On the day of a strong set of results, Sky has shifted the Sky+HD box to the "default" Sky box. The standard Sky box will only be available as a multiroom box and the Sky+ box will be discontinued.
From today, any new digital TV customers or existing subscribers upgrading to Sky+ will receive a Sky+HD box as the standard offering. The PVR will cost £49 with a £30 installation fee for new customers, or £99 and £60 installation for existing subscribers.
Anyone subscribing to the HD pack of channels will receive the Sky+HD box for free, with installation priced at £30 for new customers and £60 for existing.
Sky will continue to provide the standard digiboxes, but only as like-for-like replacements for existing SD receivers or as upgrades for the multiroom service.
The move is significant as Sky+HD boxes are broadband enabled (via an ethernet connection), so they will in future allow Sky to deliver on-demand content to the digital TV screen.
VOD (video on demand) is a key element of the Virgin Media digital TV proposition and includes a wide range of on-demand TV including BBC iPlayer. Virgin Media can deliver VOD as Virgin Media delivers its digital TV service via fibre-optic broadband.
Sky has not been able to match Virgin Media's on-demand content as it does not have a broadband connection into the set top box. Instead Sky relies on a "push-VoD" solution where a much more limited range of content is downloaded onto the PVR hard disk. The new Sky+HD boxes will allow Sky to move to a full on-demand service in future.