Good news for Sky HD Movie Customers

Tin Monkey · 20-08-2008, 11:39

Starting next month Sky are adding 7 new HD channels to its line-up. One is the awful Sky Real Lives, but the other 6 are HD versions of its Movie Channels. Not sure which channels are being HDed (oh please let it be Classics and Indie), but this is good news for us early HD adopters.

I know that probably the majority of the content will be upscaled material (albeit industrial strength

), but it still give us more value for our subscription.

jaysay · 20-08-2008, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

Starting next month Sky are adding 7 new HD channels to its line-up. One is the awful Sky Real Lives, but the other 6 are HD versions of its Movie Channels. Not sure which channels are being HDed (oh please let it be Classics and Indie), but this is good news for us early HD adopters.

I know that probably the majority of the content will be upscaled material (albeit industrial strength

), but it still give us more value for our subscription.

Thats good news TM, where did you hear that. Also as anybody heard anything about ITV going HD, keep seeing ads which say ITV HD, but ain't seen nothing moving yet

panther · 20-08-2008, 18:01

I have a HD telly but never subcribed to HD channels, so I still dont know what the channels are like

Is it really differnt picture quality or can ya not really tell?

Tin Monkey · 20-08-2008, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Thats good news TM, where did you hear that. Also as anybody heard anything about ITV going HD, keep seeing ads which say ITV HD, but ain't seen nothing moving yet

Over on the Digital Spy forums it's all the rage.

See their site too:
Satellite - News - Sky adds more HD movie channels - Digital Spy

No Classics in HD, but the others will do for a start.

As for ITV HD, well I'm in no rush for it. They're still playing with their HD provision, paid for largely with Sky's investment!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by panther

I have a HD telly but never subcribed to HD channels, so I still dont know what the channels are like

Is it really differnt picture quality or can ya not really tell?

To be honest HD is a luxury item, which is still in its infancy. The present HD boxes from Sky aren't the most stable in the world and much of the advertised HD content isn't true HD, but upscaled. For example, Channel 4 HD trainsmits simultaneously with the normal channel, but the majority of the programmes are upscaled and not true HD. Other channels such as BBC HD only transmit for a few hours each day, although virtually all their content is true HD. The Olympics in HD have been great and the documentary series, Lost Land of the Jaguar was sublime in HD.

If you have Sky Sports and Movies then I think that it's well worth it and it's great to have football or movies in HD with 5.1 dolby surround sound (if you have the facilities to hear it). There is a big difference in the quality of the picture in true HD broadcasts, but there isn't a massive amount of content on the HD channels unless you pay for the premium movies and sports channels.

jaysay · 21-08-2008, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

Over on the Digital Spy forums it's all the rage.

See their site too:
Satellite - News - Sky adds more HD movie channels - Digital Spy

No Classics in HD, but the others will do for a start.

As for ITV HD, well I'm in no rush for it. They're still playing with their HD provision, paid for largely with Sky's investment!!

To be honest HD is a luxury item, which is still in its infancy. The present HD boxes from Sky aren't the most stable in the world and much of the advertised HD content isn't true HD, but upscaled. For example, Channel 4 HD trainsmits simultaneously with the normal channel, but the majority of the programmes are upscaled and not true HD. Other channels such as BBC HD only transmit for a few hours each day, although virtually all their content is true HD. The Olympics in HD have been great and the documentary series, Lost Land of the Jaguar was sublime in HD.

If you have Sky Sports and Movies then I think that it's well worth it and it's great to have football or movies in HD with 5.1 dolby surround sound (if you have the facilities to hear it). There is a big difference in the quality of the picture in true HD broadcasts, but there isn't a massive amount of content on the HD channels unless you pay for the premium movies and sports channels.

Thanks for that TM, I watched Lost Land of the Jaguar in HD it was brill, and I have Premium Movies and Sky Sports too, and there is a big difference in picture quallity, but with more and more HD channels coming on line its well worth it

MargaretR · 21-08-2008, 10:37

I have a large screen HD ready tv
I can't say that I am enthused at the possibility of seeing more detail.

I recall being on the front row stalls at the Odeon Leicester Square in 1958, and not following the film plot, because I was fixated by the wart on Robert Ryan's chin.

Stanleymad · 21-08-2008, 11:08

Call me a bit silly but i cant see much difference between HD & normal

Just thing its another extortionate charge from sky.

Tin Monkey · 21-08-2008, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanleymad

Call me a bit silly but i cant see much difference between HD & normal

Just thing its another extortionate charge from sky.

I'm not going to call you silly SM, but if you can't see any difference between proper HD and SD, then there's either something wrong with the setup, or there's something wrong with your vision.

Seriously, there is loads of difference between the two on a proper setup. Not just visually, but in terms of audio too.

I also think you're unfair to criticise Sky on this matter too. Which other company is putting as much effort into HD provision? The BBC isn't and that's for certain.

keetah992000 · 21-08-2008, 12:07

oh dear it would just mean more decisions and arguements over what everyone wants to watch - ill just stick with freeview and a life ta x lol

jaysay · 22-08-2008, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

I'm not going to call you silly SM, but if you can't see any difference between proper HD and SD, then there's either something wrong with the setup, or there's something wrong with your vision.

Seriously, there is loads of difference between the two on a proper setup. Not just visually, but in terms of audio too.

I also think you're unfair to criticise Sky on this matter too. Which other company is putting as much effort into HD provision? The BBC isn't and that's for certain.

I have to agree with you TM, there is a big difference, HD is marvellous. I had never bothered about HD but my daughter bought the box for me as an xmas present 20 months ago, and I'm glad she did

pipinfort · 22-08-2008, 16:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanleymad

Call me a bit silly but i cant see much difference between HD & normal

Just thing its another extortionate charge from sky.

I can and it seems quite good but not good enough to warrant extra outlay to Sky. Sky+ (or a good hard drive recorder) i could not live without but sadly HD i can.

Neil · 22-08-2008, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanleymad

Call me a bit silly but i cant see much difference between HD & normal

Just thing its another extortionate charge from sky.

It is known as Sky's HD tax. It is about time they dropped it. I do hope they loose customers to FreeSat which has HD for free on it.

Tin Monkey · 22-08-2008, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

It is known as Sky's HD tax. It is about time they dropped it. I do hope they loose customers to FreeSat which has HD for free on it.

There's no chance of Sky dropping the £10/month for HD fee, as there is no reason for them to do so. The £10 fee helps to fund further HD developments such as ITV HD and as more and more content becomes available the £10 becomes better value.

As for Freesat HD, well it's no competition for Sky. A few hours of BBC HD, a largely upscaled C4HD and Luxe HD is never going to be serious competition for Sky's increasing HD provision. Sky are promising even more new HD content before Christmas. What are Freesat offering? Absolutely nothing new, except perhaps a flawed ITV service. As I say, no competion.

pipinfort · 22-08-2008, 20:01

[quote=Tin Monkey;622244]There's no chance of Sky dropping the £10/month for HD fee, as there is no reason for them to do so.quote]

They did with the Sky+ tax.................

Tin Monkey · 22-08-2008, 20:20

[quote=pipinfort;622264]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

There's no chance of Sky dropping the £10/month for HD fee, as there is no reason for them to do so.quote]

They did with the Sky+ tax.................

It's not a tax. The Sky+ thing was different. Sky didn't drop the charge until it had recouped all the cash from its investment, whereas HD is still a new product and in development. In addition to that, other manufacturers were producing hard disk recorders that rivaled Sky's. Where's the competition for Sky HD?