Explain to a muppet. For example BBC HD why do you have to pay to get it? I can only assume that the BBC broadcast out 'normal' like wot I get and HD is that right?
Am I also right in thinking that places like Japan have HD as standard for years?

BBC is free on freesat.

For example BBC HD why do you have to pay to get it?

you don't – you only need a suitable decoder

Ah
I use a Sky dish and reciever (though I'm not in contract with them) as I'm in a valley and can't get owt otherwise.
The TV is HD and does have a built in DigiBox though that is weather affected.
So can I do something with what I have?

I guess the built in digibox is freeview not freesat?

If so sell the Sky box and buy a Freesat one and plug straight in to your existing satellite cable. You could also buy a recorder / PVR one which is similar to Sky+ (but depending on what you have at the moment you may need to update the LNB on the dish and run an extra cable).

Note that you'll gain some channels and loose others.

More details here:
http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=installation.Main&PHPSESSID=m6lu32mige7f7h1ell2vob0ku2

Also there is Freeview HD, they are in the process of rolling out (and which doesn't need a satellite dish).

http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview/Services/Freeview-HD

I get BBC HD free on freesat. I bought one of those Humax PVRs and can do all the stuff that Sky+ does (except of course with only the freesat channels). BBC HD is only one channel though, we don't use it that much.

anyone know if you can you run a freesat HD box and a normal sky box off the one dish?

You should also get ITV and Channel 4 HD, with Five HD being launched next year.

Will people really shell out for a Freeview HD box, when you'll only ever get 3/4 HD channels?

anyone know if you can you run a freesat HD box and a normal sky box off the one dish?

Yes – no problem

depending on the boxes, you'll need either a quad or a dual LNB

HD. Its like watching telly only… er. Nope, it's just watching telly.

(I pay £10 a month. FKW!)

Each channel you want to watch requires its own cable from your sat dish. AN LNB is about £30 from Maplin. You'll need to run extra cables from your dish to your box / telly

Does ITV HD exist? I can't find it on Sky.

Although I'm struggling to think of anything I watch on ITV.

I have installed ITV HD on my Sky+HD box. Its good for the champions league games but thats about it. Not always alot on, unless you like the Bill!

I have installed ITV HD on my Sky+HD box

So it's not there by default? Any clues how to add it?

ITV HD does indeed exist but it on the red button & you never quite know when they are going to broadcast in HD
You need to react to the message 'Press Red Button Now'

ITV HD does indeed exist but it on the red button

Just found you can add it using the Add Channels option.

Thanks for that link Matthew, I'd tried getting ITV on my SkyHD box, but I only had part of that sequence, so no wonder I could never find it; I was looking for ITV, not some spurious numerical sequence. I'll give it another go tomorrow.

yeah, thanks for that…..technology tamed!

yeah, thanks for that…..technology tamed!

On reading the small print it only works if you have the new planner software.

I'm still on the old one so I'll have to wait.