Users of first generation Sky receivers will begin to lose access to all remaining Sky operated channels starting from June.
- Follows closure of standard definition (SD) versions of BBC and some ITV channels.
- Sky will only offer SD where it still charges extra for HD.
- Third-party channels may still broadcast in SD, but these won’t be receivable on older receivers.
Sky’s first generation of ‘digiboxes’- satellite receivers designed to work with Sky’s original digital satellite service in the late 1990s and 2000s, plus the first generation of Sky+ boxes (pre-HD) will no longer work after this summer.
The changes follows the closure of 14 SD sports channel in the UK, plus some Sky Cinema SD services in both the UK and Ireland.
Sky has confirmed that starting in June, first generation digiboxes will begin to lose all other Sky-operated channels.
That’s because Sky will be making further changes to how they broadcast their services via satellite. Some third-party operators will also be making adjustments to their service.
What’s happening in the coming months?
- Some channels will continue to broadcast in SD, but will carried on satellite using the newer DVB-S2 broadcast standard, which isn’t supported by first generation boxes. This will initially affect channels including Sky Atlantic and Eurosport 2. The process starts in June, with groups of channels migrating in batches.
- This is in addition to the ongoing gradual closure of some SD channels, which will result in further channels becoming HD-only and not available on older boxes.
Leading up to this change, Sky together with major broadcasters, have already discontinued a number of SD channels. In January, the BBC turned off services and in April, Sky withdrew SD versions of the main five Irish channels, including RTÉ One and TG4.
Going forward, only Sky+HD, Sky HD and Sky Q boxes can continue to be used to access Sky’s satellite TV service. And only Sky Q boxes will receive the full range of interactive and online services alongside regular broadcast TV.
If you are able to receive BBC One (UK) or RTÉ One (Ireland) on channel 101, your Sky receiver is not affected. But if you’ve lost those channels, you’ll need to upgrade for free to Sky Q by contacting Sky. If you don’t take action, you will no longer be able to watch Sky channels and your existing Sky subscriptions will be cancelled, according to Sky.
Future of SD channels on Sky
Sadly for viewers who object to paying extra for HD, the changes indicate Sky will continue to offer a two-tier entertainment subscription. SD channels will continue – albeit only receivable on HD boxes, for those who don’t or won’t pay extra for HD.
In contrast, Sky already doesn’t charge extra for HD if you want Sky Cinema. As a result, it’s been able to get rid of SD simulcasts of its movie channels.
Sky is not the only provider of satellite TV channels making changes. Third-party providers such as Arqiva are also making adjustments to their signals. Arqiva is used by a number of non-Sky channels to uplink services to satellite. It has already begun to switch services to the newer DVB-S2 standard, making them non-receivable on older boxes.
The technical changes which will make the remaining SD channels inaccessible on older boxes means they’ll soon become another piece of technological junk.
The oldest Sky digiboxes date back to 1998 when Sky first began migrating viewers from its old analogue service to digital satellite television. Sky Digital brought about an explosion of TV channels. The service benefitted from moving to a new orbital position with significant bandwidth to accommodate hundreds of channels. The first generation Sky boxes also offered basic interactive services using a phone line as a back channel. Sky+ introduced the ability to pause live TV and record programmes. First generation Sky+ boxes were quickly superseded by Sky+HD.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Zone 2 Sky satellite dish