The MySkyHDi DVR and remote.
This isn’t exactly a new product or service, but it is one which I have only been using for a couple of months, so it is still new for me.
Lets start with the price. The cost of buying a digital video recorder (DVR) varies depending on what features it has, all of the MySky HDi decoders are the same – 4 tuners and a 320GB hard drive. They charge either a one off fee ($599) or a monthly fee ($15), either way you will never technically own it… but if it breaks down they will replace it without charging you. If you want to actually see programs in high definition (HD) you have to pay extra for the privilege ($10 per month).
On to the installation. Ringing up their customer service team was quick and simple. They booked to have a technician come around to my apartment within 4 days… just in time for the weekend sporting matches. The technician didn’t come when he said he would, but did ring me soon after to aplogise and organise another time later the same day. He seemed somewhat knowledgeable about the product, but was unable to answer a few detailed questions regarding “Series Link”. Otherwise the whole setup took just a few minutes without any hassles.
Looking at the features, there are a few good ones. Pausing live TV and being able to record multiple shows are obviously going to be winners in any household. The series link feature I haven’t really found a need for. The electronic program guide (EPG) is quicker and more responsive than the one offered with a standard digital Sky subscription and the built in planner is a breeze to use. You can also register your DVR with an online account to book programs you want, this comes in handy if you are away from home and forgot to set up a show to record. They need to expand on this by creating an iPhone app with this feature (edit: iPhone app is now available!). There is a lack of quality TV Guide apps for New Zealand which include Sky TV channels.
The channels available with HD available are limited and even then only some programs on those channels are in HD. We don’t subscribe to the movies so we really only benefit from the free to air and sports channels. When something is in HD though, it looks stunning. If you have an HD TV then you really should be watching stuff in the highest definition you can.
Overall, I think it is worth it. We paid the costlier up front fee so only pay an extra $10 per month for the HD ticket. If we didn’t have an HD TV then I don’t think we would have got the MySky HDi DVR even though the features are really handy.
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