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SkyHD High Definition hard drive upgrade kit 500GB - now available

Published February 2nd, 2007 in XtendedPlay News. 0 Comments

SkyHD Thomson DSI8215 - upgrade hard disk drive kit

After testing a number of drives we are now able to offer a 500GB hard drive upgrade for the SkyHD High Definition receiver (this is for the Thomson DSI 8215 initially). For the 500GB SkyHD upgrade we have chosen a Consumer Electronics drive from Seagate that comes with firmware prepared specifically for use in a Personal Video Recorder (PVR). This means the drive is tuned to be run quieter, create less heat and use less electrical current than comparable standard PC hard disk drives.

The original hard drive in the SkyHD box is a 300GB disk with 140GB reserved for Sky video on demand services, leaving just 160GB for recorded content. With a 500GB upgrade kit fitted to the SkyHD receiver you get a massive 360GB of available storage for recordings - well over double the original space.

The DIY installation of a larger hard drive in the Thomson DSI 8215 is a bit more tricky than some of the older Sky+ receivers. There are multiple layers of plastic casing and metal chassis that need to be dismantled before you can get at the disk. Even so we believe that anyone can upgrade their Sky HD box with the help of clearly written instructions - we provide a six page installation guide that includes easy to understand diagrams and photos of the procedure.

Take a look at our Sky+ and Sky HD Upgrade FAQ for a full list of PVRs that we support. See the XtendedPlay website for the full range of PVR, satellite and TV related products we supply.

Please Contact Us if you have questions about upgrading the hard drive in your Sky High Definition receiver.

Humax PVR-9200T 500GB hard disk drive upgrade kit now available

Published January 14th, 2007 in XtendedPlay News. 0 Comments

We can now offer 250GB, 400GB and massive 500GB hard disk drive upgrade kits for the Humax PVR-9200T Freeview personal video recorder.

The original PVR-9200T disk is just 160GB, so if you fit the huge 500GB disk then you have an incredible 310 hours of recording space!

Over the last few months we’ve been busy in the lab here at XtendedPlay sourcing and testing disks for the popular Humax PVR-9200T PVR. We’ve decided on the models of drive we will be supplying and have completed writing the instructions.

We believe that anyone can upgrade their PVR with a bit of help from clearly written instructions that include understandable diagrams and photos. Many of our customers comment on our well written instructions and we plan to ensure that continues with our new PVR disk drive upgrade kits.

If you have another model of Personal Video Recorder that you would like us to support please let us know. Take a look at our FAQ for a full list of PVRs that we support.

See the XtendedPlay website for the full range of PVR and TV related products we supply.

Sky buys ITV stake in surprise strategic move

Published November 21st, 2006 in TV Industry News. 0 Comments

Satellite television operator BSkyB has acquired a significant stake in ITV. It is a typically bold strategic move that could inhibit a bid by rival cable company NTL for the leading commercial television network in the United Kingdom.

BSkyB spent £940 million paying 135 pence per share to acquire a 17.9% stake in the commercial network without the knowledge of the ITV board of directors.

Their announcement after trading came as a surprise to most of the city and no doubt a shock to NTL.

The amount paid was a considerable premium over the prevailing share price, which closed the day at just over 115 pence. For investment houses like Fidelity that have been unimpressed by the performance of ITV, the offer was too good to refuse.

The satellite television operator said it would not make an offer for the remaining shares but said it would be a supportive shareholder. Under cross-media ownership rules in the Communications Act, News Corporation controlled BSkyB is prohibited from having an interest of more than 19.9% in ITV plc.

In a statement the company said: “BSkyB wishes to explore options to create value in the interests of both BSkyB’s and ITV’s shareholders. BSkyB believes that ITV is one of Europe’s premier broadcasting and production businesses, and holds substantial potential for long-term value creation.”

Briefing analysts, BSkyB chief executive James Murdoch said “Our investment is a long term and supportive shareholding in ITV. It reflects our belief that ITV’s decline has been overstated. We realise that ITV has been going through tough times but with careful stewardship it can return to form.”

