Sky's video-on-demand service, Sky Player, has today introduced its own subscription packages.
The web-based service, rebranded to Sky Player in May 2008, was previously available to existing Sky customers and is now available to anyone willing to take out an online-only subscription.
Sky Player allows anyone with a broadband connection to watch Sky channels at their computer - without the need for an aerial or satellite dish. The service includes popular channels such as Sky One and National Geographic, and one-month subscription packages start from £15 per month.
Bolster your package with the inclusion of premium channels such as Sky Sports, however, and you'll soon find subscription costs amounting to £34 per month - just £6 less than Sky in your living room.
The Sky Player service is accessible via a web browser on PC or Mac, and utilises Microsoft's Silverlight technology - as opposed to the Flash format used by rival services such as BBC iPlayer. By doing so, it claims to offer better video quality using bit rates of up to 1.8Mbps.
It's a useful extension to Sky services for existing subscribers, but the high costs, we feel, are unlikely to attract new users. Though, it could be a means to contract-free single-month football via Sky Sports over the busy Christmas period.
Mike Darcey, chief operating officer at BSkyB, said:
We want to give customers as much choice as possible not just in what they watch, but in how they watch it. Sky Player TV recognises that for some, the computer screen is now the preferred screen through which to watch TV.
In developing a standalone subscription to a secure online platform, we are responding to the diverse needs of today's customers. We look forward to making the service more compelling with the addition of even more great pay-TV entertainment in the new year.
Official product page: sky.com/skyplayer
