Indeed, despite the superior functioning of the older boxes. This is why I've still kept my old Sky+ box and my previous even more superior Panasonic non-Sky+ box which I was allowed to select from an independent installer as opposed to having to accept an inferior quality Amstrad or Pace model from one of Sky's mob of installers.

Might come in handy if this Sky+ HD box ever breaks down. I certainly won't be shelling out for another if it does, nor will I bend over and be shafted for one of their overpriced insurance packages. They leave me alone now after I informed them that my installation isn't a standard one

I know that but the wording of your reply was the most appropriate one to respond to whilst indirectly targeting others

If CC attendances were so healthy during the regular rounds and people were that interested in them, there would have been no need for the RFL and the clubs to give away freebies to all season ticket holders for the initial round of SL club entry in order to boost flagging CC attendances and interest.

Just thinking the same. Every time I go to the States and sit in a bar (which is every time I go to the Sates) and watch football or NBA the quality blows me away. There is no motion blur and they use close up a lot - particularly for football. Maybe they only install plasma TV's in bars?

I'm on my fourth in 18 months. Luckily the Sky man lives round the corner and felt guilty replacing my box with re-furbished models (none lasted the 1 month warranty they come with), and he gave me a new one last time which I think is a new design. It's pretty compact compared to the others with a bigger hard disc, and has been faultless so far - no re-boots required since I got it 6 months ago.

On the HD debate in general, I had a really good 32" CRT TV and the picture was fabulous. I got a 40" Sony - and a good one - and the picture was nowhere near as good on normal transmission. HD allows you to have as good a picture as you used to have, but on a bigger screen. Having said that, I don't really mind the difference. If a program is good it's good in any definition. And you can't polish a .... well, you know what I mean.

Are plasma TV's supposedly superior? I've no idea but I do have a 42" plasma (Panasonic Viera) and even when viewing in HD, motion blur remains an irritant before settling down as the action slows down. I also have to wait a second or so for blades of grass to appear focused in HD clarity during a stoppage in play.

No because the quality in general transfers to our TV's over here.

I agree though as I am the same when im over. As you know im a big football of the US version fan and I get Gamepass HD over here. It's streamed over at up to 3meg/sec and when I hook it up to the LCD (especially the CBS broadcasts) that does blow me away. The colours and the deffinition are all amazing. Even when you are over there and are watching regular shows on CBS like the price is right ect.. it looks so good. Maybe it is a lot to do with the lighting but the quality difference is there to see.

Don't get me started on the need to reboot! I have to do that several times a week otherwise every HD channel comes up with a message about poor signal strength which is absolute bollox.

I don't know for sure. I've heard for sports that they respond faster, and I can believe it watching my 40" LCD. I think LCD TV's have a lot of technology to try and reduce motion blur and ghost images. I genuinely don't know why US sports looks so much better than ours, but it does. NFL looks stunning compared to the UK transmisions I've seen on Sky.

Funny that their old NTSC TV broadcasts were absolute cack, and now their HD is so good. I've seen regular stuff there as well and I agree, it's all tremendous picture quality. All they need to do now is work out a way to remove the adverts and it might even be watchable.

Apart from those regions who have not switched over yet.

The final was shown in HD last year but the BBC broadcast is at a lower resolution than ITV and SKY so it doesnt look as good as those two broadcasters.

I won't judge. These business trips can get lonely.

Ok smart, everyone will have digital by next season then.

As a non-Sky subscriber, who doesn't really watch much TV, I still fail to see why I should be interested in paying to get HD. I am often told that if you flick back and forth between the two you can see the difference. Ho hum. I'm unlikely to do that, and the picture quality seems fine to me as it is. I can see what's happening on sports broadcasts perfectly well on the normal telly. I don't watch a lot of action films. Again, when I do, they seem to work just fine. My TV is a miserly 32", because I don't want it to be the dominant feature in the room.

No sale here.

Probably by the next time I buy a TV it will be de rigeur so it will be HD, but I ain't paying extra for it. M'eh.

Just me and my old friend beer. Beer never goes to bed in a huff, never tells me to turn the TV down or do the bins and beer only has access to a small part of my finances. And beer never makes me feel guilty for not finishing it off. If I'm satisfied then beer is satisfied.