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Sky will begin taking orders for its Sky+ integrated set-top box on September 8th. The box will feature: 1) two tuners, so the viewer can record one channel while watching another; 2) personal video services, allowing easy manipulation of the electronic programming guide and associated data; 3) Sky's Pace Micro digital set-top receiver featuring OpenTV middleware and NDS software; 4) 20 hr. digital video hard drive, and 5) Dolby Digital technology. Price for the box will be £299 plus a monthly subscription of £10 (Note: This price has been widely criticized in the UK press. In the US, TiVo charges $9.95 per month for the data service which updates nightly). Viewers who purchase or who already own a Sky+ box can get a second box for 215 pounds or 2 Sky digital satellite receivers free. However, to take advantage of the extra hardware, viewers will have to pay an additional £12 per month for a mirror card that redirects the Sky television signal. Sky+ installation also costs £50 for existing Sky subscribers and £100 for new subscribers plus £25 if they're getting an additional Sky+ box. Each dish feed can send 4 video streams.

Producer: Sky+ Development
Network: Sky
Platform: Sky+ Integrated PVR/DVR Set-top Box
Appearing: September 8, 2001






Production shot of the Sky+ box


Specifications

The Sky+ box specifications are as follows:

  • 100+ MIPS (32 bit RISC processor
  • 2x4MB flash banks (foreground/background download)
  • 28MB system memory (extensible memory architecture)
  • 4MB AV decoder memory (extensible memory architecture)
  • 8MB disk cache
  • 32KB NVRAM
  • DVB-compliant audio & video decoding MPEG2 video at MP@ML
  • IF inputs from twin LNBs (Sky+ comes with a quad LNB - 4 video/audio streams max)
  • Modem telephone line
  • Input from terrestrial via analogue RF
  • RF Output to primary TV set
  • RF Output to secondary location
  • Left & Right Audio Outputs
  • TV & VCR SCART
  • S Video connectivity
  • Optical Digital Audio Output (used to enable Dolby 5.1- but required lead not supplied by Sky)
  • 2nd card reader for Mondex card (for eventual use with iTV services - all UK STBs have this)
  • High Speed Data Port (not sure if this allows for eventual DSL connectivity?)
  • Extended Sky Guide EPG
  • Enhanced remote control including keys dedicated to time-shifted playback - other keys include Pause, Play, Stop, Record, Fast forward, Fast rewind
  • Two satellite tuners (allowing user to record one channel whilst watching another)
  • Transport stream input processor (ASIC)
  • 40GB hard drive (maximum of 20 hours digital quality recording - depending on content)
  • Supports "over the air" download of new software into flash memory 256 colour OSD from palette of 16000 colours
  • Parental lock facility
  • NDS Conditional Access system & card reader
  • V.90 PSTN Modem
Sky+ has the following initial features:

  • Pause live TV - when paused, recording will continue for as long as programme runs provided user has enough disk space remaining at that time; management of disk space can be set to be undertaken automatically by Sky+ or manually by the user.
  • Record one channel while watching another.
  • Record Sky Box Office PPV films/programming - this will stay on the hard disk for 24 hours before being automatically deleted; users are only charged for purchase if actually watched.
  • Select future programmes for recording, direct from EPG.
  • Automatically record future episodes of favorite programs.
  • EPG accommodates late changes in program schedules prior to recording.
  • EPG displays how much recording capacity used or remaining.
  • Records & plays back subtitles for the deaf/hard of hearing.
  • Set bookmarks in recordings for easier navigation.
  • Parental controls on recordings.
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 compatible.
  • Full access to existing programing and interactive services.
  • Recorded programs can be selected by user and then copied to VCR - Sky Box Office films etc. cannot be copied.
  • Sky+ Recorded programing can be marked as "kept" to avoid being overwritten.
  • Fast forward at 2, 3, 6 or 12 times normal speed.


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