Sky's getting closer to actually launching its HD service, because I just received a notice that they're accepting deposits for the service. I've paid, and supposedly that will get me going before things open up to the general public. Here's the rundown on what they've said.

Thank you for registering for Sky HD. As one of our registrants we promised to give you the opportunity to be amongst the first to get Sky HD. Now the wait is almost over. Due to the unprecedented interest in Sky HD we are offering you the chance to pre-order Sky HD now.

How To Pre-Order

You'll need to pay a £30 deposit either online or in your local Comet store. Then during early April, before we open the lines to the general public, we will call you to complete your Sky HD order and arrange your installation. Sky HD pre-order is being offered on a first come, first served basis. Installations are scheduled to start from May.

How Much Will I Pay

The table below explains how much you will pay for Sky HD provided you take a Sky digital and Sky HD subscription.

I can't copy and paste the table in here, because Sky seems to love graphics and Flash. Here's a bulletpoint rundown:

• Sky HD Box = £299
• Sky Digital Subscription = packages between £15 and £42.50 per month
• Sky HD Subscription = £10 per month
• Sky HD Standard Installation = free
• Sky+ Subscription = free (if you take two or more premium channels)

Let me break that down a little more, because Sky's trying to disguise the fact they're going to charge you £10 per month more if you want to get HD broadcasts.

Consider someone with a Sky+ box. A cheapest, they'd have a package like this:

• Sky Entertainment Pack of two "mixes" = £15 per month, regular price
• Sky+ Subscription = £10 per month
• Total = £25

What's the Sky+ subscription get you? The ability to have your Sky box work to record programs. It's always been annoying that Sky has charged you for this feature. You'd think the regular package money they pull from you each month would be enough.

Of course, Sky tries to sweeten the impact by giving you the Sky+ Subscription for free, if you subscribe to one of their premium packs, such as taking movies or sports. Do that, and your bill is like this, at cheapest:

• Sky Premium Pack (either movies or sports)  = £40.50 per month, regular price
• Sky+ Subscription = free
• Total = £40.50

Now let's say you decide to get HD. That costs £10 on top of whatever else you are paying. So our two scenarios above work out like this:

• Cheapest option with Sky+ = £25 + Sky HD @ £10 = £35 total
• Movies or Sports with Sky+ = £40.50 + Sky HD @ £10 = £50.50 total

And what's that mean for me? I'm pretty much a Sky power user, other than sports channels. I work out like this:

• Sky Movie Mix (all the movies & all the other channels other than sports): £36
• Sky+ Multiroom (means I have Sky+ box in one room and a regular Sky box in another): £10
• Total = £46

And with HD, tack on another £10, taking me up to £56 per month.

So thanks, Sky, for once again showing me that if you can get £10 out of me someway, you'll do it. I want HD, and I don't really have an alternative, nor is the £10 per month going to break me. But how refreshing it would have been if you hadn't tried the same old trick you did with Sky+.

By the way, did you fail to preregister, so didn't get the notice I got? Don't worry. There seems nothing preventing anyone from going here and placing a deposit for advanced purchase.

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