Sky claims that it's taken over 40,000 advance sales for its high-definition satellite service since bookings were opened to the public on April 13. That, it says, is more than the total number of sales achieved by Sky+ in its first 12 months. Launch date for the Sky HD service is now fixed, too, with things kicking off for real on Monday May 22.
In addition, as we reported yesterday, Sky has confirmed to HEXUS that all eight of its own HD channels will be broadcast in the highest possible resolution from the outset - 1080i - rather than being a mix of 720p and 1080i as had been planned.
As we've said repeatedly in news and opinion articles and in the HEXUS.community, there is in our view considerable pent up demand for HD content from owners of HD-capable TV sets - a viewpoint that Sky obviously shares and which is underlined by the willingness of 40,000 households to commit in such a short period of time to paying out for a £299 Sky HD sign-up fee and £10 extra a month on top of their current Sky subscriptions.
Setting the sales figures for Sky HD in context, the company says that the respected market research organisation GfK estimates that a staggering two million HD ready TV sets will be sold in the UK in 2006 - 600,000 more than originally predicted - taking the likely cumulative total to 2.7 million by the year end. And that figure, we'd point out, takes no account of the HD-capable sets that have also been sold without carrying HD ready logos.
Another illuminating GfK stat from Sky - some 46 per cent of all TV sets larger than 26in sold in the UK during the month of February 2006 were badged HD ready!
When unveiling the launch date, Sky gave a taster of some of the programmes that HD subscribers can expect during the first week, along with a reminder that, as we reported, all of the BBC's World Cup football coverage the following month will be available in HD, along with some Wimbledon tennis.
Selection of HD programmes - week commencing May 22
* Star Wars: Revenge of
the Sith – Sky Box Office HD, Mon 22 May
* Inside…A Gunshot Victim – Sky One HD, 21.00, Mon 22 May
* National Trust: National Treasures – Artsworld HD, 21.00, Mon 22 May
* 24 – Sky One HD, 23.00, Mon 22 May
* Rescue Me – Sky One HD, 23.00, Tues 23 May
* Star Trek Enterprise – Sky One HD, 15.00, Tues 23 May
* Wallace & Gomit In The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – Sky Box Office, Weds 24 May
* Test Cricket (Live – England v Sri Lanka 2nd Test) – Sky Sports HD, Thursday 25 May, 10.30
* Independence Day ("earth-busting" sci-fi) – Sky Movies 9 HD, Friday 26 May
* Face to Face With the Ice Bear – National Geographic HD, 20.00, Friday 26 May
* Rugby Union (Guinness Premiership Final) – Sky Box Office, Sat 27 May
* Inside…A Gunshot Victim – Sky One HD, 21.00, Mon 22 May
* National Trust: National Treasures – Artsworld HD, 21.00, Mon 22 May
* 24 – Sky One HD, 23.00, Mon 22 May
* Rescue Me – Sky One HD, 23.00, Tues 23 May
* Star Trek Enterprise – Sky One HD, 15.00, Tues 23 May
* Wallace & Gomit In The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – Sky Box Office, Weds 24 May
* Test Cricket (Live – England v Sri Lanka 2nd Test) – Sky Sports HD, Thursday 25 May, 10.30
* Independence Day ("earth-busting" sci-fi) – Sky Movies 9 HD, Friday 26 May
* Face to Face With the Ice Bear – National Geographic HD, 20.00, Friday 26 May
* Rugby Union (Guinness Premiership Final) – Sky Box Office, Sat 27 May
Thoughts? Share them with us in the HEXUS.community.
HEXUS.links
Sky HD home - http://www.sky.com/hd
GfK - UK
BBC's HD football and tennis coverage - HEXUS.news
Sky HD goes for 1080i at the outset - HEXUS.news
Sky programme info - http://www.sky.com/programmeinformation
