Sky Player

Sky Player branded as "Sky TV Online", is the Video On Demand service from Sky TV. This service from Sky, is a great way to catchup on programmes from the UK's best known Satellite TV broadcaster.

Sky Player allows instant access to over 500 Movies and other entertainment channels ranging from the popular Sky One to the History Channel, Lifestyle and Culture programmes.

Even if you are not a subscriber you can still download and watch TV shows such as Battlestar Galactica from Sky on a Pay per View basis. Active Sky subscribers have a wider choice depending on their current subscription packages.

How Sky Player Compares

To use Sky Player you first need to register an account through the Skyplayer website, which only takes a few minutes. If you are an existing Sky customer you can fill in the extra relevant information so you can get extra content. To use Sky Player you need to download the SkyAnytime application, which is about 10Mb in size.

The Sky Player website is easy to use and once logged in you can manage your account and billing for any programmes you have paid for or update personal details.

The SkyAnytime application is easy to use, NB it starts several services, including something called KService which is what allow the films and other programmes to be downloaded by the Peer-to-Peer networks.

The Sky Player, breaks down the programmes into several categories; Movies, Sports, Entertainment, Kids, Documentaries, Lifestyle/Culture and News, so getting the right programme to watch is quick and easy.

If you are not a Sky TV subscriber then most of the shows and movies can be downloaded for a small fee from about £1.50. An Important point to remember when downloading content is that the SkyPlayer system uses DRM, so it can only be watched on the PC that it is downloaded to. Overall a great service, with the only fault being lack of free content for popular programmes.