HD Boxes

[janetmason]

How reliable are the HD boxes? I've heard that they do not provide consistent pictures.

[satandpcguy]

HD boxes provide a good clear picture - when the source of that picture is good...
many programmes are "upscaled" from standard definition to HD.
and there are two formats for HD, 720 and 1080 - refering to the number of "lines of data" on the screen. so these formats may vary from one HD channel to another HD channel.

The first few Sky HD boxes did have a few teething problems, like overheating and hard drive crashes, but i think many of the problems ahave been resolved in the latest batch. Pace have started to supply Sky HD boxes, but it is too ealy to say how they are performing and if they have similar problems.

[janetmason]

Which is the best sky package to have? We are thinking of sky+ but do not have much experience of this.

[satandpcguy]

sky offer a variety of packages....
http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/Sky%20Package.htm
to use sky+ functions (recording, playback, live pause) you must pay for a sky subscritpion (either a package as per above or £10 per month)
to access HD subscription channels, you pay an extra £10 oper omnth on top of your sky subscritpion.
BBC HD is free and requires no subscritpion - juts a HD receiver!