Sky HD gives viewers the boot

Sky’s HD service – due to launch on 22 May, with a package of high-definition channels – will be unavailable to most World Cup fans…

Live coverage of the World Cup in HD on BBC channels is one of the new service’s biggest attractions, along with other HD channels like Sky One and Discovery.

But many football fans buying HD TVs to watch the World Cup will be disappointed because Sky admits it can't cope with demand for the (£299) HD set top boxes.

Sky spokesman Robert Fraser, says: 'Because of the strong demand, we are no longer able to offer installation dates before the World Cup. Earliest installation would be July.

'We have been taking advance orders since April. We have had a very strong response with more than 40,000 orders in the first three weeks.'

As a result, anyone ordering Sky's HD satellite service now will not get it installed until after the tournament is over.

There are alternatives, such as buying new HD set-top boxes suitable to pick up the Freeview digital satellite channels, which includes the BBC's World Cup coverage.

However, these boxes are extremely scarce, with high street retailers Dixons and Currys not stocking them.

Unlike conventional British TV pictures, which are made up of 576 lines of pixels, HD pictures are made up of either 720 or 1080 lines. Each line refreshes itself more frequently than on a standard television, creating images that are four times as sharp.

HD will not be available via terrestrial until at least 2012 for most people. And other broadcasters, such as ITV and Channel 4, have yet to announce their own national HD trials.

Cable company Telewest launched the UK's first high-definition television service earlier this month, though the service is currently limited to programmes made by BBC Worldwide.

Hot this week

Orbis Protect Acquires Panthera Group Limited

Orbis Protect announces the acquisition of Panthera Group Limited,...

Hamas Challenges UK Terror Ban in Landmark Legal Bid

In a historic legal move, the Palestinian resistance movement...

International School of Geneva supports UNESCO World Engineering Day 2025 campaign

International School of Geneva – Ecolint, as a leader...

Fortescue an Official Partner of UNESCO’s 2025 World Engineering Day Campaign 

Fortescue, a global green technology, energy and metals company,...

Topics

Orbis Protect Acquires Panthera Group Limited

Orbis Protect announces the acquisition of Panthera Group Limited,...

Hamas Challenges UK Terror Ban in Landmark Legal Bid

In a historic legal move, the Palestinian resistance movement...

International School of Geneva supports UNESCO World Engineering Day 2025 campaign

International School of Geneva – Ecolint, as a leader...

Fortescue an Official Partner of UNESCO’s 2025 World Engineering Day Campaign 

Fortescue, a global green technology, energy and metals company,...

The War Nobody Noticed: Is the U.S. Preparing a Nuclear Strike on Iran?

The question sounds absurd—until you realize the war may...

Wall Street Veteran Paul Abrahimzadeh Joins 1789 Capital as Senior Partner

1789 Capital, the pioneering investment firm dedicated to providing...

SLB OneSubsea features in UNESCO World Engineering Day 2025 campaign 

SLB OneSubsea, as a leader in subsea technology, has...

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img