New Sky+ HD EPG in next few days
New Sky+ HD EPG in next few days
Saturday, March 7 2009, 15:17 GMT
Sky has confirmed that it will begin deploying its new electronic programme guide software for Sky+ HD boxes in the next few days.
The new guide has been in development for a number of years; it was first announced in November 2007, and a beta version was previewed with screengrabs on Digital Spy last May. Last month, Sky revealed that the release was "imminent", and it now appears that customers with recent versions of Sky+ HD boxes manufactured by Thomson will be the first to switch to the new guide.
In a post announcing the new guide on the Digital Spy forums, the Sky+ HD team explained: "As you may know we’ve been busy developing the all new Sky+HD Guide exclusively for Sky+HD customers. Over the next few months we’ll be gradually rolling it out to our HD customers. If you’ve got a Sky+HD box we will send you an information pack a few days before we automatically upload the new Guide to your box, so look out for it in the coming months."
So far, Sky customers on the forums with Thomson boxes of versions 4E300E and 4E3011 - both recent models without component outputs - have reported receiving the information pack. It is understood that the new software will be downloaded to those boxes at 4am on Tuesday, March 10, with other boxes scheduled to get it over the coming months.
"The roll-out will be phased to ensure that there are no disruptions to your HD experience," the Sky+ HD team said. "The first group to receive the Sky+HD Guide will be made up of some of our customers with Thomson Sky+HD boxes."
The new guide features an optional 1/8th size mini TV screen, so that viewers are able to browse the full guide without interrupting the programme being watched; a new version of the now, next, later banner that displays full data about forthcoming programmes in the next 12 hours on any channel; the ability to record and series stack without going to the planner; the visual grouping of stacked series in the planner so that all recorded episodes are displayed together; and an improved search feature that includes genre and sub-genre filters.
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