Some users of SkyHD and Sky+HD digiboxes may have recently seen the above message on their TV screens.

This is because in the last few months there have been some updates to the security Sky use, and they require some information from your Sky Digibox.

This information was generated by the digibox, and if your sky box is not connected to a UK phoneline, the digibox has not passed this information to Sky.

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In the last few days a new “channel” has appeared to be testing on frequency 11023 H, 23000, FEC 2/3 frequency on the Astra 2F satellite at 28.2.

This is a BBC frequency, which is also carrying BBC1 Wales HD and BBC 1 HD Scotland

This new channels has been carrying programming from BBC 2 HD, however the programme guide data is showing information for the BBC Red Button channel on Freeview.

So does this mean that the BBC will be starting a BBC Red Button HD service soon?

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As mentioned in a previous post (http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2013/05/05/bt-sports-channels-appear-on-sky-channel-guide/ ) BT Sports channels have appeared on the Sky Channel Guide.

And BT have said that BT Sports 1 and BT Sports 2 will be available for free to people who are BT Broadband customers.

Otherwise, if you are not a BT Broadband customer, you will have to pay for the channels.

A bit of a fight in the battle to try and regain some of their Broadband customers that hey have lost to Sky and Sky’s Triple Play offer of phones, broadband and TV.

But will the lure of 38 of the “big” Premier League football matches, which BT have spent £738m over three years, make a dent in Skys domination of Pay TV?

Or will the lure of other sports help BT Sports?

BT Sports have also secured the rights to Moto GP, the motorbike racing series which is very popular on its current home of BBC TV. And many MotoGP and motor sports fans are up in arms about yet another popular motor sport going to Pay TV, with live coverage of all Formula One races in its second season on Sky Sports F1.

Can BT compete with the more established Pay TV rival that is BSkyB? Will it find it can build up a profitable client base based purely on exclusive sports? Will it have to offer more?

Time will tell.

BT Sports channels have recently appeared on the Sky Guide.

BT Sports 1 has appeared on Sky channel 445 and BT Sports 2 has appeared on Sky channel 447.

These will be “placeholders” for the channels before they launch.

BT Sports will be a subscription service, although at the moment there is no indication as to prices.

BT Sports will be launching later this year, and will definitely be available before August, before the start of the next Premier League season, as BT Sports have secured exclusive live rights  to about 38 Barclays Premier League matches.

In addition BT Sports also have live broadcast rights to Serie A, Ligue 1, Brasileirão, Major League Soccer, as well as Premiership Rugby, and Women’s Tennis Association matches. BT Sport also announced that it had acquired ESPN’s UK channels and their sports broadcasting rights, including rights to the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, Scottish Premier League, Bundesliga and NASCAR.

BT Sport 1 Frequency: 11222 H 27500 2/3 Sky Channel 445
BT Sport 2 Frequency: 12643 V 27500 3/4 Sky Channel 447

This week there were a few channel number changes on the Sky Electronic Programme Guide (Sky Guide)

The popular “free” Challenge TV channel that was on Sky channel 125 is now on Sky Channel 145

This is due to the new TLC channel being launched and taking the 125 channel number.

TLC is a new channel and looks to be a “lifestyle” kind of channel. One of its main programmes will be Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, a good example of real trash TV! But a huge talking point in the States.

Also, some of the Discovery and National Geographic channels will also be changing channel numbers, simply moving up one number, to accommodate a new channel “ID”, on channel 522

Back in November 2012, Sky launched NOW TV, which was designed to allow access to Sky channels to smart phones and tablet users.

Now TV means you don’t actually need to subscribe to Sky’s Satellite TV service.

Instead you access content on a “pay per view” basis.

In recent weeks, Sky has launched its six Sky Sports channels available on NOW TV. For £9.99 a day, you can view all six Sky Sports channels for 24 hours.

It may be a bit steep in price to have access to 6 channels for £10 a day, but may be worthwhile for the “casual viewer” who does not want to shell out for the whole Sky TV package each month.

According to a recent presentation from SES Astra, the second new satellite, Astra 2E, will be launched at the end of Q2, in July 2013.

This is SES Astras second new satellite, the first being Astra 2F, being launched as part of its satellite replacement programme for the UK TV slots at 28 east.

The presentation suggests that Astra 2E will be operational in September 2013, although this will depend on how long testing will take and if there are any delays of the launch.

It is expected that the BBC ITV and other UK TV channels that are currently on the temporary Astra 1N satellite, are the channels that will be moved over to Astra 2E once it is operational.

Although coverage of Astra 2E in the UK will be excellent, as it is designed for UK TV coverage, it will be unknown what the reception of Astra 2Es UK beam will be like in other areas of Europe until it is operational. Although as Astra 2E and Astra 2F are of the same make and model of satellite, it may be that we can use Astra 2Fs reception in Europe as a estimate of Astra 2E reception in Europe, but this will not be 100% known until transmissions start.

If you live in the UK, and are using a Thomson Sky+HD digibox, then you may be eligible for a FREE upgrade to a new latest model Sky+HD box. Note that this offer ends 30 April 2013.

Sky are advising owners of the Thompson Sky+HD box can now receive a free upgrade to a new Sky+HD box under sky’s Better Box Scheme. This is so you can benefit from Sky’s newest service such as: increased storage space, Sky 3D, On demand & Catchup, Sky Store and Undelete, which are not available on the Thomson boxes.

To to swap your old Thomson HD box, to a new Sky+HD box, simply log into your Sky account, click on the banner offering your free Sky+HD box and follow the steps through to the checkout page to complete your order. Your free Sky+HD box will be delivered free of charge to your door. There will be a one off charge if you would prefer to have an engineer visit you to swap the box for you.

With the launch of BBC2HD on Monday 26th March (http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2013/02/19/bbc2-hd-will-launch-in-march/) , the BBC are also using this for a small channel reshuffle, which will mainly affect Sky HD users.

On Sky HD BBC1HD and BBC2HD will be moving to new channel numbers, located next to each other, rather than being separated.

So on SkyHD:

BBC One HD, currently on Sky channel 143, will move to Sky channel 141.

BBC Two HD, currently the BBC HD Channel on Sky channel 169, will move to Sky channel 142.

BBC Alba, currently Sky channel 168, will move to Sky channel 143.

which finally makes some sense rather than having their two HD channels separated on the Sky Guide!

On Freesat HD BBC One HD will remain on Freesat channel 108.

BBC Two HD will replace the BBC HD Channel on Freesat channel 109

Although the changes should, on Sky and Freesat boxes, be automatic, it may be wise to check any recordings in your planners for these channels, to make sure they are still scheduled.

If you are a UK fan of Formula One, then you will know the 2013 season starts this week in Australian. And you will also know that this race will not be shown live on the BBC.

The live coverage will only be available on Sky Sports F1 channel, with the BBC showing delayed highlights of qualifying and the race.

However, there is an alternative. German channel RTL is showing the race live. German RTL is a free channel, and is available on Astra 1, located at 19 east, and should easily be available in many areas of Europe. And so with a small satellite dish for RTL, and a UK radio for BBC Radio 5 Live commentary, you can still enjoy free live coverage of all races in 2013.

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