Some HD channels will no longer be available to Sky satellite viewers, as broadcasters implement trick already used elsewhere to encourage viewers to switch to streaming.
- A number of services on Sky’s satellite platform will be changing in April.
- Affects viewers in both the UK and Ireland.
A week of changes is to hit Sky’s satellite TV platform. Users will face five consecutive days of channel closures, reshuffles and rebrands next week.
UKTV, the commercial broadcaster owned by BBC Studios, will axe HD versions of its U&W and U&Yesterday channels on satellite. If you use Sky Q or Sky+HD, you will continue receiving these channels in standard definition only from the beginning of April unless you switch to Sky’s streaming TV platform (Sky Glass/Sky Stream).
- U&W HD currently broadcasts on channel 132, but will be replaced by the SD copy from Tuesday.
- U&Yesterday HD currently broadcasts on channel 155 (161 in Republic of Ireland), but will be replaced by the SD copy on Tuesday.
Other UKTV channels in HD like U&Gold aren’t affected.
On Wednesday 2nd April, Sky History 2 HD will also be closed. From this point, only the standard definition copy of the channel continues on satellite. As above, the HD version of the channel will then be exclusively carried on Sky’s streaming TV service.
- Sky History 2 HD currently broadcasts on channel 163 (168 in NI and Republic of Ireland), but will be replaced by the SD copy on Wednesday.
The main Sky History channel will continue to be available in HD on Sky satellite.
Further changes to other channels will rollout across the week (see below).
While these changes impact satellite viewers, Sky Stream or Sky Glass users have their own set of channel changes. These will also take place at the beginning of April.
HD switch-off already tried on the continent
The step of removing HD in favour of the old SD format mirrors similar steps taken by pay TV operators in Europe. Spain’s Movistar and the Dutch Canal Digitaal have both been involved in removing HD channels from satellite to continue them online-only. That’s despite pay TV operators in most of Europe encouraging viewers for the best part of two decades to upgrade equipment to HD. Most recently in the UK, all major broadcasters dropped SD broadcasts in favour of HD.
Now though, satellite operators are desperate to encourage their legacy customer base to streaming platforms. Sky customers with a Sky Q box arguably have the best of both worlds – access to linear TV via satellite and a range of top streaming apps, plus extra Sky Sports+ streams delivered via internet. These are delivered by an award winning and relative stable receiver, so viewers might be reluctant to change.
Reducing choice is one way of encouraging viewers to switch to streaming. Sky’s streaming TV service already offers some HD services that were never broadcast in HD on satellite. They include 5USA HD, PBS America HD and GREAT! movies HD.
Other changes on Sky satellite
Other closures to be implemented include:
On Monday 31st March, three services are closing. They are radio station TWR (channel 0128), international channel Ramazan TV HD (791) and the SD copy of Sky Sports Racing. Sky Sports Racing becomes HD only on 415 in contrast to the above HD switch-offs.
On Wednesday 2nd April, shopping channels TV Warehouse moves from channel 676 to channel 673. And Cruise1st.tv moves from channel 681 to channel 675.
On Thursday 3rd April, Sky will close temporary pop-up Cinema channels Sky Cinema Gangsters (309) and Sky Cinema Books To Screen (302). These channels will revert back to Sky Cinema Thriller and Sky Cinema Adventure.
Finally, on Friday 4th April, Sky relaunches a dedicated cinema channel for Harry Potter (channel 306). Meanwhile, Sky Cinema Hits will be temporary replaced by The Hobbit HD (channel 303).
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Sky