Sky package changes from 1st September 2011

Sky TV will be freezing their subscription prices until the 31st August 2012, for customers who join prior to 31st August 2011.

It has also been confirmed that Sky TV will be changing thier channel structure.

Gone are the 6 genre mixes of Variety, Knowledge, Lifestyle, Music, Childrens and News and Events.

In comes Entertainment and Entertainment Extra.

From initial channel lists, it looks like the current Variety and Lifestyle genres will be in the Entertainment pack. This pack will cost £20.

The other four genres, Music, News and Events, Knowledge and Childrens, will be included in the Entertainment Extra mix. The cost of Entertainment and Entertainment Extra per month will be £25.

However, you will not lose channels with this shuffle around. In fact, Sky TV says that you will still receive all the channels you currently receive now. And some clients will receive more channels, yet, pay the same subscription as they currently do.

So, if you currently have two genres, for example the Variety and Childrens, and currently pay £20.50, then from 1st September, you will still pay £20.50, but will have access to all channel in the Entertainment pack, and all channels in the Entertainment Extra pack. But you will see your price increase in 1st September 2012 to £25 (or more if they increase it!).

All new Sky TV customers signing up after 31st August 2011 will pay either £20 or £25 per month.

So for 1 year you can be paying the same price as you are currently, but then in 1 years time your price may well increase.

The Sky Sports and Sky Movie channel prices have also been frozen for 1 year. So in addition to your "Genre" or Entertainment mix price, these prices will be applied for the premium Sky TV channels.

Single Movie Pack: £8.00
Both Movie Packs: £16.00
Single Sports Pack: £12.50
Both Sports Packs: £20.00
Single Movies and Single Sport Pack: £18.75
Both Movies and Single Sports Pack: £24.00
Both Sports and Single Movies Pack: £24.00
Both Sports and Both Movies Pack: £28.00

Real Digital - a new UK satellite TV provider

Real Digital are a company that says it will offer a range of free to air satellite TV channels, and a range of pay channels. The system was said to launch early January 2011, but there have been some delays.

Real Digital will, like Freesat, offer all the free to air UK TV channels, including the 5 HD channels, BBC1HD, BBCHD,ITV1HD, C4 HD and NHK World HD. But Real Digital say that they will also be able to offer some subscription channels. Real Digital say that they will off channels like Sky Sports, without the need of subscribing to other pay channels, which is currently the can on the Sky TV system. According to reports Sky SPorts 1 and Sky Sports 2 may be available, and for a lot less than it costs to subscribe to Sky, thanks tot he ruling by OFCOM that Sky must offer its channels at a competitive and fair price to other operators.

The system will use the same satellites and frequencies as requried by Sky and Freesat receivers. It will also be restricted to UK only users, just like the Sky and Freesta services, but I am sure that ways around this may well be found.

Real Digital have released a top ten Q&A for their system.

Q. When will REAL Digital be launching its service and where can I buy a box?

A. 1st of September 2011 is the official launch date for the Free To Air service. The first boxes will be available from Maplin.

Q. How much will a REAL Digital Set Top Box cost?

A. There will be 2 types of set top boxes available, one from Fortec Star (a single tuner HD unit, with an RRP of £159.99), and a REAL+ HD box from DIGITAL STREAM, which has twin tuners and a built in 500GB hard drive so you can record one channel while watching another. This will have a RRP of £299.99.

Q. I already have a Sky/Freesat satellite dish will I need a new one or any home visit?

A. You will not need a new dish or any adjustment as long as the dish currently works correctly. You can simply plug the satellite dish (LNB) cable into the (LNB) connection on the back of the REAL set top box and just follow the simple on screen set up guide. You can then start watching any of the hundreds of Free To Air channels without any subscription or you can add additional Pay TV channels as they become available.

Q. What HD channels would I get without a Pay TV subscription?

A. BBC One HD, BBC HD, ITV1 HD/STV HD, Channel 4 HD and NHK World HD.

Q. Will I have to enter a 12 month Pay TV contract to get Sky Sports?

A. No REAL Digital believes you should be free to choose how long you want to Pay for Sports channels, so you can Pay on a month by month basis.

Q. What makes REAL Digital different to Sky TV or freesat?

A. REAL Digital will not make you take out a satellite subscription before you can add Premium channels like Sky Sports or make it a minimum 12 month contract to get the Sky Sports channels. Compared to freesat, REAL Digital will be listing many more channels and be including a easy to use EPG TV Guide. So you will have more Free TV to watch AND you'll have the option to add Pay TV channels you want.

Q. What if I don't have a HD TV can I still use a REAL Digital box?

A. You can still watch a REAL Digital set top box even on a Standard Definition box when you connect it to the scart connection. However you won't get the High Definition picture quality unless you connect the REAL Digital box to a HD ready TV using a HDMI cable.

Q. Will there be any new channels that I don't currently get launching on REAL Digital?

A. Yes there already a number of new Pay TV channels planning on launching this year on REAL Digital.

Q. How do I get a REAL Digital Smartcard?

A. All REAL Digital Set Top Boxes have a REAL Digital Smartcard included in the with the packaging all you need to do is follow the instructions to activate the card

Q. Will the REAL Digital remote control work with my TV as well?

A. Yes the REAL Digital remote controls are universal TV remotes as well. You will simply need the correct code for your make of TV.

