[Bachstrad]

I just had my new contract through for this service, sounds to me like it could be a test bed / forunner for the spare hard drive space on the Sky HD & + boxes. It's free for the top packages and pay per view for events and progs not in your Sky package.

There's TV progs, sport and films. Doesn't mention whether anything is available in HD in what I've read so far, but you never know.

ATB

Max

[chrism_scotland]

Its Basically the old Sky by Broadband service by another name.
Not a trial for video on demand and that is slated to be introduced early next year anyway.

[Bachstrad]

Originally Posted by chrism_scotland

Its Basically the old Sky by Broadband service by another name.
Not a trial for video on demand and that is slated to be introduced early next year anyway.

It sounds to me like there's a bit more to it than the old 'Sky by Broadband' service. Have you read the contract?

ATB

Max

[chrism_scotland]

I read the stuff about it on the website, yes theres more as there's the pay view stuff and far more content but in essence its the same basic service.

[Bachstrad]

Originally Posted by chrism_scotland

I read the stuff about it on the website, yes theres more as there's the pay view stuff and far more content but in essence its the same basic service.

Like I said, there's much more to it than the old basic service. It mirrors what I would think the VOD service would be. We'll have to wait and see!

ATB

Max

[stockyvillage]

i have tried to download this service just comes up with error and to phone sky they then tell you the know about the error and it is microsofts fault you ask them for an error no. because none comes up they dont have one so i have gave up on it as a waste of time

[Obskure]

Hi guys. I got the email yesterday, so thought I'd check it out. I turns out I had still been registered with them from some time ago so I just removed the service and re-registered. Downloaded the software, installed no prob. 1st time running I got the error as reported by stocky village. Also it told me to connect to the internet to run. A quick reboot sorted all that out. I've downloaded Gross Point Blank. Plays no problem. The sky anytime library tells me I got 29 days left.
So, Initial impressions for me sugest easy operation but slow software. Also it requires P2P operation so swallows your bandwidth. I have no intention of using the Pay-per-View function as it requires me to set up a wallet of some description. If I had a HTPC hooked to my 50" sammy then maybe.
Quality of movie is is good on 15.4" laptop. Probably a bit gimmicky though
That's just my 2cents worth. But give it a shot.

[darrenjuggins]

Hi,

I've got to say I've now tried the old and the new service, I was really hoping the revamp would be more impressive.

The newest addition is basically Sky One features, such as Lost etc, but you still have to pay to download these.... tut, tut, I'm not impressed with that.

As for the movie downloads, I was really hoping that the quality of the picture would be improved, I was really disappointed last time with Sky Broadband and it would seem they haven't bothered improving it.

Most movies come in at about 1GB and are WMV format, but alas they are really only at best video quality, not DVD and certainly not HD quality, which makes me for one, not interested in watching it.

I think the concept is excellent, although even with a quick connection, because it is P2P it can take bloody ages to download a film.

Nice try sky, but you have missed the point, we would like quick downloads, top quality and included in our package price! I'm quite happy for it to have DRM on it as long as I can stream it via Xbox 360 or other to my main TV but if the quality isn't there, then neither am I unfortunately.

Best wishes

Darren J

[messenger]

I wonder if this has anything to do with BT's anouncement today of trying to do a similar service, ya know like $ky trying to get the service back up and running before BT launch theirs next year.

Well if i have to pay more for it then forget it, £53.50 a month is my limit

[Bachstrad]

Originally Posted by darrenjuggins

Hi,

I've got to say I've now tried the old and the new service, I was really hoping the revamp would be more impressive.

The newest addition is basically Sky One features, such as Lost etc, but you still have to pay to download these.... tut, tut, I'm not impressed with that.

As for the movie downloads, I was really hoping that the quality of the picture would be improved, I was really disappointed last time with Sky Broadband and it would seem they haven't bothered improving it.

Most movies come in at about 1GB and are WMV format, but alas they are really only at best video quality, not DVD and certainly not HD quality, which makes me for one, not interested in watching it.

I think the concept is excellent, although even with a quick connection, because it is P2P it can take bloody ages to download a film.

