How Sky can save money, maybe?

Why don't Sky give everyone a new HD box and then stop transmitting SD
channels?

Think of all the extra channels they could transmit with the free channels.

Also any way for me to get a free HD Sky+ plus box to replace my SD Sky+
box?

Ron

Ron wrote:

Why don't Sky give everyone a new HD box and then stop transmitting SD
channels?

Think of all the extra channels they could transmit with the free channels.

Yeah brilliant! They have to fork out for boatloads of HD boxes, then
they have to rent more transponder space on a satellite (You don't think
a HD channel fits in the same space as an SD one do you?) so they can't
run any extra channels after all ...

Erm how does that work then. Hve you a spare orbitting satalite up your
jumper you are giving them for free?

Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Ron" wrote in message
...
Why don't Sky give everyone a new HD box and then stop transmitting SD
channels?

Think of all the extra channels they could transmit with the free
channels.

Also any way for me to get a free HD Sky+ plus box to replace my SD Sky+
box?

Ron

On 2012-09-12, Andy Burns wrote:
Ron wrote:

Why don't Sky give everyone a new HD box and then stop transmitting SD
channels?

Think of all the extra channels they could transmit with the free channels.

Yeah brilliant! They have to fork out for boatloads of HD boxes, then
they have to rent more transponder space on a satellite (You don't think
a HD channel fits in the same space as an SD one do you?) so they can't
run any extra channels after all ...

He never said anything about converting the existing SD channels to HD.

Personally, I think it's a great idea. Most channels worth watching
already have an HD version, and the rest are filled with drivel 99% of
the time.

The space saved would allow a new HD channel or two for the lost content
actually worth keeping.

--
David Taylor

He never said anything about converting the existing SD channels to HD.

Exactly, there would be no point as they are already broadcast in HD so all
the SD channel bandwidth would be free for extra channels.

Say there is 100 channels in SD that are also broadcast in HD, (I don't know
the exact number) Sky gives everyone a HD box so no need to transmit 100 SD
channels.

How many HD channels could they transmit in the space released by the 100 SD
channels?

Not as stupid as it looks.

Ron

Ron wrote:

David Taylor wrote:

He never said anything about converting the existing SD channels to HD.

Exactly

Ah, apologies then.

How many HD channels could they transmit in the space released by the 100 SD
channels?

20 maybe?

"Ron" wrote in message
...
Why don't Sky give everyone a new HD box and then stop transmitting SD
channels?

Think of all the extra channels they could transmit with the free
channels.

Not many - HD channels take a lot more bandwidth than SD ones.


Also any way for me to get a free HD Sky+ plus box to replace my SD Sky+
box?

ITV Digital tried this model - the carps* went spectaculalrly bust.


Ron




* US joke - What is the difference between a lawyer and a carp? A - One is
a bottom living, scum sucking parasite and the other is just a fish.

In article ,
R. Mark Clayton wrote:

Think of all the extra channels they could transmit with the free
channels.

Not many - HD channels take a lot more bandwidth than SD ones.

I can't find precise values, but it appears that the bitrate for HD
channels on satellite is generally about 3 times that for SD - 15Mb/s
vs 5Mb/s.

The BBC HD channels are lower, around 10Mb/s, supposedly for "platform
neutrality" with Freeview.

-- Richard

Richard Tobin wrote:

I can't find precise values, but it appears that the bitrate for HD
channels on satellite is generally about 3 times that for SD - 15Mb/s
vs 5Mb/s.

HD bitrates generally seem to be falling, perhaps as encoders become
more efficient. Something around 12 Mb/s for HD would be typical in
Germany, as compared to 8 or 9 Mb/s for BBC HD. It varies according to
programme content.


The BBC HD channels are lower, around 10Mb/s, supposedly for "platform
neutrality" with Freeview.

BBC HD used to have a fixed rate of 9.7 Mb/s, but now it's VBR and I
think it's lower, despite the 1920x1080 screen size. The effective
(visual) resolution has gone down IMO.

On Wednesday, 12 September 2012 19:44:08 UTC+1, Ron wrote:
Also any way for me to get a free HD Sky+ plus box to replace my SD Sky+ box? Ron

Tell them you want to leave.

I did this the other week for my mum. I was helping her with her finances and realised that she was spending a lot of money on TV/Broadband/Phone and that it would be cheaper to combine the lot into one provider. The cheapest option would have been to go with Freeview but she wasnt too keen (I think its just because she was familiar with Sky). Anyway, called them up about their £21.50 a month package which covers everything and was told that they wouldnt give her a new HD box as it was only available to new customers. I told them I wasnt happy about that and asked to switch to their 'Freeview over Sky' option (one of payment for the card). They transfered me to the cancellations department who said that it wouldnt be a problem providing her with a free box (plus free installation to upgrade to a quad LNB).

They might call your bluff if they think you arent really going to leave!

Alan