SKY Anytime or SKY HD?

c0y0te

I currently have a SKY+ box downstairs and a bog standard SKY box upstairs (multiroom setup) but I'm looking at doing an upgrade in the summer.

As far as I can see I've two options as follows:-

1) Upgrade the SKY+ box to the latest rev in order to get SKY Anytime
2) Upgrade to SKY HD in order to get SKY Anytime and SKY HD

What's the score folks? Is HD worth it? Is Anytime worth it? What do you recommend?

byte

Well, for me personally, I find Anytime to be nothing more than a massive waste of disk space.

As for HD being worth it, well, I guess it's a matter of opinion. I personally think it ludicrous that Sky charge an additional €15 per month for HD channels on top of your subscription. Of course, without paying the €15 pm, you'd still get some free HD channels, like LUXE or BBC. But you'll be forced into payng the €15 levy if you order through Sky.

Have you got a HD television?

Did you plan ordering HD box through Sky, or buying it outright?

c0y0te

@byte: Yes, I have a HD TV and I was planning on getting a HD DVD player once the format war was over and the prices started to drop, but the only reason I'm looking at upgrading my SKY+ box is that the old model that I have only has I think about 80gb of disk space where as the new ones are much bigger.

From what you're saying you don't rate SKY Anytime but might consider HD - is that right?

Also - can you clarify what purchase options I have in relation to the SKY HD/+ boxes please? I didn't know I had any other option than to purchase them through SKY...

byte

Yeah, I don't rate Sky Anytime at all, I just see it as 80GB of wasted HDD space, that I could put to better use myself.

Purchase options for SkyHD boxes are uhm, Thomson. I don't know if any other manufacturer make any SkyHD boxes atm.

You can purchase through Sky directly, though will be tied to a minimum contract term. Or you can buy them outright from some independant retailers, or second hand on the likes of eBay, Buy & Sell, etc.

azzeretti

As far as I can see it doesn't matter which box you go for. They will both reserve space and use Anytime, the new HD box will come with Anytime as will the new rev. of Sky+. Not sure you can switch Anytime off, at least I can't with any of my boxes (Thompson HD X2).

I will give Sky another 6 months to make a move on dropping the 15 euro on their HD subscriptions and then drop it, I think its a bit of a rip off considering I am paying over 80 euro a month for SD as it is. Hopefully, FreeSat will force them to rethink - unlikely, but hopefully.

watty

Sky Anytime is push VOD. It's designed for a lower common denominator. It's likely to get more customisable. You can't disable it, all new Sky recording boxes reserve space for it.

it depends on your personal taste if any of the Anytime content will be useful. It's mostly included in subscription but may or can have PPV programs.

fabsoul

azzeretti wrote: »

Sky+. Not sure you can switch Anytime off, at least I can't with any of my boxes (Thompson HD X2).

On my sky+ box anytime tv can be turn off. in services

kowloon

Is the amount of HDD space used by anytime variable or a fixed partition?
I know if you press record on something in anytime and then delete it on the planner it disappears from both.

HD isn't worth it yet, save the cash and buy something nice for yourself, when everything goes HD they won't be able to charge extra for it (lest they lose a huge chunk of their customer base overnight).

dl

Bought HD in January for the Superbowl (at full price:()... quality is noticeably better but the extra €15pm is a bit harsh tbh. I work shifts so find the anytime very handy & most of the programs stored are HD which is a bonus!

Brolly

fabsoul wrote: »

On my sky+ box anytime tv can be turn off. in services

Sky Anytime can be turned off on my box also.

Brolly

I am upgrading to Sky HD in the Summer (currently have Sky+)

I would be grateful if anyone can advise me on this:

I want to buy the box from ebay and get it installed. The question I have is whether you need anymore cables put in for the Sky HD (on top of that already there for my Sky+ box) and will Sky turn on the HD service for me without a 12 month commitment? Thanks for any help you can give.

Brolly

c0y0te wrote: »

@byte: Yes, I have a HD TV and I was planning on getting a HD DVD player once the format war was over and the prices started to drop, but the only reason I'm looking at upgrading my SKY+ box is that the old model that I have only has I think about 80gb of disk space where as the new ones are much bigger.

From what you're saying you don't rate SKY Anytime but might consider HD - is that right?

Also - can you clarify what purchase options I have in relation to the SKY HD/+ boxes please? I didn't know I had any other option than to purchase them through SKY...

The extra benefit of the HD box over the new version Sky+ box is that you get 300gb (160gb for recording etc) instead of 160gb (80gb for recording).

I don't like Sky Anytime - there is a very restricted choice on it - I was hoping for more things to choose from considering it uses 80gb of my box!

Kensington

kowloon wrote: »

Is the amount of HDD space used by anytime variable or a fixed partition?

