A review by Martyn Harris
This product was reviewed in November 2011 and it was available from £30.25 onwards a month at the time of writing.
About me
I am Martyn Harris, and have been totally blind for the past five years.
Prior to this I had partial vision. I have been a SKY subscriber for over 15 years, and currently have the Sky+ box. I do not have the Sky talker, but reviews of this add-on are available on the internet and on the RNIB website.
What is Sky+ Box?
Sky+ is a set top box that allows you to watch digital television with an enhanced functionality to record and play back television programmes at your own convenience.
System overview
The Sky+ system allows you to record more than one programme at once, and watch previously recorded programmes whilst the system is recording. You can also pause live or recorded TV, fast-forward or rewind, and record programmes at the touch of a button.
Sky+ also provides remote recording functionality, which means you can schedule a recording when you are not in the home, via a mobile device.
Programmes can be chosen by use of an electronic programme guide (EPG), or switching from programme to programme and using the onscreen information to advise of the programme currently playing.
Recorded programmes are maintained in a personal planner, and I have yet to exhaust the recording space available.
One hour of TV can take up to 2% of space, although this varies on what type of set top box you have.
Setting up Sky+ Box
Installation is best carried out by Sky, and their engineers are always helpful, and from experience always leave you with a working system.
Benefits and drawbacks
The system is good if you can see or have sighted assistance, as you can choose when and what to watch and the EPG is useful for forward planning.
There is also a series link so you don't miss your favourite series when it is moved to a different time slot or you are too busy to remember to set the system to record.
I as a partially sighted user would not be without it!
However, as a blind user, the stand alone Sky+ box is totally inaccessible for the majority of its functions. You cannot easily use the EPG, or the personal planner (programmes you have recorded).
You can only record programmes that are on at the time you are watching them, as the EPG cannot be accessed without sighted assistance and if you do record a programme, then you can't play it back without assistance from someone sighted.
The Sky+ system is useful for pausing and rewinding programmes, and as a blind user I can use these functions.
Initial sighted assistance is required to get used to the remote, but its controls are easily picked up, and the remote is well set out.
Conclusion
If you are partially sighted, then you can access all features of Sky+, but before buying make sure you can read the white on blue screens and messages, which I understand from Sky can't be changed through the set top box itself.
If you are blind and don't have regular sighted assistance, then the system will not give you all the benefits it should.
The EPG, without full talking functionality, remains almost completely inaccessible, and you don't get a reduced subscription either.
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