Sky television

[naomi24]

We're thinking of getting Sky television, but there's such a confusing array of packages on offer, we're not sure what to go for. We're not at all interested in sport or children's programmes, but we would like movies, history and documentaries. Any advice on packages and costs would be gratefully received. Thanks.

[Lakitu]

http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skycom/skyprodu cts/getsky?&lid=GLOBALNAV_SKY_JOIN&lpos=GLOBAL _NAV

There's a 'where to start' button on this page, a questionnaire will come up that will let you tick the categories of television you like to watch, when you've completed it will tell you how much that package will cost you.

[Cakeboy]

When they ask you which packages you want on the ordering screen - they call them mixes, select the ones that you want to watch. Ignore the childrens, music and style ones and you should be alright. Then you'll get the choice of adding Premium Mixes, Sports of Movies - choose the movies and you're set.

Look on their website, it's easy to work out and it will tell you how much each month will cost plus your one-off set-up fee. It starts from around �20 a month and goes up to whatever you want to pay really, I give them around �80 a month, but that covers my line rental, broadband, phone, two boxes plus the extra HD subscription

If you have any friends with Sky, speak to them first, they may well have an offer whereby signing up a friend will get them some M&S vouchers and you a free Sky+ box (normally �100). if you don't have a look through some of the weekend magazines in papers, there's usually an advert in there somewhere as well

[vehelpfulguy]

I would definately go for a Sky+ box over a ordinairy Sky box.

The Sky+ box has a built in hard disk and you can record a program to hard disk just by pressing one button.

You can also set series link (where it records every episode of a series) again with just one button.

You can watch recorded programs whenever you like, pause, fast forward through adverts, and easily copy the program to DVD if you have a DVD recorder.

I have never heard anyone say a bad word about Sky+

[vehelpfulguy]

There are six basic packages (Variety Mix, Knowledge Mix etc).

You have to have at least ONE of these before you can get the Movie channel.

If you select ONE of the basic packages it is �16 a month (for any one of the six). Each EXTRA package you get is only another �1 more. So that is a maximum of �21 (�16 + �1 + �1 + �1 + �1 +�1 = �21)

So with each "mix" being only �1 extra you may as well take them all EXCEPT the Kids mix. That will be �20 and give you all the documentary and history channels, plus loads of others.

The Movies is an EXTRA �17 a month. So that comes to �37 a month (�20 + �17)

So to get 5 of the 6 mixes, plus the Movie channel, you will pay �37 a month.