Fixed at 80GB of the 160GB HDD in the box, and unfortunately this is whether you have the Sky Anytime service turned on or off. Turning it off still only leaves you with 80GB of personal recording space.

I noticed that aswell, about the recording something from Anytime and then deleting it from your personal planner - the box seems to re-record it into Anytime after a few hours though...

byte

brolly wrote: »

I am upgrading to Sky HD in the Summer (currently have Sky+)

I would be grateful if anyone can advise me on this:

I want to buy the box from ebay and get it installed. The question I have is whether you need anymore cables put in for the Sky HD (on top of that already there for my Sky+ box) and will Sky turn on the HD service for me without a 12 month commitment? Thanks for any help you can give.

If you're swapping with a Sky+ box, it's just a striaght swap, no extra coaxial cables needed.

I'm unsure as to how long you'll be expected to keep a HD subscription.

Brolly

byte wrote: »

If you're swapping with a Sky+ box, it's just a striaght swap, no extra coaxial cables needed.

I'm unsure as to how long you'll be expected to keep a HD subscription.

Cheers - I will just contact Sky then and find out about the subscription if I buy the box elsewhere.

mathias

Of course with Freesat on the way , your options for a HD PVR are not going to be limited to sky for much longer , it might be interesting to wait and see if Sky are going to do anything to compete with this , like drop prices or increase the number of HD channels.

http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=products.Main

There is a product listed on that site , a HD PVR box , but no pricing for it yet. It is Freesat however , so just a one of payment for the box and no sub.

That is bound to hurt SkyHD.

In my opinion BBC HD is probably one of the best HD channels , but on sky its only available in " Other channels " , with no EPG and no recording.

watty

They will be the same as now. If you want pay TV you need Sky+ or Sky HD. If you don't need payTV there are HDD recorders with built in satellite tuners (Satellite PVRs).

The difference is a more sky like EPG. There are ways at the minute to get an EPG (Digiguide on PC based Media Centre and TvTv on some Linux based PVRs). We don't know how good the the Freesat PVR GUI, EPG and "series link" may be yet. The Freesat PVR will be no use for Sky pay channels.

azzeretti

fabsoul wrote: »

On my sky+ box anytime tv can be turn off. in services

Yeah but the box still reserves space for it, you can't turn it off an release the HDD space to custom recordings. There no point really turning it off really, unless you only have in input into your box (from the LNB) and the Anytime is holding out further recording etc.

MartyM

brolly wrote: »

The extra benefit of the HD box over the new version Sky+ box is that you get 300gb (160gb for recording etc) instead of 160gb (80gb for recording).

I don't like Sky Anytime - there is a very restricted choice on it - I was hoping for more things to choose from considering it uses 80gb of my box!

Just wondering have I been short-changed?

I recently got Sky+ (about 4 weeks ago) and the box states 80gb not 160gb as quoted above??

Are they just being honest with their 'true' recording capacity or have I received old hardware?

I do have Sky Anytime...

byte

Yeah, they're just being honest with the true capacity. If it's a Pace, the model number on the box should be TDS470N.

MartyM

byte wrote: »

Yeah, they're just being honest with the true capacity. If it's a Pace, the model number on the box should be TDS470N.

Thanks byte!

Yeah its a Pace, no longer have the box. In System Details it states the model as 4.044???

mathias

Regarding anytime , I guess its a matter of taste , but I am finding it great at the moment , in most cases the following weeks movie premier is downloaded a week early , I get mostly movies and national geographic documentarys , which is just about exactly the kind of thing I watch.

Its a thumbs up from me anyway.

If it wasnt for the fact that Ive asked here and checked with other people , I would have thought that the stuff I get on anytime was picked out based on what I normally watch , but apparently not.

Brolly

mathias wrote: »

If it wasnt for the fact that Ive asked here and checked with other people , I would have thought that the stuff I get on anytime was picked out based on what I normally watch , but apparently not.

They just have a set list of available programs on Anytime - I watch docs etc at times, but they ones I like are not on Anytime very much! I wouldn't mind having some Sports on Anytime - i.e. some rugby and wrestling.

byte

I notice a lot of movies on my Anytime, which would be OK if it weren't for the fact I don't subscribe to their movies, and as such can't watch them.

AntiVirus

byte wrote: »

I notice a lot of movies on my Anytime, which would be OK if it weren't for the fact I don't subscribe to their movies, and as such can't watch them.

That's the one thing that pisses me off and the amount of kids programs it records. It would be alot better if you could select the types of program you would like it to record.

byte

AntiVirus wrote: »

That's the one thing that pisses me off and the amount of kids programs it records. It would be alot better if you could select the types of program you would like it to record.

Yeah, would agree. I don't think it would be that hard to implement either. It would just be a matter of having the download streams set into categories (they already are), and then just configuring the categories you want saved, and rejecting any other streams.

Maybe an idea for a future software update!