Sky HD channel numbers - for the changes from 1st February

Here is a list of the new sky HD channel numbers lists, due on the 1st February 2011, when Sky makes the changes to make the HD channels "swap" with their SD counterparts.

This change does not affect all HD channns, like BBC1HD or BBC HD or ITV1 HD, but it iwll affect the majority of the SKy Pay HD channels.

Channel Was Now
Sky 1 HD 170 106
Sky Living HD 224 107
Sky Atlantic HD – 108
Comedy Central HD 222 112
Universal Channel HD 220 113
Syfy HD 214 114
ITV2 HD 225 118
ITV3 HD 226 119
ITV4 HD 227 120
FX HD 193 124
E4 HD 215 136
Channel 4 HD 140 140
BBC One HD 143 143
BBC HD 169 169
Five HD 171 171
ITV1 HD 178 178
Bio HD 211 211
Sky Arts 1 HD 244 243
Sky Arts 2 HD 256 245
Good Food HD 283 249
Luxury Life HD 273 271
Sky Premiere HD 313 301
Sky Showcase HD 314 303
Sky Comedy HD 332 304
Sky Action & Adventure HD 333 305
Sky Family HD 334 306
Sky Crime & Thriller HD 335 307
Sky Drama & Romance HD 336 308
Sky Sci-Fi & Horror HD 337 309
Sky Modern Greats HD 338 310
Sky Movies Classics HD 346 311
Sky Indie HD 339 312
MGM HD 345 345
MTVN HD 384 358
Sky Sports HD 1 408 401
Sky Sports HD 2 409 402
Sky Sports HD 3 418 403
Sky Sports HD 4 454 404
Sky Sports News HD 455 405
Eurosport HD 412 412
ESPN HD 442 417
ESPN America HD 431 430
Rush HD 452 452
Sky News HD 517 501
Nat Geo HD 543 526
Nat Geo Wild HD 544 528
History HD 545 529
Eden HD 559 532
Discovery HD 536 536
Crime HD 555 555
Nickelodeon HD 632 604
Disney XD HD 633 607
Disney Cine HD 631 622
SBO 1 HD 752 752
SBO 2 HD 753 753

The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

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Sky Sports 3d - 3d football matches on Sky Sports December 2010

Sunday 5th December 2010

English Premier League

West Brom vs Newcastle United - 1330 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Sunderland vs West Ham - 1600 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Monday 6th December 2010

English Premier League

Liverpool vs Aston Villa - 2000 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Monday 13th December 2010

English Premier League

Manchester United vs Arsenal - 2000 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Sunday 19th December 2010

English Premier League

Chelsea vs Manchester United - 1600 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Monday 20th December 2010

English Premier League

Manchester City vs Everton - 2000 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Sunday 26th December 2010

English Premier League

Aston Villa vs Tottenham - 1730 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Monday 27th December 2010

English Premier League

Arsenal vs Chelsea - 2000 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D

Wednesday 29th December 2010

English Premier League

Liverpool vs Wolves - 2000 - Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD, Sky Sports 3D


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Sky Sports 3d - 3d football matches on Sky Sports October and November 2010

Sky 3DTV is available on Sky HD Channel 217

OCTOBER

Sat 23 Tottenham vs Everton (12.45) - Premier League - Sky Sports 3D TV

Tues 26 Manchester United vs Wolves (8.00pm) Carling Cup - Sky Sports 3D TV

Sun 31 Newcastle v Sunderland (4.00pm) Premier League - Sky Sports 3D TV

NOVEMBER

Sun 7 Liverpool vs Chelsea (8.00pm) Premier League - Sky Sports 3D TV

Wed 10 Manchester City vs Manchester United (8.00pm) Premier League - Sky Sports 3D TV

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Sky Sports 3D football fixtures for this season - September and October

Sky Sports 3D football fixtures for this season

Sky Sports has just released more 3D football fixtures for this season.

SEPTEMBER

Sun 12 Everton v Manchester United

Tue 14 Man Utd v Rangers (7.45pm) Champions League

Sun 19 Man Utd v Liverpool (1.30pm) Premier League

Sat 25 Man City v Chelsea (12.45pm) Premier League

OCTOBER

Tue 12 Scotland v Spain (8.00pm) Euro 2012 Qualifier

Sun 17 Everton v Liverpool (1.30pm) Premier League

Mon 18 Blackburn v Sunderland (8.00pm) Premier League

Sun 24 Man City v Arsenal (4.00pm) Premier League

Sun 31 Newcastle v Sunderland (4.00pm) Premier League

For more information please visit:

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Sky Sports News HD - Sky Channel 455 and frequency

Sky Sports News HD launches tomorrow - August 23rd.
It will be available on Sky Channels 455.

Sky Sports News is on frequency 12266 H and is on Astra 2a South - so Sky Sports News HD should be easily available on the Costa Blanca Spain even on a small 80cm satellite dish.

Whereas the SD version of Sky Sports News is on a North beam satellite frequency where even some big 2.4m satellite dishes can struggle with reception of Sky Sports News in the afternoon.

For more information please visit:

The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

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The Sat and PC Guy FORUM - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca