Do sky usually do deals in the new year?

Just wondering whether to hang on until the new year to get sky. Do they
usually do special deals after Christmas does anyone know?

ME&YOU wrote:
Just wondering whether to hang on until the new year to get sky. Do they
usually do special deals after Christmas does anyone know?


Dunno, but I'm expecting/hoping/whatever that when FreeSat launches
(BBC/ITV) $ky might just drop their charges for a Sky+ box without sub.
so that it can record something.


Clem

"Clem Dye" wrote in message
...
ME&YOU wrote:
Just wondering whether to hang on until the new year to get sky. Do they
usually do special deals after Christmas does anyone know?
Dunno, but I'm expecting/hoping/whatever that when FreeSat launches
(BBC/ITV) $ky might just drop their charges for a Sky+ box without sub. so
that it can record something.


Clem

How many "free" channels have said they will change to use narrow footprint
unencrypted broadcasting? Or have the BBC/ITV persuaded them to go the CAM
route if they have coverage problems and bugger SKY up completely? Will the
BBC/ITV Freesat box support HD?
I'm just trying to work out if BBC/ITV Freesat is the "next big thing" in
Digital TV.

John Russell wrote:
"Clem Dye" wrote in message
...
ME&YOU wrote:
Just wondering whether to hang on until the new year to get sky. Do they
usually do special deals after Christmas does anyone know?
Dunno, but I'm expecting/hoping/whatever that when FreeSat launches
(BBC/ITV) $ky might just drop their charges for a Sky+ box without sub. so
that it can record something.


Clem

How many "free" channels have said they will change to use narrow footprint
unencrypted broadcasting? Or have the BBC/ITV persuaded them to go the CAM
route if they have coverage problems and bugger SKY up completely? Will the
BBC/ITV Freesat box support HD?
I'm just trying to work out if BBC/ITV Freesat is the "next big thing" in
Digital TV.


From what I've been able to find out so far, it would appear to be
'yes'. The Freesat website (not the Sky one) gives a lot of interesting
detail; C4 is reportedly going FTA next year, so this does seem like a
good alternative to Sky. HD is mentioned on the Freesat site, as I
recall. I really hope that this does actually happen ....

Clem

Clem Dye wrote:
John Russell wrote:
"Clem Dye" wrote in message
...
ME&YOU wrote:
Just wondering whether to hang on until the new year to get sky. Do
they usually do special deals after Christmas does anyone know?
Dunno, but I'm expecting/hoping/whatever that when FreeSat launches
(BBC/ITV) $ky might just drop their charges for a Sky+ box without
sub. so that it can record something.


Clem

How many "free" channels have said they will change to use narrow
footprint unencrypted broadcasting? Or have the BBC/ITV persuaded them
to go the CAM route if they have coverage problems and bugger SKY up
completely? Will the BBC/ITV Freesat box support HD?
I'm just trying to work out if BBC/ITV Freesat is the "next big thing"
in Digital TV.


From what I've been able to find out so far, it would appear to be
'yes'. The Freesat website (not the Sky one) gives a lot of interesting
detail; C4 is reportedly going FTA next year, so this does seem like a
good alternative to Sky. HD is mentioned on the Freesat site, as I
recall. I really hope that this does actually happen ....

Clem

Hmmmm - I've just received an email from Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries -
according to that, Channel 4 has no plans at present to join Freesat.
However, I have seen other posts/web entries where it's stated that
Channel 4 is committed to Join Freesat. Confusion rules ......


Clem

John Russell wrote:

: How many "free" channels have said they will change to use narrow footprint
: unencrypted broadcasting?

None so far!
: Or have the BBC/ITV persuaded them to go the CAM route if they have
: coverage problems and bugger SKY up completely?

No channels want to lose their viewers on Sky! The BBC are adamant (so far)
that Freesat will be FTA only. Where this leaves channels who need
encryption for programme licensing is unclear.

:Will the BBC/ITV Freesat box support HD?

Some models will.

: I'm just trying to work out if BBC/ITV Freesat is the "next big thing" in
: Digital TV.

Unlikely - as Sky can always outflank them by, for example, scrapping
Sky+ fees for non-subscribers.

No channels want to lose their viewers on Sky! The BBC are adamant (so
far)
that Freesat will be FTA only. Where this leaves channels who need
encryption for programme licensing is unclear.

With it's customer base I can't see channels wanting to abandon SKY users.
Lot's of channels don't use SKY to upload programs anyway, or use their
encryption, and those channels are available to receive on none SKY Sat
equipment already. People see these as SKY channels, not Sat channels,
because they appear in SKY's EPG. They will just appear in 2 EPG's instead.

I don't see how you limit continental viewing using free encryption. If a
cam is used and cards are free, then someone in France can ask a friend in
the UK to send them one. If the encryption is hard wired, like SKY, and the
Freesat box automatically unencrypts, then all they need do is buy a BBC
Freesat box. One wonders if encryption will become more of a contractual
issue rather than a practical way to limit continental viewing.

Mike Henry wrote:

: That would perhaps mean Sky might catch up a bit, but I don't see it
: putting Sky ahead.

Ahead of what?? Sky have 8+ million subscribers. Freesat have ZERO (as it
is not even close to launch!)

Are you confusing Freesat with Freeview??

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:08:58 +0000, Mike Henry
wrote:

if Sky were to permanently abolish the £10 fee just for having a higher
resolution output of a digibox (ie HD). I still say that if they'd thought
of charging £10/month for stereo sound and another £10/month for RGB
pictures instead of composite back in 1998, they would have done.

Don't be silly. That £10 is for the subscription HD channels, not
"just for having a higher resolution output" (which, you will notice,
works perfectly well without a subscription on the free HD channels.)

--

"Zero Tolerance" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:08:58 +0000, Mike Henry
wrote:

if Sky were to permanently abolish the £10 fee just for having a higher
resolution output of a digibox (ie HD). I still say that if they'd thought
of charging £10/month for stereo sound and another £10/month for RGB
pictures instead of composite back in 1998, they would have done.

Don't be silly. That £10 is for the subscription HD channels, not
"just for having a higher resolution output" (which, you will notice,
works perfectly well without a subscription on the free HD channels.)

--

Do you have to be pedantic? Most people know what he meant!