Sky and BBC F1 coverage

[epiclyaddicted]

Yeah I think overall it's not too bad a deal, given what we were expecting.

Thankfully I have Sky Sports as a bolt-on with my Virgin Media package, so I'll get it free. Although I won't get it in HD unless I subscribe to Sky Sports HD (which annoyingly is a separate subscription to standard Virgin HD package, which is free).

[Greig]

After having HD on BBC I don't think I can go back to SD

[epiclyaddicted]

After having HD on BBC I don't think I can go back to SD

I know, I have been spoilt too!

Think I'll have to fork out the extra £7 a month to add the Sky Sports HD channels to my package.

[Ste]

From Sky Sports F1

It is not yet known whether the new channel will be available on Virgin Media. We will advise when we can.

Sorry, the channel will not be coming to Freesat or Freeview

[FerrariFanBoii]

Looks awesome! :D can't wait! :D

But... I wanted it in 3D as well :(

[epiclyaddicted]

From Sky Sports F1

I bloomin' hope it's on Virgin Media, otherwise I'm screwed!

[Liscia]

Those are good deals compared to what I pay COMCAST here on the US East Coast.
Basic HD, Sports Pack (to get Speed-watch NO other sports), One HD/DVR converter
comes out to $150+.

[epiclyaddicted]

Those are good deals compared to what I pay COMCAST here on the US East Coast.
Basic HD, Sports Pack (to get Speed-watch NO other sports), One HD/DVR converter
comes out to $150+.

Wow, really? That's expensive.

That'll be equivalent to... what, £85 may be, give or take?

For that amount, I'm getting a full tv package, including all tv channels (apart from Sky Movies), all HD channels and all sports channels (apart from the Sky Sports HD channels, which I get in SD), as well as a 30meg cable broadband and a basic phone line. Oh, and two set top boxes for tv.

We definitely have it better here then!

[Ste]

Those are good deals compared to what I pay COMCAST here on the US East Coast.
Basic HD, Sports Pack (to get Speed-watch NO other sports), One HD/DVR converter
comes out to $150+.

Yea, that's the join fee though? i.e. You're paying for the box in that $150? Not $150 per month. We can pay a bit more for a better box (1TB storage).

[epiclyaddicted]

Yea, that's the join fee though? i.e. You're paying for the box in that $150? Not $150 per month. We can pay a bit more for a better box (1TB storage).

That would make more sense.

[Greig]

Now I have to brace myself to phone Sky and try and cancel my sports, which is a major drama with them, no doubt I will get Steve who speaks no English and with me being Scottish it's even worse......no offence to anyone intended other than Sky and their call centres

[epiclyaddicted]

Now I have to brace myself to phone Sky and try and cancel my sports, which is a major drama with them, no doubt I will get Steve who speaks no English and with me being Scottish it's even worse......no offence to anyone intended other than Sky and their call centres

I know exactly what you mean.

[epiclyaddicted]

Just had a tweet from Virgin Media saying they are still in talks with Sky regarding the F1 channel, too early to say anything.

I hope they work out a deal, otherwise I'll be screwed!

[Liscia]

Correction: My monthly bill total is $178.94 but Internet charge is $52.95 which I forgot to mention!
HD DVR is $15.95 monthly and total for TV charges only is $116.60 with taxes/fees at $9.39. Still quite
a bit more than Ste quotes.

[Sianellen]

I'm slightly confused. Can you get the F1 channel seperate or do you have to have Sky Sports 1 and 2?

[Ste]

Yes, just get the HD pack. You don't need Sports.

So it's the basic + HD = £30.25. That's the cheapest. If you want basic extra then it's £35.25.

[Sianellen]

I think it will be very unlikely that I will be able to see it. £30.25 a month is way too much for me to pay and we already have Virgin at home so we obviously wouldn't get Sky as well. If they allow just the F1 channel to be on Virgin for a reasonable price then I might be able to get my parents to consider it. I think I will probably be watching the BBC highlights for most of next year.

