ITV HD on SKY+HD?

I've heard there is a way to manually tune this in, has anyone done this successfully and could anyone tell me how you go about it?
Thanks.

I can confirm I can watch ITV HD on my Sky+ HD box.

First of all, you need to have got the new EPG on your box if you want it to work. That is, the one that looks like this...



Boxes with the old EPG don't have the right codec to view ITV HD, so if you've not got the new one, you'll have to wait until Sky eventually send it to your box I'm afraid.

If you've got the new EPG, go to 'Add Channels' under the 'Options' menu and enter the following information:

Frequency: 11.427
Polarisation: H
Symbol Rate: 27.5
FEC: 2/3

Press Yellow to Find Channels. Your box will now scan the transponder for services.

From the list that appears, you should see a channel labelled '10510'. Highlight this and press Yellow to store, then Select to continue.

To view ITV HD, go to 'Other Channels' under the 'Options' menu, arrow down and select '10510'.

Unfortunately as the channel doesn't have an EPG number, it won't appear on your normal list of channels, and you won't get Sky+ functionality - so no recording, pausing, rewinding etc.

Hope this helps.

Yes I've got the new EPG so that is most helpful. Thanks.
Why don't sky add the channel, blimey I pay enough for it all!?

ITV would have to pay Sky for it to be in the EPG and would need ITV's permission I suspect.

ITV are in a dodgy position as they are currently broadcasting on a pan-European beam on Eurobird without encryption (including HD football they probably only have UK rights for). As a result they are using the non-standard "Interactive stream flagging" to try and restrict viewing to Freesat boxes - but most FTA boxes will get it (or can be persuaded to), and some have had firmware updates to enable it.

It all gets a bit complicated until ITV can get space on 2D.

Grade's position was that Sky should pay them to have ITV HD on the EPG, not the other way round as would usually be the case.

Perhaps when the new chief exec comes on board, and when the channel goes full-time with the launch of Freeview HD, there might be a change of approach.

It's strangely reminiscent of their old policy towards Sky when they were running ITV Digital. I'm sure in years to come, the viewing figures for ITV HD will suffer for not being on Sky HD, and it will eventually appear.

You're not missing a huge amount sad to say. I have Freesat and in order to get ITV HD programmes you have to be watching ITV1 in the first place. If it's available in HD you get a 'Press Red' flag which takes you to their HD stream. If you select a programme to record that's in HD, again it'll ask you if you want to record the SD or HD stream. AIUI a high proportion of these HD reccordings can fail (I have a Humax HDR - not sure if this is a box-specific bug). Whether this is to do with the box trying to be too clever and pad out recordings on a channel that's not technically available until the programme starts I don't know, but it seems reasonable logic to me.

Anyway, there seems to be just a few programmes in HD on ITV, maybe one a night... things like Collision. The vast majority of stuff on ITV is SD only. Even X-Factor is SD. I'm sure it would look and sound terrific in HD. On that matter, is Fountain now HD capable?

At least with Sky HD you can just tune it in without waiting for erratic 'red button' prompts.

Silly really, that ITV HD is available in many more homes via Sky HD, than it is in the supposedly 'Freesat Exclusive' ones!!

Hopefully matters should improve when ITV HD goes on Freeview. AIUI, from then it will become a proper channel on the EPG, rather than just an interactive stream. Maybe they'll decide to put the channel on Sky as well at that point.



Can you not add channels manually on Freesat?

One programme a night is about right - most of the new 9pm dramas, The Bill, most sport, some films and (somewhat unappealingly) Grimerighters.

There are currently no announced plans for ITV HD becoming a full time channel on Freesat. They've still got to get over the problem of not showing regional adverts.



Not ITV HD, as it's an interactive stream. Sky have tweaked their software to enable it.

If you have to go to the EPG, Options then other channels menu though, it's not really easier than just pressing red is it?

And don't know about Freesat but couldn't Sky get around the overspill issues by making it part of the Sky HD package, or requiring a viewing card.