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Sky Digital Explored

Considering getting Sky Digital? We explore this satellite TV service in more detail.

 

Sky Dish and DigiboxThe Basics:

Sky Digital currently offers the widest number of digital TV channels in the UK

98% of the UK's able to receive Sky's satellite signal. You'll need to have a satellite dish installed on the outside your home to get satellite TV.

Once Sky Digital has been installed, you'll get access to hundreds of digital TV and radio channels, including the largest selection of HD channels in the UK.

With Sky Digital, you'll get some top TV channels, such as:

Sky One & Sky Two
G.O.L.D and Dave
Comedy Central
ITV2, ITV3 & ITV4
Virgin 1
BBC 3, BBC 4
Disney & Cartoon Network
Alibi and Watch
Sci-Fi & Horror channels
E4, More 4 and Film 4
Bravo
History & Documentary channels
Sky Sports & Setanta Sports
Sky Movies & Box Office
Adult content

Sky has a range of different packages, with prices starting from £18 per month.

For more on Sky, plus channels and prices, see www.sky.com/skycom

 

How do I get Sky Digital?

Sky DigiboxTo get Sky Digital, you'll need to have a satellite dish and a Sky digibox installed at your home, and you'll need to pick one or more of Sky's channel packages to subscribe to.

You can order Sky online - when you book, you arrange an installation appointment (including Saturday and Sunday installation).

One of Sky's engineers will turn up and install the Sky dish and digibox, connect it all to your telly, and set everything up for you.

Sky's top offers:

  • More informationOffer 1 - Free HD box: Get a free Sky+ HD box if you sign up to Sky's HD service. Includes free set-up.

  • More informationOffer 2 - Free calls and broadband: Save by getting TV, phone and Broadband from Sky - Get one of Sky's channel packs, digibox, Broadband Internet, a free Broadband router, plus free UK evening and weekend landline calls... Price? From £18 a month.

To take advantage of these offers, go to www.sky.com/skycom (Also Sky Ireland)

Free M and S Voucher
Marks and Spencer voucher available for new customers signing to Sky online for a limited time. Conditions apply. Order now

 

What does Sky offer?

Sky's Programme GuideHere's our summary of Sky's features:

  • Hundreds of digital TV and radio channels - Far more channels than you'll find on cable TV or Freeview. See Sky's packages.

  • Digital Switchover-ready - By 2012, the UK's going Digital. Sky is fully digital-ready

  • Onscreen TV guide - Sky's Electronic Programme Guide, with 7 day planner (pictured)

  • Sport - Unrivalled sports coverage with 3 Sky Sports channels, Sky Sports Extra , Sky Sports News, plus Eurosport , Racing UK and attheraces. Sky's a must for football, rugby and cricket fans. More on Sky Sports.

  • Movies - Sky has 10 main movie channels, and two Sky Cinema channels, as well as a whole range of Sky Box Office pay-per-view films

  • Extras: Sky offers the widest choice of High-definition content in the UK, as well as their revolutionary Sky+ digital video recorder.
Standard Sky Box
Standard Sky Box
Sky+ Box
Sky+ Box
Sky+ HD Box
Sky+ HD Box

 

Sky's channel lineup

When you sign up to Sky, you need to select a number of channel packages you want to subscribe to - this will typically include some standard "Sky packs", with optional "premium packs" (such as Movie or Sports channels). You'll also get a number of free-to-view channels as well.

The channel packs are:

  • Variety Pack: Including Sky One, Bravo, G.O.L.D, E4 and Living TV
  • Knowledge Pack: Including Discovery, National Geographic, History Channel, Yesterday
  • Style & Culture Pack: Including Sky Arts, Home (formerly UKTV Style), Discovery Home & Health, Good Food
  • Music Pack: Including MTV, Viva, Bliss, Kerrang!, Q and Vh1
  • News & Events Pack: Including Sky News, Fox News, CNBC, At The Races, British Eurosport
  • Children's Pack: Including Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Disney, Trouble
Sky Variety Pack
Sky Style Pack
Sky Knowledge Pack
Sky News Pack
Sky Movies Pack
Sky Sports Pack
Sky Children's Pack
Sky Music Mix

Full details of Sky's channel packages at sky.com/shop/tv.

Got a question?

Thinking of getting Sky Digital, and have a question? Contact us

 

Sky's HD Sports EPG
Sky's on-screen programme guide (From Sky+ HD box)

What is Sky+?

Thomson Sky+ HD Box The Sky+ PVR combines a satellite receiver with a hard-disk recorder that lets you record 40 hours of programmes and movies.

The Sky+ box allows you to watch one satellite channel while recording another , and pause/rewind live TV. Sky+ supports Series Link, so you don't miss an episode of a series you're following.

The hype is actually true... Sky+ will change the way you watch TV. You can even use your mobile phone to set programmes to record.

Sky+ is available directly from www.sky.com/. More in our dedicated Sky+ section.

Listen to the FrequencyCast UK online radio show
FrequencyCast PodcastPODCAST FEATURE: We featured Sky Digital in Show 16 of our online radio show.
Listen to the show online, or download it to your MP3 player.

Listen to Show 16 | What is FrequencyCast? | Add us to iTunes

 

Free-to-view Satellite

If you like the idea of the extra channels, but don't fancy paying the Sky subscription, there are some other options:

  • Freesat - This service launched in May 2008. You need a satellite dish (£80 typical installation), and to pay a one-off cost for the box (from £50), and then you'll be able to receive around 100 TV and 30 radio channels without a subscription. More on our Freesat page

  • Freesat from Sky. Around 240 free-to-view channels for a one-off payment of £147 to Sky, with the option to subscribe to premium channels later.

  • Free to view satellite kitFree to air - A number of digital TV and radio channels can be viewed on a satellite receiver without a subscription or a card. For a list of the free channels that can be viewed with a Sky dish and decoder without subscription, see Sky's list.

Details on our Free to view satellite TV page.

FrequencyCast Podcast

 

Can't get Sky? 98% of the UK can get satellite TV, but if you can't get a Sky satellite dish where you live, or don't want to pay for Sky, see our page of digital TV alternatives.

 

Got a question on Sky Digital? Need help setting up Sky?

Take a look in our Sky FAQ, or ask in our Sky TV forum

 

Useful Sky Links

  • Order Sky TV - Deals of the Sky TV packages, and the special installation offers
  • Sky for Dummies - Want Sky? Here's our beginner's guide
  • Sky F.A.Q - Help and advice on general Sky issues
  • Sky+ HD - More information on the service that offers the largest number of HD channels in the UK
  • Sky+ - Sky's powerful, and hugely popular digital recorder
  • FrequencyCast Podcast - Discussion of what's new with Sky and Sky+ in our regular free online radio show
  • Sky Digital forum - Talk about Sky's Digital TV service and ask other users for advice on getting more from Sky

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