Red banner with writing on bottom of tv screen

[jasonIreland]

@mikehill58     the letter does have name, address and Sky ID number of the contract holder, I have redacted it. (its one of the first things we checked, along with the return address on the branded Sky envelope) 
There was a separate letter a month ago referencing BBC specifically.
This is an escalation stating that you will not be able to view SKY  SD channels from March. 

@jamesrobinson6       plus anyone else adding to or reading out of concern, it is one Sky+ SD box, no multiroon, no HD, no internet. 
This letter is not refrencing the BBC switch off. (there was a previois letter explaining this) 
This letter has come from SKY. It contains name address and sky ID.

In bold it states you'll need a new sky box to keep watching SKY TV.

[jasonIreland]

@SKY1992bf  @nigea99       i dont know who could take charge of such a thing, but according to SKY help on twitter, SKY+ (sd) boxes are going to stop working after March 24, people need to be warned. Its not the SD transmition thats stopping, but the ability of the boxes to work is being removed. 

[SKY1992bf]

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@jasonIreland wrote:

@SKY1992bf  @nigea99       i dont know who could take charge of such a thing, but according to SKY help on twitter, SKY+ (sd) boxes are going to stop working after March 24, people need to be warned. Its not the SD transmition thats stopping, but the ability of the boxes to work is being removed. 

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@jasonIreland this post has also been flagged to sky for investigation, if and when we get any information back we can share we will post a further update 

cc @nigea99 

[nigea99]

@jasonIreland 

Many thanks for posting the transcript

the script when very much as I expected but we have asked (although may not get an answer to) if SKy Ireland (and/or UK) will switch off the cards in SD boxes 

As many subscribers in the UK & Ireland do not currently subscribe to HD (a  source of income from those that do) I think there would be just a bit of pushback if they were to try closing the SD  broadcasts  unless they make the HD add on free / standard (very unlikely)

  So I think  it really does rest on whether they will stop cards used on SD only boxes as to whether those, like your Mother,  do 100% need to migrate

[nigea99]

BTW I do love the response :

'.... I believe the upgrade  Q box will be able to receive the HD transmissions and convert it back to SD for the customers that prefer to stay on the SD service .....

[oj01]

@jasonIreland Worth pointing out that an alternative to the "forced" Sky Q upgrade would be to purchase a second hand Sky+HD box from eBay.

Then everything carries on as normal, including watching the free to air HD channels like BBC1 in HD. No HD subscription needed. 

[nigea99]

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@oj01 wrote:

@jasonIreland Worth pointing out that an alternative to the "forced" Sky Q upgrade would be to purchase a second hand Sky+HD box from eBay.

Then everything carries on as normal, including watching the free to air HD channels like BBC1 in HD. No HD subscription needed. 

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Assuming that SKY are not planning on deactivating the old SKY + cards - which is the only reason I can see that the old SKY + box will cease to function (apart from BBC only being available in HD of course)

[jamesrobinson6]

Many thanks for that clarification 

I remember some time in mid 2000s that the first generation of boxes were not switched off but stopped working at some point. This also applied to some HD boxes a few years later.

That did not mean the transmission was ending of course. We will see what happens. At least it is clarified now.

May I apologise for any confusion I and others had last night.

Btw Jason do you still have the letter about the BBC switch off by any chance?

Thank you.

[xenon81]

They may be switching SD channels to DVB-S2?

The oldest Sky SD boxes don't support this transmission mode.

[jamesrobinson6]

That is more likely. Sky Germany did this many years ago. SD channels there use MPEG4/SD on S2 myxes.

Still requires clarification but this is most likely 

We will have to see.

[mikehill58]

@xenon81 

I think your suggestion of Sky moving SD channels to DVB-S2 transmission sounds now like what this is about. Effectively "encouraging" any remaining SD only customers to move to HD capable boxes. This would also enable any HD channel not in the Sky HD pack to close its SD simulcasts without any cost effect for subscribers.

[KevNewMedia]

Hi Everyone

Thank you for your posts, here's some further information around the changes.

Some SD channels that are available to our customers in HD as standard will be closing. Customers with Sky+HD and Sky Q already get these channels in HD at the top of the TV Guide so will not need to take any action.

Customers with SD-only boxes will need to upgrade to Sky Q to continue receiving these channels which will be in HD. Sky+ customers can upgrade to Sky Q at no extra cost.  

There will also be some SD channels that will be upgraded to DVB-S2 technology. The legacy SD-only boxes are not able to receive channels in the updated format and customers will need to upgrade to Sky Q to continue receiving the full range of channels. Sky+HD and Sky Q are unaffected and SD channels will continue to be available on these boxes.

[nigea99]

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@KevNewMedia wrote:

Hi Everyone

Thank you for your posts, here's some further information around the changes.

Some SD channels that are available to our customers in HD as standard will be closing. Customers with Sky+HD and Sky Q already get these channels in HD at the top of the TV Guide so will not need to take any action.

Customers with SD-only boxes will need to upgrade to Sky Q to continue receiving these channels which will be in HD. Sky+ customers can upgrade to Sky Q at no extra cost.  

There will also be some SD channels that will be upgraded to DVB-S2 technology. The legacy SD-only boxes are not able to receive channels in the updated format and customers will need to upgrade to Sky Q to continue receiving the full range of channels. Sky+HD and Sky Q are unaffected and SD channels will continue to be available on these boxes.

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Many thanks indeed for getting this extra information  @KevNewMedia 

@xenon81  did suggest that this might be the case and this now makes sense of it all

[jamesrobinson6]

Thank you very much for this useful info 

Please can you clarify

1 are all SD SIMULCASTS closing (IE the channels in the 800s)?

2 By 'sone' in the above, do you mean all other  SD channels currently broadcast in DVBS format will be switched to DVBS2 modulation, meaning the older SD only boxes will, after the switch, nit be able to receive any channels at all?

3 Or will SOME channels only broadcast in SD currently, still be available?

If it's all DVBS switching to S2 it us like Germany who did thus many years ago.

Thanjs for clarification.

[CaroleR1957]

Hi

I have got a SKY+ box and HD is part of my subscribtion.  I get the red banner when I record BBC even though I am using the TV remote to record and I am recording on BBC HD channel, eg 101.  The only time that I sometimes do not get the red banner is when I haven't used series link.   

The strange thing is that only certain BBC programms are effected.  Any suggestions as to why?

Thanks