The apparently charitable offer may also be seen as a ploy to frustrate rival NTL Telewest, coming a week after the cable company approached ITV about a potential merger.

While many analysts and commentators initially failed to see the business logic behind the cable and broadband operator merging with the leading commercial broadcaster in the country under the Virgin brand, the competitive threat was clearly not lost on Sky.

Sky has also been investing in broadband and remains a partner in the Freeview digital terrestrial platform.

This pre-emptive intervention by Sky makes it more difficult for anyone to complete a takeover of ITV, although Richard Branson and NTL could appeal to regulatory authorities over the move.

Source: http://www.dtg.org.uk/

PVR hard disk upgrades you would like us to support?

Published October 22nd, 2006 in XtendedPlay News. 7 Comments

We are looking for you guys and girls to let us know what models of PVR you would like to see us develop hard disk upgrade kits for. Some of our hot picks would be:

  • Topfield TF 5800
  • Humax PVR-9200T
  • Sky+ High Definiton

Basically we would like to know how to prioritise our development work, so here’s you chance to let us know what you want.

Thank you

The XtendedPlay Team

http://www.xtendedplay.co.uk

First Freeview Playback devices due for Xmas 2006

Published October 21st, 2006 in PVR Product News. 1 Comment

The first Freeview Playback-branded digital TV recorders will be in shops in time for Christmas.

Freeview launched its digital TV recorder strategy in May after research suggested that while consumers had high interest in being able to record digital programmes there was little awareness of the tape-free recording technology, resulting in low take-up of digital terrestrial digital TV recorders.

Since then an industry-backed effort has seen the development of a Freeview Playback specification, with testing and conformance carried out by the Digital TV Group.

Freeview’s main marketing drive for the Playback brand will kick off in the New Year. Freeview general manager Cary Wakefield told Lovelace Consulting: “The industry has worked incredibly hard over the past four months and has achieved a great deal, with the logo and specification agreed and products already undergoing compliance testing.

“A very high standard has been set for Freeview Playback and we’re committed to offering a range of quality digital TV recorder products. We’re working to clearly define the category for Christmas 2006 and will continue to build upon the momentum generated this year to launch a wide-range of products to consumers in Spring 2007.”

Source: http://www.dtg.org.uk/

Sky+ Amstrad DRX280 PVR3 hard disk upgrades now supported

Published September 30th, 2006 in XtendedPlay News. 0 Comments

We have just finished testing various disks and writing the instructions for the Amstrad DRX280 PVR3 Sky+ receiver. We are now able to offer a Sky+ hard disk upgrade kit for this receiver.

The instructions for replacing the disk on the DRX280 PVR3 are a little more detailed than most of the PVR2 models. The disk in the DRX280 is covered and mounted in a metal drive enclosure that needs some extra work to dissmantle and is a little more fiddly, but with our instructions we are still confident that anyone can do it.

The original Amstrad DRX280 disk is 160GB, with 80GB reserved for Sky. So if you fit a 250GB disk then you have a substantial 170GB of space available for recordings. You can fit a 160GB disk if you are just looking to replace a faulty drive.

If you have a PVR that you would like us to support please let us know. Take a look at our FAQ for a full list of PVRs that we support.

See the XtendedPlay website for the full range of PVR related products we supply.

Sky expands HD with extra sport channel

Published July 19th, 2006 in TV Industry News. 0 Comments

Sky Sports is to launch a second high-definition television channel. Sky Sports HD2 will be broadcast on Sky HD channel 409 from July 31, alongside Sky Sports HD1 which launched with the initial Sky HD channel portfolio in May.

Sky Sports HD2 will carry a full day’s schedule from one of the Sky Sports channels.

Sky said all live Barclays Premiership matches, Coca-Cola League games, selected matches from the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Carling Cup and European Championship qualifiers plus Guinness Premiership Rugby union, domestic county and international cricket were now produced in HD. The 2006 Ryder Cup will also be live in Sky HD.

