Sky Anytime
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Sky Anytime is the brand-name of a range of services from BSkyB designed to compete with Video on demand services currently offered by cable companies such as Virgin Media.
Sky Anytime is available in 3 variations. A PC version using a peer-to-peer platform over broadband Internet connection; A version for users of 3G mobile telephones; and a push-Video on Demand service for subscribers equipped with a Sky HD set top box or the PVR3 version of the Sky+ set top box.
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[edit] Sky Anytime TV service
On 27 March 2007, Sky launched its Sky Anytime service for owners of Sky HD set top boxes. The service is a Push-Video on Demand (push-VoD) system similar to Top Up TV Anytime, where the Sky+ PVR automatically records programmes transmitted over-night.[1] The service uses 140GB of previously reserved disk space on Sky HD boxes hard-disk space whilst on standard Sky+ boxes it uses 80GB of the hard-disk space. The service is intended to provide a catch-up of a selection of the last week's programming. The service was launched on PVR3 Sky+ boxes manufactured by Pace and Amstrad on 24 April 2007.
The update for Thomson boxes was delayed because of technical difficulties, it was finally launched for Thomson boxes on 29 May 2007.
[edit] Sky Player
Sky Player (formerly known as Sky Anytime on PC and SkyByBroadband) was launched in January 2006. The service allows customers who subscribe to the Sky Movies and Sky Sports channels to download video onto their PC through a broadband internet connection. The video comprises sport highlights, feature-length movies and sports news. This content is allowed to be viewed for a certain number of days, usually 30 days for movies and 7 days for sports, and is protected by digital rights management software provided by Microsoft, and therefore cannot be copied to disc or played after the date carried by the licence. The service is available at no extra cost.
The service can also be used for Entertainment shows such as Lost, 24 and Brainiac, but for pay-per-view purposes (and some buy to keep purposes, on licence). Sky Anytime can also be used to download Lifestyle and Culture shows from Sky Arts.
This service was temporarily suspended after the release of a FairUse4WM, a program which can remove said DRM protection. The service resumed on 16 October 2006, with users being informed of the change by email.
On 25 November 2006, Sky announced the rebranding of Sky By Broadband as Sky Anytime on PC. Sky also released an upgrade for the Sky By Broadband client which included a rebranded interface and a new Pay-Per-View service which includes movies and US television shows.
On 16 May 2008, Sky rebranded the software again, changing the name to Sky Player and the updated software to included live simucasts of Sky News and Sky Sports.
[edit] Sky Mobile TV
For £5-£15 a month users of 3G phones on Vodafone and Orange can subscribe to Sky Mobile TV. The service consists of three packages, Sky News, Sport and Factual Pack, Sky Entertainment pack and Sky Music Pack which include a mixture of live and made for mobile channels of broadcasters channels:
[edit] Sky News, Sport, and Factual Pack
- Sky News †
- Sky Sports News †
- CNN †
- At The Races †
- Bloomberg †
- Discovery Factual
- National Geographic
- The History Channel
- Extreme Sports
- Sky Sports 1'
- Sky Sports 2'
- Sky Sports 3'
- Sky Sports Xtra'
'In August, Sky Sports 1, 2, 3[1]and Xtra?[2] will simulcast on mobile TV covering the Premiership football matches of which Sky have the rights to. The package will remain at £5 although these channels are considered premium and can cost up to £29 on satellite TV service Sky Digital
[edit] Sky Entertainment Pack
- MTV Trax‡
- MTV Snax‡
- Sky One
- Sky Movies
- LIVINGtv
- Paramount‡
- Bravo
- Cartoon Network
- Nickelodeon
- Discovery Lifestyle
- Biography Channel
- E! Entertainment
- Adult Swim
[edit] Sky Music Pack
- MTV Trax‡
- MTV Snax‡
- The Box
- Kerrang
- Kiss
- Smash Hits
- IMF 1
- IMF 2
† Full channel
‡ Not currently available on Orange
[edit] The Big New Preview Show
The Big New Preview Show is a programme shown on Sky Anytime, presented by Jason Barlow, which advertises the shows coming up on the following week. It is updated each week on a Sunday.
Sky HD viewers receive a slightly different programme, The Big New HD Preview Show, which showcases upcoming high definition content on both Sky Anytime on TV and the linear HD channels.
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[edit] References
- ^ Jay, Alan. "Sky Anytime TV preview", Digital Spy, 2007-01-31. Retrieved on 2007-03-05.
[edit] External links
- Sky Anytime at sky.com
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