What’s a Sky Digital Box?

Modern technology terms are used all the time, but in our fast-paced digital, electronic and hyper-connected world it can be hard to keep up with everything, or know exactly what something means.

Let’s take a Sky digital box for example. Many people talk about them and lots of us own them, but what exactly are they? Simply put, a Sky digital box (or digibox) is a device that allows you to receive digital satellite television broadcasts from a satellite in your home. Believe it or not, digital boxes have actually been around since the 1990s.

Paired Up Viewing

Your digital box uses card pairing – i.e. a viewing card is paired to a particular digibox and this prevents one card (or subscription) being used on multiple boxes – so for example you will only be able to view premium channels such as Sky Movies or Sky Sports on the box the card was paired with. The digital box in your home will be set up according to the package you have agreed with Sky and these vary, from family-friendly to options which include more sports or arts.

You can also opt for a Sky+ HD (high definition) box – if vision and sound is very important to you (perhaps if you particularly like watching films or nature programmes). The HD box gets you a high number of HD channels, and pauses and rewinds live TV. Pause-and-rewind live TV is a real boon, because it means you never need to miss a programme if the telephone goes, for example, or you want to get yourself a cup of tea or coffee.

Recording and Catch-Up Services

With your HD box, you can also record and store up to 185 hours of standard TV (the figure is less for programmes in HD as they take up more space) and it gives you access to catch up services through the BBC iPlayer, ITV on demand and 4oD.

Obviously, a digital box and the necessary subscription to Sky takes some commitment, so weigh up what you can get for your money and the benefits such a subscription might ultimately bring to you and your family.