Value proposition
For a consumer looking to buy a PVR in today's market there are a number of options including Freeview+, Freesat+, Virgin Media V+, Sky+ and Sky+HD - there's certainly plenty of variety, and we'll be briefly comparing features and pricing of all five solutions.
We'll start with a good ol' table, but please be aware that the following specifications are subject to change, and for comparison's sake, we're working with the admittedly-flawed assumption that pricing won't be altered in the coming years.
| Service | Freeview+ | Freesat+ | Virgin Media | Sky+ | Sky+HD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set-top box | Humax PVR-9300T | Humax FOXSAT-HDR | V+HD | Sky+ | Sky+HD |
| Storage capacity | 320GB | 320GB | 160GB | 160GB | 320GB |
| HD broadcasts | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Number of HD channels | N/A | 2 (free-to-air) | 2 (free-to-air) | N/A | 33 (3 free to air, 30 subscription based) |
| On-demand content | No | No | Yes (£7 per month) | Yes (Free) | Yes (Free) |
| Set-top box cost | £170 | £299 | £99 | £99 | £49 |
| Installation | Not included | £100 (if required) | Free | £30 | Free |
| Charge to use PVR functionality | Free | Free | £5 per month with basic subscription package | Free with basic subscription package | Free with basic subscription package |
| Basic channel subscription | Free | Free | Free with £11 Virgin Phone package | £16.50 | £16.50 |
| HD channel subscription | N/A | Free | Free | N/A | £9.75 |
| Total cost - one year | £170 | £299 | £159 (excl. phone) | £330 | £364 |
| Total cost - three years | £170 | £299 | £279 (excl. phone) | £726 | £994 |
| Total cost - five years | £170 | £299 | £399 (excl. phone) | £1,122 | £1,624 |
As shown by the table above, Freesat+ looks a promising long-term investment. Without a subscription, the cost of five years with Freesat+ is over 80 per cent cheaper than five years with Sky+HD - assuming Sky subscription charges aren't altered, of course. That's a mammoth saving of £1,325.
It isn't quite that simple, however, and this is far from an apples-to-apples comparison. Those who've observed the table closely will note that Sky+HD offers free installation - users without a satellite dish may be spending in the region of £100 getting Freesat+ up and running.
More importantly, there's the varying number of HD channels available - a point worth considering for viewers who prioritise image clarity above all else. Despite the fact that Freesat's HD channels are free and without subscription, there are currently only two - both of which are part time. Sky+HD, on the other hand, charges a monthly fee of £9.75 for the privilege of HD broadcasts, but depending on your Sky channel subscription, there could be up to 33 channels of HD goodness.
It's a clear case of horses for courses. But to Freesat's credit, what it appears to have done is cause a stir in a satellite market that once belonged solely to Sky. Cast your memory back just a year or two, and you'll recall that Sky+HD set-top boxes were being sold for £299 - the somewhat drastic and recent price cut to £49 could very well be a response to the evident threat of Freesat.
By making the price cut, the one-year cost of Sky+HD now totals to just £64 more than that of Freesat+. Throw in Sky's £120 Quidco offer and you're effectively eliminating the HD channel subscription and undercutting the one-year cost of Freesat+ with a total price of £244.