Nice try sky, but you have missed the point, we would like quick downloads, top quality and included in our package price! I'm quite happy for it to have DRM on it as long as I can stream it via Xbox 360 or other to my main TV but if the quality isn't there, then neither am I unfortunately.

Best wishes

Darren J

The impression I got from the contract was that the content mirrored your package. So if you had Sky One you wouldn't have to pay to download Lost, for example.

ATB

Max

[Reznor]

Originally Posted by Bachstrad

The impression I got from the contract was that the content mirrored your package. So if you had Sky One you wouldn't have to pay to download Lost, for example.

ATB

Max

Unfortunately no, it's the same as the old Sky by Broadband except they have added pay per view and pay to own for the Lost episodes.

The downloads seem to be a lot slower than before as well.

All the films I thought oh great i'll watch that turned out to be pay per view and most of the others I had seen.

Sky One entertainment shows are also pay per view.

The picture and sound quality are still pretty decent for playing on a PC but would be better if the films where in surround Sound.

Hopefully it will get better

[Knyght_byte]

i was going to consider signing up to this, i had the old Sky by Broadband thing and whilst a novel idea for saving HDD on the + box, the quality wasnt good enough for me to watch on my projector, especially given the sound far as i could tell was only stereo (ok for sport, NOT for films...lol)

if the quality is no improvement then no point in me signing up, mighta done it if i could get access to things like Lost free (i have a full world package altho no HD), but to make it PPV when you could already have watched it is just mean.......i could understand them charging for stuff not yet out mebbe, but not stuff they have aired.....

the BT thing looks intrigueing, but i dont like their 'its a free box, just £60 for a bloke to install it (read plug it in and switch it on then not bother to show you how it works as he is too busy going home for dinner) and £30 to connection charge (err..connect to what?...lol..your broadband is already connected.....)...in other words, its £90 for the box, they just want to be able to say its free.....and i dont find £90 for a 80Gb box much joy when i could just use a HDD in my computer??.....they could have the encryption stuffed locked up in the Home Hub thing if they worried about that.....ah well, once they get rid of the costs, or at least the install one anyhow, i might pick one up for mum to use in the back room.....

[Valkirk]

I love the increase in movies...about 400 now

However speed has dropped big time since Sky By Broadband! Don't seem to be able to get anything downloaded quickly now! Suppose that is a major drawback of increasing the number of movies on offer. Before when there were about 80 odd and all displayed in the main sections then there were probably quite a few people who had them downloaded to share on P2P but chances of having that 1 out of 400 downloaded... had one film downloading for 5 hours!!! (used to take about 45 mins per film)

PPV on Sky One is outrageous...hope they change their minds!!

Perhaps they should offer a 'Gold' version....better quality pictures (HD unlikely though as would take a few days to download one film atm unless on 20MB connection!) direct downloads from Sky controlled high speed servers all items available without pay per view.

How long though before just take the network cable out of the MCE and plug into Sky Box for same facilities

[Tony Hoyle]

Originally Posted by Knyght_byte

the BT thing looks intrigueing, but i dont like their 'its a free box, just £60 for a bloke to install it (read plug it in and switch it on then not bother to show you how it works as he is too busy going home for dinner) and £30 to connection charge (err..connect to what?...lol..your broadband is already connected.....)...in other words, its £90 for the box, they just want to be able

The £30 is to connect to BT broadband if you're with another ISP (just because your ISP uses BT Wholesale that won't cut it.. you can't get the 'hub' unless BT is also your ISP).

So it's £90 for the box then £22.99 per month minimum 12 month contract, and a 40GB cap on your broadband, or £90 for the box, then £14.99 a month 12 month minimum contract and a 6GB cap on your broadband (BT describe this as '3 movies a month' or '10 minutes of movie trailers per week').

(From the small print: "BT Vision V-box is free to new BT Total Broadband customers or existing BT Total Broadband customers who re-contract as per original contractual period (residential only). Customers not wishing to re-contract will be charged £199 for the V-box. Installation fee £60. Connection charge £30. In order to get BT Vision, you will need to have BT Total Broadband (with minimum line speed of 2MB)."