To HD or not to HD...?

[Anonymous]

A quick question for the old(er) members of the group, since most of you are stateside and might have more experience of this.  I'm thinking of making the move to the new Sky HD service here (Sky is like Dish Network in the UK), which means trading up my Tivo w/ life sub for a SkyHD+ box (like Tivo but without suggestions and wishlists).  It means a hike in my sub of over 100% for the chance to see 7 channels in HD.

So, do you have HD?  If so, how much do you pay, and it is worth the extra?  How many channels/progs do you receive in HD?  Do you pay extra specifically for HD content?

TIA

[Ash]

HD is great, in fact I think it's sharper then RL and if you actually got more than just 7 channels in HD I would say the extra $$ would be worth it but if 7 is all your getting in the deal then I would pass.

[Anonymous]

If you are a sports freak like I am I love my HD programming.

[Anonymous]

The thing is...in the US I'm pretty sure atleast...by this time next year, most channels will be available in HD, so even if its only 7 channels now, it will be worth it down the line. I love my hd channels and the dvr for it isnt thaaaat bad. How much more is it a month?

[Avzeke (Khr0n1k)]

yeah all stations in the US are supposed to be mandatory that all channels be in HD but it looks like the adoption of it was kinda slow but most if not all offer simulcast HD.

[Anonymous]

Price is the other thing.... we pay £21 ($37ish) now for a standard package - normal channels, no premium sports movies etc.  If we go to HD, we have to pay an extra £10 ($16) for the PVR functions and another £10 for the HD additionals which only match the channels we have - so to waive the PVR fee we could take say two movie (repeat) channels and save that £10 but in turn the basic subscription goes up to £36 ($60?) - plus the £10 for HD which isn't waived anyway.

Ya still with me?

Nice to hear you're all impressed with your HD programming though.  Did I mention which channels we get?  Discovery, Nat Geographic, Artsworld, Sky Movies 9 &10 (if you subscribe to SM 1 & 2), Sky Sports HD (if you take SS 1 & 2), Sky One HD (our "primetime" channel), and eventually BBC HD...

[Anamodiel]

No HBO HD? I love watching movies in true HD.. hehe. I've liked watching all my HD channels.. it's lots of fun.

Maybe you should try it out for a month and see if you like it, and if you don't, go back, unless, of course, you're stuck with a subscription for a year when you upgrade.

[Anonymous]

Yep, I would be tied in.... if I go non-sub aside from not getting any HD channels I have to pay an extra £100 for the box on top of the existing £299 initial cost...

[Subb]

Well I've heared that it isn't that good in the UK Destyn. Well that's what Radio 2 and the Newspapers are saying anyhow.

[Anonymous]

You listen to Radio 2?  For Terry Wogan's show?  Just kidding.  Yeah I'm in two minds, it looks like we won't do it til the summer anyway when we paint the house - by which time installation will no longer be free....

le sigh.

[likwidtek]

you're going to miss your BRANDED tivo.  Nothing else compares.  I have the off brand tivo without all the neato stuff...

Other things you sacrifice are being able to sort shows in folders (the other just put all your shows in one looong list.

Also tivo lists the shows by their episode name.  Not the other dudes.

and the other thing is your tivo wont copy dupicate shows the other ones arent so smart.  They will record the same show over and over if you let it.

I still have my non tivo DVR but really want one.  But at 200 bucks PLUS 15 bucks a month... man I dunno.

[Anonymous]

You guys pay a monthly sub for PVR usage too?  I got my lifetime sub when I bought my Tivo, and I'm glad I did.  I think though Lik you might have a series 2.  In the UK we never got that far - ours does not sort into folders, doesn't show an ep name unless you go into the entry and will copy dupes sometimes - because it is fed info from some channels which is always wrong...

It's not perfect but I still think it's better than the Sky+ offering.  Sadly though with no ongoing support for it in the UK, it's a dying breed

[likwidtek]

tivo > *

[Anonymous]

Plus you got Turbonet  and all that stuff we have to hack into it

But then.... I watch those HD trailers on XBL Marketplace.... and it makes me want this new system more....

[likwidtek]

dude I still havent hacked my xbox.