New Sky EPG line up to make it even easier for customers to enjoy the best in pay TV

[tech3475]

Although this doesn't bother me personally, I wonder if you will have the choice of choosing between SD and HD for recordings?

Since HD can take up allot more space than SD recordings wont this be a concern to some who care more about their space management?

[reddwarfcrew]

You certainly can.

IE, Sky Sports 1 HD will now be on 401, but SD will still be available on 408 (where HD used to be).

[yorkie_pudd]

Why havent they programmed a "channel swap" option in the box like you get on all modern TVs - then we could put them in any order.

I understand about local programming but trying to get my wife to understand about HD channels being on different numbers is like explaining nuclear physics to the pet hamster.

I would love to put BBC ITV et al in HD on the SD numbrs just so she isnt constantly phoning me at work to tell me there is a programing clash just because I record in HD and she is watching the same thing in SD.

[Scubbie]

Don't you know what us women can be like?

Seriously though, it won't resolve all your issues, but it could reduce some of them if, for example, she was watching Sky 1 when you were recording something off the same channel.

The alternative would be for you to be aware of the recording issues and time your recording so that it was in the early hours when you are both doing something together.

[TheVoyager]

I like the analogy, my SO is even worse she has learning difficulties and tends to stick to the old terrestrial channels.

Depending on what channels your SO watcheschoices are:

1. get a TV with Freeview built in [will get this next time I upgrade the TV]

2. get a Freeview box [the one she uses at the moment also is a PVR so she can record]

3. get multiroom using a SKY+ (Not HD) box and use a different AV channel for it, she may have to use the TV controller to change the AV channel if the HD box kicks in whilst she is watching the +box

Why havent they programmed a "channel swap" option in the box like you get on all modern TVs - then we could put them in any order.

I understand about local programming but trying to get my wife to understand about HD channels being on different numbers is like explaining nuclear physics to the pet hamster.

I would love to put BBC ITV et al in HD on the SD numbrs just so she isnt constantly phoning me at work to tell me there is a programing clash just because I record in HD and she is watching the same thing in SD.

[Old_nick]

After trying this for a couple of days, it seems to me that this was just an underhand way for Sky to put their HD channels at the top of the list. Before the EPG 'upgrade', BBC1 HD, BBC HD, Channel 4HD and Channel 5 HD were all at the top of the HD channels list. Go on the new EPG and select HD channels only, and what's the first HD channel you find ? Sky One HD. You have to scroll down 2 pages before you come across the first BBC HD channel.

A retrograde step, in my opinion

[Scubbie]

The other broadcast companies had the chance to be included in the swap, so this is an issue that they will need to resolve.

The list of channels is solely in numerical order in the EPG. As Sky 1 HD is now 106, not 170, if you had the HD subscription, then this will appear before Ch4 HD (140) & BBC1 HD (143). Ch5 HD (171) & ITV1 HD (178) do appear lower down.

Other channels higher up include:

Sky Living HD (107)
Sky Atlantic HD (108)
Comedy Central HD (112)
Universal HD (113)
Syfy HD (114)
ITV2 HD (118)
ITV3 HD (119)
ITV4 HD (120)
FX HD (124)
E4 HD (136)

Personally I find it a little easier with the new layout, but the policy of allocating numbers is an old one of first come, first served. There are some specific exceptions and these will be detailed somewhere on BSkyB's web site in their corporate T&Cs.

My guess is that until the whole of the UK has completed the digital switchover, the terrestrial channels aren't going to have regional HD broadcasts available in many cases. This is due for completion next year (2012).

They may then revisit the question of HD variations of local channels on Satellite services. There are other issues though. These include availability of bandwidth and cost.