The cable operator has closed the standard definition version of Sky Arts, giving many subscribers a free HD upgrade.
- Sky Arts on channel 140 now removed.
- Virgin Media viewers can access Sky Arts exclusively in HD on channel 123.
Overnight, Virgin Media withdrew the SD version of Sky Arts from its channel guide and upgraded a number of its subscribers.
Viewers tuning into Sky Arts on channel 140 on Wednesday morning could see an information slate advising them to switch to channel 123 instead.
Subscribers on packs that didn’t include the HD version of Sky Arts were simultaneously upgraded to give them access to Sky Arts in HD for the first time. Virgin Media Stream users can now access Sky Arts HD as part of the basic channel package.
Virgin Media’s TV platform has for some time been ready for HD-only broadcasting and indeed already carries a whole range of HD-only channels. The operator now generally only offers a choice between HD and SD if an existing carriage agreement with a third-party broadcaster puts the two different versions of the channels in different subscription packages.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Sky