Sky "slash" price of SkyHD box. Could this be related to virgin getting HD share? - Page 3

demented · 29-01-2009, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmitage

I agree and prefer it to Sky +

I agree and prefer it to Sky+ HD box. It's the lack of content that is the problem rather than the box itself. The high definition EPG will swing things back a bit in Sky's favour though when (if) it comes out.

mentalis · 29-01-2009, 13:09

With the new Sky+HD price I am seriously considering jumping ship. The only thing keeping me at VM is the VOD, and content has dropped significantly recently.

That and the cost. In total I would end up paying more - unless I can negotiate some bundles - but I will be able to give my HD TV a workout.

nialli · 29-01-2009, 13:54

For me, Sky would be a damn sight more tempting if the HD channels were ones I actually watched. I watch BBC1, BBC2, BBC4, BBCNews, C4, E4, More4, Film4 and Sky1 the majority of the time - only two of which are currently available in HD, which isn't enough to drive me to switch.
Incidentally, in response to an earlier post I understand that the VoD content is currently being refreshed as they load the ITV programming (including some HD).

VeNoM · 29-01-2009, 15:02

Why don't virgin offer more HD channels anyway ??

Whats the hold up ???

bayards · 29-01-2009, 15:15

Just trolling through pages on web and found this - got excited then noticed date...

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cable/a2...h-in-2006.html

snippet about Virgin HD - "In terms of the offerings, it's a wonderful medium for sports and live events, but it's also a competitive advantage - over time - against satellite because in the end we have more capacity so we can do more channels on HDTV than they can," explained Duffy. "It's also a competitive advantage over DSL, just given the bandwidth differences."

guffaws out loud follwed by - "The analogue switchoff we've previously announced will be complete by 2006, which will free up capacity for HDTV delivery," explained Smith. "I think the HDTV delivery plan is slightly ahead of NTL's but we probably will talk to make sure we're delivering a compatible service."

laugh out loud...

H

Stephen · 29-01-2009, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeNoM

Why don't virgin offer more HD channels anyway ??

Whats the hold up ???

How many times has this now been asked?

Part of the reason is that Sky hold the rights to many of the channels so its hard to get hold of them but it is something that will hopefully change soon.

Arthurgray50@blu · 29-01-2009, 17:45

Be prepared, for VM to do the same with there boxes, l say give 24 hours ?

Tezcatlipoca · 29-01-2009, 23:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented

The high definition EPG will swing things back a bit in Sky's favour though when (if) it comes out.

Roll out of the new EPG starts next week, allegedly.

**Chris** · 30-01-2009, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented

I doubt Sky feel remotely threatened by Cable. Whilst cable has said "three or four" HD channels are coming Sky have added another 2. By the time cable add theirs (if they add them) Sky may have added another 1 or 2 so there would be parity. Cable more than ever need this new samsung out box out pronto and a bit cheaper than the Ã‚Â£150.

I would say Chris is correct, that Sky are more threatened by freesat (and in a year or twos time, freeview). Sometime in the summer/autumn ITV HD will become a proper channel. Sometime in the not so distant future C4 will appear on freesat. When that happens people flogging freesat will be able to say three HD channels for free, that's a really big deal. Sky are pre-empting this, luring people in who will then be tied into 12 month contracts, when the contract runs out some of them may well stay with sky. It makes good business sense to try and flood the market 6 months before freesat HD content increases and a year or so before freeview HD gets bedded down.

Further to the above, it seems Freesat is claiming total sales of 200,000 units during 2008, half of which were in the final quarter (Sept-Dec). 100,000 Freesat boxes in time for Christmas, and right in the middle of all the high street doom and gloom, is not small beer.

They aren't giving a breakdown by brand of box, or how many SD and HD boxes were sold, but Freesat claims 61% of its customer panel cited HD as their primary reason for purchasing. I think it's fair to assume therefore that at least 61,000 Freesat-HD boxes were sold in the run up to last Christmas.

If you want an explanation for Sky slashing the price of its own HD box, I'm sure this is the answer.

Info from http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051526

demented · 30-01-2009, 11:36

Yes I saw the story. Yeah good solid sales figures. If that's what they sell like now I can't think what they'll be like when solid amounts of HD appear on freesat soon.

**Chris** · 30-01-2009, 11:42

It also blows out of the water the idea that people who buy HD TVs do so because they want vast quantities of subscription-based HD content, especially sports and movies. Doubtless there are a highly vocal cadre of people who complain that there isn't enough HD on VM, and maybe there isn't, especially when people are paying for it. But these statistics from Freesat show that there are also a large number of people who are happy to have their HD-cravings satisfied by what BBC and ITV are currently offering, with the promise of more FTA-HD in due course.

etccarmageddon · 30-01-2009, 11:46

it wont be long before the SKY HD box is free if freesat HD is having such a takeup

demented · 30-01-2009, 11:51

Funnily enough I understand that position. I really rate ITV HD and C4 HD because of the number of films they put on. With increasing content I don't know why people moan about them (other than not having them). They put on a lot more films than BBC HD. Decent small mix of content for free there. I'm not one of these people who ever watches of gets excited about FX or Sky1. If the price of the V+ doesn't drop from Ã‚Â£150 I will recommend to a friend to get freesat HD and drop VM entirely.

I doubt the subscription is going anywhere

.

LondonRoad · 30-01-2009, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by etccarmageddon

it wont be long before the SKY HD box is free if freesat HD is having such a takeup

They may well advertise it as Free but $ky don't give you anything for nothing. It would be tied into a contract in some way - then when you decide you want out of the contract you discover you've got to still pay $ky if you want to use the PVR functionality of the box.

**Chris** · 30-01-2009, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmitage

They may well advertise it as Free but $ky don't give you anything for nothing. It would be tied into a contract in some way - then when you decide you want out of the contract you discover you've got to still pay $ky if you want to use the PVR functionality of the box.

It'll be a 12-month subscription, with the box to be connected to the phone line at all times. If they are forced to make the box 'free' sooner than they would commercially prefer to, then I won't be surprised if they start doing what the mobile phone networks have begun to do with their high-end handsets, and tie you in to a longer 18-month contract.