[epiclyaddicted]

I think it will be very unlikely that I will be able to see it. £30.25 a month is way too much for me to pay and we already have Virgin at home so we obviously wouldn't get Sky as well. If they allow just the F1 channel to be on Virgin for a reasonable price then I might be able to get my parents to consider it. I think I will probably be watching the BBC highlights for most of next year.

I'm still waiting to hear what Virgin has to say as well. My contract with them runs through most of next year, so I have no choice but to stick with them. So even though I'm already paying all this money to Virgin for Sky Sports and everything, I'll have no choice if they don't get the F1 channel.

But I'm hoping they'll work out a deal with Sky.

[Greig]

I think it will be very unlikely that I will be able to see it. £30.25 a month is way too much for me to pay and we already have Virgin at home so we obviously wouldn't get Sky as well. If they allow just the F1 channel to be on Virgin for a reasonable price then I might be able to get my parents to consider it. I think I will probably be watching the BBC highlights for most of next year.

Yeah that's a lot if you don't already have Sky and with having Virgin you would be paying twice for the same thing really

[Rob]

So, i have HD already and no sports. Take it a can get the F1 channel for free?


Thats how im reading it, i hope so.

[Sianellen]

Yeah that's a lot if you don't already have Sky and with having Virgin you would be paying twice for the same thing really

If it doesn't end up on Virgin, Sky will have cut out a lot of people who may have been willing to pay for their channels on Virgin as add-ons.

[epiclyaddicted]

So, i have HD already and no sports. Take it a can get the F1 channel for free?


Thats how im reading it, i hope so.

Yeah, you will Rob.

I'm on Virgin, and have Sports and HD, so I'm hoping Sky will let Virgin have it as well. Otherwise I have no option even if I want to pay extra.

[Greig]

So, i have HD already and no sports. Take it a can get the F1 channel for free?


Thats how im reading it, i hope so.

Yeah that's how it reads to me

[Rob]

Yeah that's how it reads to me

thats a result!! saves forking out for the whole sports package. As nothing else on there i watch. Better ring Steve up and get it added.

[Julie B]

I got a call from Sky last week asking, as an existing customer what did I think of Sky ?....well I gave him what-for with regards to the F1 debarcle poor bloke...He did point out though that they have frozen their prices for the packages since last year and 'supposedly' aren't putting them up !!! We'll see

[Rob]

I got a call from Sky last week asking, as an existing customer what did I think of Sky ?....well I gave him what-for with regards to the F1 debarcle poor bloke...He did point out though that they have frozen their prices for the packages since last year and 'supposedly' aren't putting them up !!! We'll see

[Tifosi]

Motorsports fans dont currently have to be slaves to Sky sports to get their fix like footy fans and next year will be the same. If they want big take up they need to make it more attractive to people or they will find alternatives.

I suggest they ask the customer to pay whatever they think each race was worth after it's finished. What they have to pay out to customers after Valencia they will more than make up after Spa & Brazil

[Mrs Alonso]

Quite looking forward to this now. As long as they have Martin to commentate,it sounds good to me.

[TheProdigalSon]

Paying £30 pound a month basically 15 pound a race for something I got for free once.. not really looking forward to that MASSIVE ripoff. But could get a HD upgrade on the downstairs "shared" tv but I would want to watch it upstairs without paying another extra 10 pound a month for sky multi-room

[Greig]

I will merge all the threads soon

15 April: China
13 May: Spain
27 May: Monaco
24 June: Europe
8 July: Britain
2 September: Belgium
23 September: Singapore
14 October: Korea
4 November: Abu Dhabi
25 November: Brazil

I guess Sky made sure they had quite a poor selection, Zzzzalencia, Singabore and Abu Drabi....even Barcelona is a bit meh

Sky might even only have 8 races...

Sky will be sweating, too, particularly on the outcome of the Bahrain and Austin grands prix, both of which they have exclusively live. One or both of those could be dropped at the WMSC meeting in a couple of weeks.

The F1 channel sounds good, but for 8 races? should be pay per view, £3/5 a weekend.