There are various digital TV boxes available to choose from, including Sky+, Sky+ HD, Sky+ HD 1TB Box, BT Vision +, Virgin V HD Box, and Virgin V+ HD Box. They all offer different features or a combination of more than one.
You will need to decide which will best suit your needs. For example, Plus box sets give you more freedom than standard television, as they allow you to watch content however and whenever you want to, and even pause, rewind and record live TV so that you don’t miss a single second.
HD boxes allow you to watch programmes in a much higher quality than usual, so it enhances your visual experience. You will need a HD Ready TV in order to be able to view in High Definition though.
HD+ combines both of the above features, giving you the ultimate viewing quality currently available. This is especially good for watching films as it will give you more of an in-cinema experience, making it more realistic and enjoyable. It allows you to see the whole pitch clearly if you are watching a football match for example, and you can even pause it if you need to leave the room, or rewind if you miss the goal!
Sky+
Sky+ is an interactive digital TV service, which has a feature allowing you to pause, rewind and record up to 80 hours of standard definition live broadcasts. You can plan your viewing schedule in advance with the 7 day on screen programme guide. All you need to do is choose what you want to watch and press the record button on the remote. You can even do this via you mobile phone or broadband connection, for added convenience. It allows you to record up to two programmes at any one time, or record an entire series at the touch of a button with the Series Link feature.
Sky+ HD
The Sky+ HD box allows you access into the world of HD (high definition), which means sharper images, brighter colours, richer contrasts and full Dolby digital 5.1 sound. It also boasts the UK’s widest range of HD channels, with over 50 to choose from. Bring the cinema to your living room!
Like the Sky+ box, it allows you to pause, record, and rewind all television including live broadcasts. You can record up to 2 programmes at once, or continue to watch one while recording another. It allows you to record up to 80 hours of standard definition TV or a maximum of 30 hours of HD programmes.
Sky+ HD 1TB Box
If you want to record even more HD TV, then the Sky+ HD 1TB Box is definitely the one for you. It has all the features of the Sky+HD box, but can store four times as much with its one terabyte of personal storage, which is 240 hours of high definition television. The increased memory size means if you are a Sky Anytime viewer, then you can watch a maximum of 100 hours of on demand HD content. You can also access Sky Anytime+, which allows you to watch 3D TV if you have a 3D compatible TV set.
BT Vision+
With the BT Vision+ box, you can record and store up to 80 hours of Freeview TV using its 160GB hard drive. You can even save a whole series of a certain programme if you want to as well. There are thousands of hours of digital TV and HD shows to choose from (although charges apply for on demand content), and as well as recording, you can also pause and rewind live TV. It also does the basics and works as a Freeview set top box, if you prefer to use it in this way instead.
Virgin V HD Box
The Virgin V HD Box provides the full high definition experience as a standard for all Virgin TV packages. With its extremely sharp, detailed pictures and Dolby digital surround sound, you will never turn back. You can enjoy up to 17 HD channels, including various documentaries, top American shows as well as the fun of Living HD. More channels are constantly being added.
Virgin Media On Demand gives you access to thousands of films, TV shows and music videos which you can play whenever you want to. Most of these are in HD as well.
Virgin V+ HD Box
The Virgin V+ HD Box does everything the Virgin V HD Box does, but with additional features. You can pause, rewind and record live TV, so that you never miss a thing. It also allows you to record 2 channels whilst you watch another, which is something even Sky+ doesn’t offer. Recording is very simple, as all you do is select the show from the TV guide and press record, so there’s no messing around with timers, tapes or DVDs. You can store up to 80 hours of programmes to watch whenever you like. It allows you to record an entire series, and of course watch all your favourite shows in HD.
