HD question

[audi321]

Hi, I have Sky+ at the moment, but I have just bought a HD TV. Can I simply buy a Sky HD box off Ebay and continue with my normal sky subscription and get the 'Free HD' channels (i.e. BBC HD, etc)? I realise sky want £9.95/month extra for HD, but is this for their HD channels?

If so, does anyone know the complete list of Free HD channels?

Thanks for help

[E31Shrew]

AFAIK Sky have no contract with the BBC to show the free HD channels. Only way for you to get them would be to run another cable from your dish to a new HD box...3 in total inc the two you already have. You will need to check that you have a quad LNB pointing at the dish. Programmes are from aprox 5pm on channel 108 plus major sporting events. On ITV every now and then.

[audi321]

Thanks, yes I have a quad LNB.

What type of box would I need then? Can you post a link to an ebay item?

I was hoping to just have the one box, without having to pay Sky this £9.95 per month ontop of what I already pay.

[audi321]

After a bit more research, I see that there are only 2 free HD channels at the moment (BBC HD and ITV HD) with limited programs on each.

So the question still stands. Can I buy a Sky+ HD box off ebay, put my existing Sky+ card in (not upgrade with Sky to HD) but view these 2 channels free?

[sharpygreen]

Not unless you pay sky there £9.99 ransom.

Only way i know of to get bbc and itv hd without the sky ransom is to get a freesat hd box.

[OldSkoolRS]

sharpygreen said:

Not unless you pay sky there £9.99 ransom.

Only way i know of to get bbc and itv hd without the sky ransom is to get a freesat hd box.

Or buy a Sattelite PCI card for your PC (and spend the rest of the year trying to get it to work ). TBH, there's not that much on either BBC HD or ITVHD apart from the odd football match maybe and repeats of Planet Earth. If they do show a good film the BBC have an annoying habit of broadcasting it in straight stereo rather than 5.1 (except Jools Holland's show for some reason).

[Mr_Yogi]

I don't see why you can't just buy a SkyHD box from eBay and get Sky to pair it with your existing setup (assuming you are replacing you current Sky+ box).

You should continue to receive your existing subscribed channels + BBC HD and when you get your interface upgraded be able to add ITV HD.

In fact I'm pretty sure when SkyHD launched, Sky would sell you a box without the HD sub, albeit for £399 rather than £299.

You might need a new viewing card though.