Free HD channels on Sky

[levers]

Currently have basic subscription on Sky+ and have an HD TV. Would like to watch some free HD channels but not willing to pay Sky the £10 monthly HD mix fee so I just bought a second hand HD box off ebay which I intend to install myself - have found instructions by searching on here. My question is will I be able to watch the free HD channels or will Sky insist I pay £10 for the HD mix? There seems to be a lot of conflicting answers about this. If I don't have to pay it, will I automatically get the free HD channels once I have installed it and done a callback, or do I still have to phone Sky and get them to pair the card and then try and explain to them I only want the free HD channels?

 

[Broadz]

The Sky HD box will get the free HD channels without Sky even needing to know that you have got a Sky HD box - none of them require the card pairing with the box, none of them are premium subscription channels - they are free. You could watch all of them except C4HD without even having a card in the box at all.

However, if you don't phone Sky to get your current Sky card paired with the new Sky box, you won't be able to record anything on the Sky HD box or be able to watch any premium channels that you subscribe to (Sky Movies and Sky Sports). Presumably you will want to still be able to do both these - so yes, you will have to call Sky to pair the card with the box - but you certainly don't have to subscribe to the HD Pack if you didn't buy the box from Sky. Just make sure that the CS operator that you speak to is aware of this. You want the card pairing with the box - don't even mention that the box is a Sky HD box - but you don't want to amend the mixes that you currently subscribe to.

 

[levers]

great, just what i hoped. many thanks