Tag: Sky
Microsoft and BSkyB launch Sky Player for Xbox
Microsoft and BSkyB have formally unveiled Sky Player for Xbox 360, Sky’s TV service for the Microsoft console.
The service launches later this year and will offer a range of linear TV channels, as well as a library of on-demand content. A number of subscription packages will be available, as will the opportunity to access programming on a pay-per-view basis.
Xbox owners who already have a Sky TV subscription will be able to access Sky Player’s on-demand services through their console, in addition to their PC or Mac.
The service will also allow users to IM each other and check news and access fixtures and any other on-demand information.
BSkyB wouldn’t say whether the deal with Microsoft was exclusive, although sources said that this is unlikely.
Similar deals could eventually be struck with Sony’s PlayStation 3, Nintendo’s Wii and Project Canvas the appallingly named catch-up TV service in development by the BBC, ITV and BT.
(Via TechCrunch)
UK Satellite TV Comparison Guide: Sky versus Freesat
Two services that require you to stick a satellite dish to the side of your house.
One has been around for two decades, the other has just celebrated its first birthday.
Both will demand an upfront payment: one will continue to drain money from your bank account each month.
So which is best? Read our comparison guide to see if you should go with coming-of-age Sky or new-kid-on-the-block Freesat.
Read on to find out…
Hulu hitting the UK in September?
The Hulu that they do so well over in the States could be coming to the UK in a deal that would bring 3,000 hours of US TV to our virtual shores. The free to view VoD service is looking to buddy up with the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 in providing an internet platform where all their content can be viewed together in exactly the same way the Kangaroo couldn’t.
But there is a but – two, actually, if I write it like that. There’s issues with how Channel 4 and ITV wish to hold their advertising inventory around the player for their content and, with the Competition Commission lurking round the corner, there’s a horribly familiar feeling in the air that yet another good thing for the consumer could hit the bricks.
I was just about to say that Sky is bound to have a whinge about it, just as they did with Kangaroo, but maybe not so this time. Hulu is backed by News Corp, and News Corp owns Sky. So, maybe this thing does have legs after all.
Still a hell of a lot of teasing out of agreements to do in terms of rules and regs as well as the advertising issue, doubtless, but, fingers crossed, we might actually get what we want this time. Just a shame we needed an American company to come in and sort it out for us.
(via Telegraph)
Sky launching 'green button' on-demand ads
In an attempt to charge their advertisers more for their content without pissing off viewers too much, Sky is launching a ‘green button’ service for advertising. Much like the red button service that lets people find out more information about a program, the green button will enable ‘extended advertising content’.
Advertisers will be able to encourage users to press the green button during a trail, and it’ll take them to a location where they’ll be able to find out more, or watch an extended version of the advert. It could even feature entirely new footage.
Warner Brothers will be trialling the new technology for the upcoming release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and a campaign for T-Mobile will also be live from launch.
But why would anyone ever use it? Except in a few cases, like the Superbowl, most people regard adverts as a necessary evil to get the content they want. Unless companies used this service very imaginatively, then I can’t see viewers really getting too excited about this one.
(via Brandrepublic)
Sky HD boxes self-destructing, getting replaced
Sky HD customer? Have you heard from your provider lately? The company is allegedly recalling thousands of digiboxes due to a design fault that will gradually corrupt hard drives, ultimately causing disk failure.
The problem affects Pace-made units (Thomson, Samsung and Amstrad models are fine) and subscribers are getting three months of free HD subscription to compensate them for any data stored on their boxes.
Have you had your box replaced? Get in touch in the comments below and let us know what happened.
(via TrustedReviews)
Sky offers Sky+HD box for under fifty quid as satellite giant pushes high definition
Sky has decided that it’s time to get really aggressive when it comes to high definition in the UK, and to that end has slashed the price of its Sky+HD box to just £49. That’s a third of the price it was early last year (£150) and is the satellite broadcaster’s hope of getting many more subscribers hooked on pay-for-HD.
In fact, thanks to a lot of enticing marketing and the lure of a variety of sports, films and other content in high definition, Sky has just had its best quarter — in the three months to the end of December, 188,000 people signed up for high-def services, taking the total number of subscribers to nearly 800,000…
RUMOUR: Sky launching its music subscription service in April
Many have tried to make the all-you-can-eat subscription model work for music, but it’s never taken off due to incompatibilities between different portable music players and the lack of any big companies really getting behind it. Well, we’re hearing a rumour that Sky will finally launch its previously-announced subscription service in April.
Last we heard, we were promised a mix of both streaming and downloadable tracks. Over Christmas, pricing was allegedly leaked – unlimited free streams, plus a set number of MP3 downloads each month. £5.99 for 5 downloads, £7.99 for 10 and £9.99 for 15.
I’ve asked Sky for more details, and I’m waiting to hear back. I, for one, am convinced that it’s not only possible for a subscription service to work, but it’s actually the future of mass-market music consumption. There’s too many people who don’t care about anything beyond the top 40 for that not to be the case.
Related posts: NOISE GATE: Why music subscription services will eventually work | Sky and Universal Music partner to launch subscription music streaming and download service
Sky develops 3D HDTV service for the masses
Sky has tried, tested and succeeded in developing a 3D HDTV system for the consumer home. They’re able to use the existing service infrastructure but unlike the Philip’s concept 3D screen, it does require viewers to use polarized glasses.
The satellite broadcasters used the system on episodes of Gladiators…
Sky launches mobile TV service for 3 customers
If you’re dead keen on squinting at a tiny phone screen to see watch TV, and a 3 subscriber, then you’ll be excited by the announcement this morning that Sky’s Mobile TV service will be coming to a handset near you in the near future. You’ll get Sky Sports channels, Sky News, At The Races and CNN, for a monthly fee of £5, or a daily fee of £1.
It seems that you’ll need a data package to receive the content, too, which will set you back £2.50 a month for 10MB. I suspect, however, that you’ll need substantially more than 10MB if you’re going to watch the service for more than a few minutes.
New Sky Player subscription service for non-Sky customers
Sky is looking to wires under the ground to provide TV programmes to customers – it is planning a new internet based subscription service for Sky Player, the iPlayer-esque clunky, bloated piece of crap you installed once and gave upon before successfully downloading any programmes to watch.
