After months of waiting for the much-anticipated new version of Sky’s electronic programme guide for its HD+ (high definition) boxes the update was launched today, March 10th.
The new EPG was announced last year and was due for launch in November 2008. The new EPG is designed to make the plethora of linear HD content more navigable and lay the groundwork for the delivery of on demand content via broadband, which is a “core” element of Sky’s future development plans.
The retail price of the high definition box has been reduced from £150 to £49.
Sky’s electronic programme guide was rolled out to 38,000 Sky+ HD boxes during the early hours this morning. Sky commented that “the Thomson 4E300E boxes are among the first batch of Sky+ HD box’s to be installed”,which cost £299 on release date but this is so that any issues not found during extensive beta tests could be discovered and rectified before other models are upgraded.
Sky said the new guide will be rolled out “gradually” to all Sky+ HD boxes “over the next few months”. Expect a information pack in the post a few days before the software switches to the new version.
Sky’s director of strategic product development Gerry O’Sullivan said, "We haven’t changed our EPG for a long time. We are very sensitive in keeping all the navigation paradigms and the user interface of our current world-class EPG. How do you improve something and not break that? It’s been a very interesting project.
“There was no rush for us. We decided to get it as good as we possibly can, and what we’ve got now is really going to blow the audience away.
Stay tuned to your SKY HD + Box for the upload.