place towards the end of last year. While specifics are still to be confirmed, Sky's HDTV channel line up is expected to include sports, movies, entertainmenet and documentary programming. Expect to pay at least £10 a month extra for the service.