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Sky HD or Virgin HD - which is best?

Our digital TV expert says...

More and more people are embracing high-definition TV, wanting to watch their favourite shows in dazzling detail with sharper sound.

All of the UK’s digital TV providers now offer high-definition (HD) channels, however getting a subscription TV service will give you access to more than just the free-to-view channels, BBC1 HD, BBC HD and Channel 4 HD. As well as more channels, you can also get high-definition on-demand and catch-up TV services (these will depend on your subscription).

If you haven’t already, read our Complete guide to HD TV for everything you need to know about high-definition TV, then read on for some handy tips on how to choose a subscription HD TV service…

HD channels - Sky or Virgin Media?

When it comes to high-definition channels, both Sky (www.sky.co.uk) and Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) offer a bigger selection than those available on Freeview. Whether its sports, movies or nature documentaries you’re looking for, a subscription TV package will give you a much wider selection of HD channels to choose from. To find out what’s available, read these guides:

• Sky HD channels
• Virgin HD channels

To watch the HD channels on Sky you must subscribe to the Sky HD pack and have a Sky+HD set-top box. The Sky HD pack costs an extra £10.25 a month on top of your standard Sky subscription, prices for which start from £19.50 a month.

Virgin Media’s range of high-definition channels are available to all XL TV customers at no extra cost, providing they have either the V+HD or V HD set-top box. If you take the M+ or L TV packages, the channels will be available for an additional £5 a month.

Sky Atlantic - You mentioned that you’d like to watch some of the shows on Sky Atlantic in high-definition. Sky Atlantic is the new channel from satellite TV giant Sky, which is now home to the latest HBO award-winning series, such as season five of Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire.

Unfortunately the channel is exclusive to Sky, so Virgin Media subscribers will be unable to watch it. This may or may not be reason to choose one provider over another; if you are happy to wait for the HBO series to be released on DVD, then a deal from Virgin Media will be fine. On the other hand, if you’d like to see the shows as soon as they’re broadcast in the UK, you will have to sign-up for a Sky TV package.

High-definition TV on-demand

Both Sky and Virgin Media offer high-definition on-demand content, including films, music videos and catch-up TV from the last seven. Sky has two on-demand TV menus:

1. Sky Anytime - Available to all Sky TV subscribers, Sky Anytime is fairly basic and offers over 40 hours of the best Sky content every week
2. Sky Anytime+ - If you’re a Sky broadband customer, you’ll get unlimited access to Sky Anytime+, which has on-demand films and shows, in-line with your TV package.

Virgin Media’s on-demand offering takes the edge over Sky’s, as it offers access to the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD, and cable TV customers with the XL package all get its dedicated TV Choice service.

Packed with the best series from Channel 4, BBC, ITV, Warner Bros, NBC, MTV and Living, TV Choice lets you watch them whenever you like - a whole series back-to-back, or one episode at a time. Many are also available in HD, including House, Heroes and 30 Rock

Choosing a HD TV service

If you’re considering a HD digital TV service, you need to think about the kinds of programmes you want to watch in high-definition. Viewers have commented that, most noticeably, nature documentaries, films and sporting events are better in HD - so you may want to consider a subscription to the Sky Movies channels, Sky Sports or even the Discovery Channel.

Check which providers are available in your area and weigh-up the costs before switching to HD TV - if you only watch the news, the soaps and the odd film, at the moment there is not that much content available, so sticking with Freeview HD may be the best option for you for now.

Sign-up to the Digitalchoices.co.uk RSS news feed for all the latest HD TV news and developments.

When it comes to choosing one provider over another, it’s important you weigh up all the costs and opt for the one that not only suits your viewing needs but is also within your budget. Use the price comparison calculator on Digitalchoices.co.uk to compare TV packages and find the best deal for you.

Ask us a question

If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at ourexpert@digitalchoices.co.uk