The Sky+ set top box is essentially a PVR, which allows access to the hundreds of channels available on Sky, including Sky Movie premieres, exclusive live sports, etc, depending upon subscription and is capable of recording up to 40 hours of programming. Recording takes place not onto removable media such as DVD (“Digital Versatile Disk”) or VHS tape, but onto an integral hard disk drive similar to that found in a computer.
Above and beyond the basic functions of receiving and recording satellite television broadcasting, the technology contained within the Sky+ set top box is designed to put viewers in control of how and when they watch television. They can, for example, watch one programme while recording another or watch a recorded programme while recording one or two more. This adds an extra dimension in terms of flexibility to the Sky+ box.
An Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) allows viewers to browse upcoming programmes up to 7 days in advance and schedule recording at the touch of a button. The storage capacity of the Sky+ box means that you are unlikely to fill it up in a hurry, but viewers also have access to Sky’s VOD (“Video on Demand”) service, known as Sky Anytime. This is a service designed to rival those available from cable television providers; essentially a selection of programmes, including entertainment, movies, documentaries and children’s programmes is made available for viewing at any time of the day or night, without the need to explicitly record those programmes.
By far the most useful features of the Sky+ set top box, however, are those known as “Live Pause” and “Series Link”. If you are watching a programme on Sky and your viewing is interrupted for whatever reason, you can press the “pause” button on the Sky+ remote control to freeze pictures and sound. The pictures and sound may be frozen, but recording of the programme continues until the end. This means that you pick up the programme where you left off after you answer the door or the telephone, for example. Meanwhile, the Live Pause symbol is displayed on the screen showing the number of minutes elapsed. Whilst Live Pause is operational, you can play, pause, fast forward and rewind the recording; if you reach the start, picture and sound are frozen once again and if you reach the end you resume live viewing. You can resume live viewing at any time by pressing the Sky button on the remote control, but if you change channel your recording is deleted. Live Pause is useful if you want to record part of a programme for later viewing because it means that you can fast forward through advertisement breaks.
The feature known as “Series Link” is useful for viewers of the popular drama series available on Sky – FlashForward, Lie To Me, Bones and many others – insofar as it allows each episode in a series to be recorded automatically. Series Link is accessible via the Sky Planner and can be activated by pressing the green button on the Sky+ remote control after you have selected the first episode of a series to be recorded. Once Series Link is activated each episode will be recorded, ignoring repeats, but regardless of any changes to the broadcasting schedule. This means that viewers do not need to remember to record each episode separately via the Sky Planner.
The recording functions of the Sky+ set top box can even be accessed remotely from a mobile phone or via the Internet. Viewers do need to register for this service via Sky Active, but this is achieved fairly easily by pressing the “interactive” button on the Sky+ remote control, choosing “Sky Active” and “Record” and following the on-screen instructions. Once this is done, viewers can communicate with their Sky+ box from a mobile phone, including by text message or via the Sky website. This means being stuck in traffic, an impromptu drink after work, or simply just forgetting to record a favourite programme need no longer spoil their viewing pleasure.
As far as obtaining and installing a Sky+ box are concerned, boxes are available from sources other than Sky itself, although it makes sense to use Sky’s professional installation service. From a technical point of view, a Sky+ box requires two feeds from a satellite dish to allow programmes to be viewed and recorded at the same time and also requires activation. Furthermore, Sky refuses technical support to anyone who has their dish installed by someone other than Sky engineers. Sky+ features are free if you subscribe to any Sky package, but if you want to use Sky+ on free-to-air channels only there is a charge for this.