BSkyB installed 2,500 Sky HD set-top boxes on launch day but was forced to delay some of the 40,000 advanced orders due to supply problems. “We ordered more than enough boxes to meet demand and we’re ready to install them but they’re not arriving from our supplier as fast as we agreed,” a Sky spokesman told Lovelace Consulting at the time.

Sky HD costs £10 per month in addition to a Sky digital subscription (currently priced between £15 and £42.50 per month). Subscribers will also pay £299 for a set-top box that incorporates a 160GB hard drive, allowing them to record 30 hours of high-definition programmes or 80 hours of standard definition content using the full functionality of Sky+.

Other channels available on Sky HD include Sky One HD, two Sky Movies HD screens, Sky Box Office HD, Artsworld HD, Discovery HD and National Geographic HD, plus the BBC’s trial HD channel.

Source: http://www.dtg.org.uk/

Sky installs 2,500 HD boxes on launch day

Published June 10th, 2006 in PVR Product News. 0 Comments

BSkyB installed 2,500 set-top boxes for its new high-definition service, Sky HD, on Monday but admitted it was having to delay some of the 40,000 advanced orders due to supply problems.

“We ordered more than enough boxes to meet demand and we’re ready to install them but they’re not arriving from our supplier as fast as we agreed,” a Sky spokesman told Lovelace Consulting.

“We think the fairest approach is to keep installations in the original order. Although this means that any delay to the first installations may have a knock-on effect on others, we believe it is important that those who requested Sky HD first will still be among the first to receive it.”

The spokesman added: “We’re very sorry for any disappointment this has caused and we’re working hard to resolve the situation. Deliveries of HD boxes are expected to double in the next three weeks and we are ready to install them as soon as we get them. Thousands of customers will have their HD box this week and we’ll do everything we can to bring HD to everyone as soon as possible.”

Sky HD costs £10 per month in addition to a Sky digital subscription (currently priced between £15 and £42.50 per month). Subscribers will also pay £299 for a set-top box that incorporates a 160GB hard drive, allowing them to record 30 hours of high-definition programmes or 80 hours of standard definition content using the full functionality of Sky+.

Source: http://www.dtg.org.uk/

Sky+ Thomson DSI6210 Sky+ hard disk upgrade kits now available

Published June 2nd, 2006 in XtendedPlay News. 0 Comments

We are now able to supply Sky+ hard disk upgrade kits for the the Thomson DSI6210 Sky+ receiver (otherwise know as the Sky+ 160). The manual is complete and we have tested the various models of hard disk that we supply.

The Thomson DSI6210 PVR was originally supplied with a 160GB disk, so if you want to increase the amount of recording space then you will need to go for the 250GB Sky+ Upgrade Kit.

If there is a PVR that you would like us to support please let us know. Take a look at our FAQ for a full list of PVRs that we support.

Please see the XtendedPlay website for details of the products and services we offer.

Telewest TVDrive High Definition PVR for cable TV

Published May 27th, 2006 in PVR Product News. 0 Comments
Cable firm Telewest is offering a personal video recorder (PVR) that should challenge BSkyB’s Sky+ system. PVRs record TV programmes to a hard drive, letting viewers pause, and rewind live television and effectively “time shift” the viewing experience.

The new PVR set-top box, the result of an agreement with Scientific-Atlanta, incorporates a 160Gb hard drive and three video tuners, which will allow viewers to receive Telewest Broadband’s digital TV service and record two programmes simultaneously while watching a third. This is a significant step forward in functionality from many existing PVRs, which can only manage two channels at once.

Sky+ is currently the market leader in the PVR field within the UK, with 474,000 subscribers. Sky Plus boxes come in two versions – a standard definition 160GB version for £89 and a HD 160GB version for £399. Sky also charges a £10 subscription fee to the service, unless viewers have a subscription to one of its premium packages.

Telewest has currently charging £199 for the box and £10 (or £15 depending on your existing subsciption) a month for the service. The cableco says the box is high-definition TV (HDTV) compatible, which offers a significant improvement in picture quality compared with today’s standard-definition digital TV broadcasts, especially on larger plasma and LCD screens.