MTV Live becomes HD only channel

I'm not sure about other platforms, but on Sky, the SD version of MTV Live has been replaced with MTV Music +1.

MTV Live is now only available on Sky as an HD channel.

I can't see any reason for this other than to try and get more people to subscribe to the HD services, especially given that they haven't vacated the old EPG slot for MTV Live SD, so won't be saving money in that respect.

This development is really puzzling because the channel's name is MTV Live HD. I'm surprised they had an SD simulcast. The equivalent channel over here was Music: High Definition, which turned into Palladia and finally this month became MTV Live HD has always been an HD exclusive channel.

MTV Live here from the channels launch has always aired HD music videos, programs, concerts and award shows. It's probably the closest thing to a true MTV channel just showing music.

MTV themselves won't get much direct benefit from more subscribers to HD so I guess it's that they think they can get more from a +1 than an SD simulcast.

It's surprising really though that more channels haven't been HD only in an effort to get people to switch - indeed perhaps the compromise position in the next few years might be to close the SD simulcast but keep the +1 channel so at least there is some alternative for those yet to switch to HD.

I saw this when they first changed it (15th Feb), it seemed rather odd as one a +1 of a music channel isn't a normal thing and two the +1 is horribly placed, what I would suggest (even if it defeats the point) keep everything how it was (since Viva is now splitting the block of MTV music channels apart on Sky) but have the SD version of Live as the +1.



The only argument I can think of to disagree is that MTV Live HD is 3rd from last on the list of music channels on Sky and I don't usually venture that far as I go into Kerrang and Chilled.TV, the music channels I don't want to watch.