Thinking of getting Sky.... but...

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by frogstamper

Is it similar to VMs VOD? how much content is on offer :ie more or less than VM and lastly do Sky charge for this content?.

As Lostthe plot says, it ain't no VOD service! It's OK, but the only channels' content you get are Sky owned ones, such as sports, movies (and only if you subscribe) and then Sky Arts, Nat Geo, Sky One, etc. I think they also have some Discovery Channel and Disney stuff too.

TBH, I switched it off, there's not much the personally appeals to my viewing habits on Sky Anytime, but everyone is different... I figured I might make the hard drive last a little longer if Anytime is off...but who knows?

But I tend to use the Sky+ facility a bit like VOD, in that I will have a trawl through the guides, spot something that could be great or could be dreadful and whack it on record. When I have nothing to watch I will see what's there.

That's how I found Grand Designs....I normally boycott all housey type programmes, but stuck it on one day and now I'm hooked (sad I know!)

Anyway...there's some listings about what's on Anytime TV...prepare to be underwhelmed by the choice http://anytime.sky.com/tv.aspx

[the-cable-guy]

it wont make your HDD last longer as the partition that you cant access/use for Sky+ recordings is for Sky Anytime.

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

it wont make your HDD last longer as the partition that you cant access/use for Sky+ recordings is for Sky Anytime.

Its not just reserved for Anytime. The next version of epg will utilise the hard disk to allow you to browse the epg whilst watching a channel.

[the-cable-guy]

yeah but thats what its mainly used for atm tho init. anyways its about time that Sky's EPG let you do that.

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

yeah but thats what its mainly used for atm tho init. anyways its about time that Sky's EPG let you do that.

Only the PVR boxes will get the new EPG.
The space on the hard drive is 'reserved' for what ever Sky have planned for it.

[the-cable-guy]

thanks for the info about the EPG & yeah i know im just saying that atm thats what its being used for.

[Slyder]

Was working in Solihull today and was approached by a Sky rep. He said he could offer me Sky+ with just the £30 installation charge as long as I had the main package for 1 month. Brilliant I thought, so I took his card and number to see if the company doing my install could match that offer.

I not long got of the phone to DAS (the company who are doing my install) who politely told me I may not have the correct wireing for Sky+ and if its just a basic Sky setup, then a + box would keep freezing. Naturally I thought this was a scare tactic to keep my install happening with them. I rang the Sky rep and he confirmed it needed different wireing. He also made a few calls and rang me back suggesting my block "looks like" it dosnt offer Sky+

Bit of a mindfield this Sky buisness, and now I am left wondering if I should leave it alone. Im going to loose OnDemand but I gain Sky1

Anyone know if X-League tv still broadcasts and if that would come with the "Variety Mix"

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by Losttheplot

No nothing like vod, its downloaded overnight as a realtime record onto the hard drive of the STB and then presented as a menu of available programmes to watch.
No charge, but for example if you arent a Sky Sports subscriber you won't be able to watch the SoccerAM best of's.

Originally Posted by andygrif

As Lostthe plot says, it ain't no VOD service! It's OK, but the only channels' content you get are Sky owned ones, such as sports, movies (and only if you subscribe) and then Sky Arts, Nat Geo, Sky One, etc. I think they also have some Discovery Channel and Disney stuff too.

TBH, I switched it off, there's not much the personally appeals to my viewing habits on Sky Anytime, but everyone is different... I figured I might make the hard drive last a little longer if Anytime is off...but who knows?

But I tend to use the Sky+ facility a bit like VOD, in that I will have a trawl through the guides, spot something that could be great or could be dreadful and whack it on record. When I have nothing to watch I will see what's there.

That's how I found Grand Designs....I normally boycott all housey type programmes, but stuck it on one day and now I'm hooked (sad I know!)

Anyway...there's some listings about what's on Anytime TV...prepare to be underwhelmed by the choice http://anytime.sky.com/tv.aspx

Thanks for that guys, at least in this aspect of TV offerings VM seem to be leading the way. One other thing though, I hear a lot of people talk about Sky's "free to air" channels, is it correct you can buy a dish and then have these channels free, if so roughly how many channels are available and are they any good?, many thanks in advance.

[Ryan91]

The sky free to air channels are known as Freesat from sky.
www.freesatfromsky.com
I am sure that these require a viewing card

[the-cable-guy]

Originally Posted by Slyder

Was working in Solihull today and was approached by a Sky rep. He said he could offer me Sky+ with just the £30 installation charge as long as I had the main package for 1 month. Brilliant I thought, so I took his card and number to see if the company doing my install could match that offer.

I not long got of the phone to DAS (the company who are doing my install) who politely told me I may not have the correct wireing for Sky+ and if its just a basic Sky setup, then a + box would keep freezing. Naturally I thought this was a scare tactic to keep my install happening with them. I rang the Sky rep and he confirmed it needed different wireing. He also made a few calls and rang me back suggesting my block "looks like" it dosnt offer Sky+

Bit of a mindfield this Sky buisness, and now I am left wondering if I should leave it alone. Im going to loose OnDemand but I gain Sky1

Anyone know if X-League tv still broadcasts and if that would come with the "Variety Mix"

all that you need for Sky + that you dont have with standard Sky is a dual or quad LNB & another run of cable.

---------- Post added at 01:50 ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 ----------

Originally Posted by Ryan91

The sky free to air channels are known as Freesat from sky.
www.freesatfromsky.com
I am sure that these require a viewing card

only Channel 4, Five, Fiver, Fiver +1, Five US, Five US +1 & Sky Three require a FTV viewing card.

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

it wont make your HDD last longer as the partition that you cant access/use for Sky+ recordings is for Sky Anytime.

Sorry, I should have been a bit clearer about what I meant; by making the drive last a bit longer I meant that in terms of its years of service, rather than storage amount - if the machine is automatically downloading piles of content every night that I don't watch then the drive will be in use more and will be more likely to wear out sooner. Being a bit anal I know, but hey!

[the-cable-guy]

oh ok then i see what you mean now like.

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

all that you need for Sky + that you dont have with standard Sky is a dual or quad LNB & another run of cable.

Brilliant.. thanx for that.. Ill ask the engineer on Thursday

Do we know if X-League still broadcasts and would I get this on the Variety Mix?

[Ryan91]

As for X-league tv, I am sure that is now called Pulse, and I have the 6 mixes and I receive it

[the-cable-guy]

Originally Posted by Slyder

Brilliant.. thanx for that.. Ill ask the engineer on Thursday

Do we know if X-League still broadcasts and would I get this on the Variety Mix?

you dont need an engineer you can do it yaself for £10-£15 in about five minutes

---------- Post added at 23:16 ---------- Previous post was at 23:15 ----------

Originally Posted by Ryan91

As for X-league tv, I am sure that is now called Pulse, and I have the 6 mixes and I receive it

its FTA cuz i have it.