Sky+HD Box
Sky+HD is the current must-have for those who like to watch very high quality images on their TV. The pictures can have as much as 5 times more detail than standard pictures, and one thing that many viewers comment on is the depth and rich variety of colour that is shown.
There are currently over 35 dedicated HD channels on Sky Digital TV. They cover all the usual categories (sport, movies, entertainment, documentaries) so whatever you like to watch in standard viewing there is likely to be an equivalent HD channel. These are bought in the usual way, with viewers buying packages on top of their basic Sky subscription. You don’t have to do anything to get the HD version of a channel – if it is available in HD, you will automatically get that instead of the standard definition once you subscribe to the HD package.
It might sound obvious, but to view the Sky+HD Channels then you need an HD Sky box. If you are a new customer, then you’ll get one when you sign up for a Sky TV subscription. If you are an existing customer with a standard set top box, then you can simply upgrade to the new HD set top box by contacting Sky customer services or logging in to your account on the Sky website and placing your order.
The high definition box also gives a number of other improvements over the standard box. The storage capacity has been increased so that many more recordings can be saved (80 hours HD programmes, or 185 hours of standard definition programmes), and some extra features have been included such as remote recording through a mobile or online. ‘Super Sky +’ has revamped the menu system, and gives you access to sky Anytime which allows you to access a collection of the week’s best TV that you can watch whenever suits you. The digital sound quality is also excellent, for those who like the full cinema feel with a surround sound system. For future-proofing, the Sky+HD box is also ready for soon to be launched services like Sky 3D TV and Video On Demand.
As well as having an HD set top box, you need to have an ‘HD Ready’ TV. If you are buying a new TV, look for the ‘HD Ready’ sticker on it. More and more manufacturers are doing this now, so it isn’t difficult or expensive to buy a TV capable of showing HD images.
Installation of any Sky viewing system you purchase is straightforward. An engineer will visit your home on an agreed date and install and test your system for you. They’ll even connect the HD box to your television, and will generally do the whole job in less than an hour.
