Digital Satellite TV

How does satellite TV work?

Digital satellite TV is transmitted via satellite direct to minidishes installed in homes. The signals are compressed before transmission and the digibox translates these to enable viewing of the TV channels and services.

Key Features

• The widest choice of channels and service providers
• Electronic Programming Guide (on screen programme information and listings)
• Digital Text
• Pay-Per-View movies and events
• Interactive Services and Games from Open (telephone line connection required)
• Digital Radio Channels
• TV e-mail from Open ( telephone line connection required)

Equipment Required

To receive digital satellite TV you can get a free minidish and digibox from Sky. You will need to pay a standard installation cost of £1 if you subscribe to Sky World and Family Pack or £70 for any other Sky subscription package. If you do not wish to subscribe to any Sky Digital packages, standard installation cost is £100. Eligibility and other terms apply.

Coverage and Reception

Digital satellite covers the whole of the UK but your ability to receive signals may be impaired if a building, tree or other object blocks the line of sight between the minidish and satellite.

Cost

• Sky digital TV packages start from £10 for UK residential customers
• Minimum subscription is 12 months
• If you subscribe to Sky there is a standard installation fee of £70 (or £1 if you subscribe to Sky World and Family Pack). If you do not wish to subscribe to any Sky Digital packages then standard installation is £100.
• Pay-Per-View movies are available from £3 on Sky Box Office

Channels available on digital satellite include:

1 Non subscription channels:
BBC1, BBC2, BBC Choice, BBC Parliament, BBC Knowledge, Channel 4, Channel 5, BBC News 24, CNN, The Money Channel, Community Channel, Channel Health, Liberty TV, Extreme Sports, ITN News, The Einstein Channel, Boomerang, TCM, TV Travelshop 1 + 2, Shop!, PIN, Ideal World Shopping, Screenshop, Shop America, Bid-up.com, The Travel Channel, Travel Deals Direct, Christian Channel, Inspiration, Simply Shopping, TV Jobshop, Pheonix CNE, Dating Channel

2 Sky digital subscription channels

Entertainment: Sky One, UK Gold 1 + 2, Granada Plus, Challenge TV, Paramount Comedy, Sci Fi, UK Drama, Tara TV, Hallmark, E4, Living, Bravo, Discovery Home and Leisure, Granada Breeze, Granada Men and Motors, Sky Travel, UK Style, Discovery Health, Wellbeing, PLAY uk, QVC, Artsworld, Star Plus
Documentary: Discovery Channel, Discovery Travel & Adventure, Discovery Civilisations, Discovery Sci-Trek, Discovery Animal Planet, Discovery Wings, The History Channel, National Geographic Channel, UK Horizons, Biography, Adventure One, .TV
News: Sky News, Bloomberg, CNBC
Kids: Fox Kids, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Cartoon Network, Trouble, Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Playhouse Disney, Discovery Kids
Music: MTV, MTV Hits, MTV Base, MTV Dance, MTV Extra, VH1, VH1 Classic, The Box, UK Play, Kiss, Kerrang, Q, Rapture
Movies: Sky Premier, Sky MovieMax, Sky Cinema, Filmfour
Sports: Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports Extra, Sky Sports.com TV, British Eurosport, MUTV

Thursday, August 21, 2008