It's a sad fact that HD channels on Sky have always been harder to find than the boring old SD ones. Wonderfully, the company has realised this is a problem and has decided to fix the oversight by moving some channels around.
Where Sky One HD is currently languishing at 170 on the programme guide, for example, it'll switch with the SD version of the channel, at position 106. Only Sky+HD subscribers will see any change, so those stuck with standard definition won't see any difference in the line-up.
The change, which takes place on 1 February, will affect 40 channels in total, including those from MTV, FX, Universal and the ludicrously named SyFy. Sky's Sports and Movies channels will also make the move, as you would expect, given their importance to the company.
Sky is taking the opportunity to make some other EPG changes too. Living, for example, is now going to be called Sky Living and will move to channel 107, next to Sky One. The newly announced premium channel Sky Atlantic will reside at 108, giving viewers some pretty nifty channels in the first eight slots on the guide.
The only bad news is that Sky has no ability to act on behalf of the likes of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, so those channel positions 101, 102, 103 and 104 can't simply be switched to HD versions unless those companies choose to make the change themselves.
We can only hope they do, because having some of the most important HD channels buried in locations like 140 and 178 makes about as much sense as asking for advice from Peaches Geldof.
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Anonymous 18 January, 2011 14:33
Here's what annoys me.. When you press the tv button on the sky remote to control the volume on the TV... then try and switch back to sky controlling (with the sky button) and come straight out of rewind mode!
Cue Jump to end of Movie/Football Match. Grrr!
Anonymous 18 January, 2011 15:00
Volume works in both modes anyway, there's no need to switch. If for any reason you do need to switch though, just point it at the sofa or put your hand over the end of the remote when pressing the Sky button so the Sky box doesn't receive the button press, simple.
anonymous 19 January, 2011 06:46
Great... I just got used to the HD channel numbers and now they do this?
Just great!
Anonymous 19 January, 2011 10:00
I don't know why they don't let you move the channels to your own numbers. Pre Sky digital I could move all the channels I actually watched to 001,002,003 etc. Now when I fancy having a channel surg I have to browse through dozens of channels I'd never contemplate ever watching.
Anonymous 19 January, 2011 11:10
Do I have to change all my favourites around now as well? *sigh*
anonymous 19 January, 2011 13:42
They just need to Block all the HD channels together and all the BBC ITV C4, spead over the system far and wide.
Anonymous 23 January, 2011 21:36
Speaking as a Non HD subscribber (who isn't likely to get HD anytime soon either), the change would seem to be a negative from my perspective - sky already have an HD menu so HD subscribers can find their stuff quickly, so I'm being disadvantaged just so the HD folk can have an easier life - oh great (not).
craigt2805 25 January, 2011 12:33
"Do I have to change all my favourites around now as well? *sigh*"
In the video that was on Anytime it said that favourite channels wont be affected.
"I'm being disadvantaged just so the HD folk can have an easier life - oh great (not)."
How are you being disadvantaged? channels are moving up the order so they are easy to find, also you wont have loads of channels that wont work because there will not be dedicated HD channels. Seems to me it works out better for everyone.
I would like to know if channels will sort out the aspect ratio on programs that are older so they are in 16:9 not 4:3.
Anonymous 27 January, 2011 16:35
"I'm being disadvantaged just so the HD folk can have an easier life - oh great (not)."
From the second paragraph of the article - "Only Sky+HD subscribers will see any change, so those stuck with standard definition won't see any difference in the line-up."
Only those with HD boxes will be getting the EPG changes, so how exactly will this put you at a disadvantaged? Before you start with the 'woe is me' crap, maybe you should actually READ the article first!
jdg107 31 January, 2011 16:10
The sky remote control is one of the most infuriating bits of technology since the Scart Lead. I have moaned to a friend who works at Sky and been told that its in the top 5 complaints customer have but there are no plans to change it this side of the end of time.
In the meantime put your hand over the end of the remote control.