If Sky no longer transmits SD signals why do I have to pay £9 a month for HD ?

[Roy0644]

Been with Sky for 25+ years

I upgraded to SkyQ to get the HD on my new telly. Happy to pay for it then.  Definitely not happy to be still paying it in 2026!!!!!

[SKY1992bf]

@Roy0644  Because sky decide to charge for it, they aren't simply going to remove a multimillion pound money maker from sale as that will cut a huge hole in profits 

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @Roy0644   What makes you think that Sky doesn't transmit SD content. If you cancel your HD sub, your EPG changes to the SD versions in place of the HD ones on the same channel numbers. You should find the SD versions on channels 8xx. For example Sky Showcase 106 and 806.

[nigea99 · Accepted solution]

hi @Roy0644 

Just so you know,  SKY  & some other providers  do  still transmit several channels in SD - they did change the method of transmission (from DVB-S to DVB-S2) of the SD  channels a couple of years ago which meant that that older SD only boxes could not support them but they are still SD 

[Maniatore2006]

I wish Sky would stop SD TV, Finaly, and not Charge £9 a month more what should be Standard in 2026 But no, they had moved the SD Channels to DVB-S2 and MPEG4.. 

[TimmyBGood]

@Roy0644 

Perhaps you are thinking of the end of life of the (extremely vintage) SD-only Sky+ receivers?

That's absolutely not the same thing as SD no longer being broadcast: the issue was that such antique hardware couldn't handle a newer satellite transmission protocol (technically the move from DVB-S to DVB-S2)

Edit: sorry @nigea99, your post didn't appear on my phone until after I'd written almost exactly the same thing ; )

[Roy0644]

Thanks for all your replies.

I agree in this age of 4K, and soon 8K, charging extra for HD content is, in my opinion, profiteering at best.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Roy0644 wrote:

profiteering at best.

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Well, making profit is what they are in business to do 

I calculated a while ago that the HD supplement is probably worth about half a billion pounds a year to Sky Television, which is rather more than the whole of the profits from Sky Group.  If that revenue stream wasn't there it would presumably have to be replaced by a general subscription increase which would affect everyone , including all those who currently don't choose to pay for the add-on.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Roy0644 wrote:

I agree in this age of 4K, and soon 8K, 

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8K upscaling by a local device, yes. There's very little likelihood of 8K distribution in the foreseeable future: aside from bandwidth issues there's almost no native content in that resolution because the workflow involved is distinctly non-trivial.

[Chodley]

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@Roy0644 wrote:

Thanks for all your replies.

I agree in this age of 4K, and soon 8K, charging extra for HD content is, in my opinion, profiteering at best.

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You know HD uses a lot more bandwidth than SD and satellite bandwidth is not cheap.

If you don't like it, don't pay it and have, what, an extra pint / maybe half a pizza a month?

[Maniatore2006]

Yes, but SKY Could save a lot of Money when they would Shut of the SD Channels Like they done it with SKY Cinema.

Only Sky Sports is Still in SD on Satellite and no one can See it. ^^ what is more Waste.

[Chodley]

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@Maniatore2006 wrote:

Yes, but SKY Could save a lot of Money when they would Shut of the SD Channels Like they done it with SKY Cinema.

Only Sky Sports is Still in SD on Satellite and no one can See it. ^^ what is more Waste.

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And how many companies do you know that saved some money and passed it on to customers rather than their bottom line?

Is sports still transmitted in SD, that's bonkers.

[Maniatore2006]

SKY germany...

They has Charge the Customer 10€ Extra for HD, Until they Shut down the SD Channels.

Now all Customer have HDTV as Standard.

Only some Cable Prividers have some Channels in SD, but SKY Germany Changes this as Well this Year, the only Difrent is, the HD Channels will be Streaming only not Via DVB-C

Sky UK is, when it comes to HDTV., Yers behind the most Pay TV Providers in Europe, togenther with SKY IT..

[oj01]

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@Chodley wrote:

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@Maniatore2006 wrote:

Only Sky Sports is Still in SD on Satellite and no one can See it. ^^

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Is sports still transmitted in SD, that's bonkers.

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No, they're not. Only Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Mix (which aren't part of the Sports Pack) are available in SD.

[Chodley]

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@Maniatore2006 wrote:

SKY germany...

They has Charge the Customer 10€ Extra for HD, Until they Shut down the SD Channels.

Now all Customer have HDTV as Standard.

Only some Cable Prividers have some Channels in SD, but SKY Germany Changes this as Well this Year, the only Difrent is, the HD Channels will be Streaming only not Via DVB-C

Sky UK is, when it comes to HDTV., Yers behind the most Pay TV Providers in Europe, togenther with SKY IT..

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They seem to have halved their prices that year (2020) too  - what was going on over there?! I see they charge for HD on their WOW streaming service though.