Cheapest HD television packages

By ANNA REITMAN
Updated: 07:23 EST, 6 July 2010

You may have watched the World Cup, but have you ever watched the World Cup on HD?

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If you're hoping to watch the World Cup at home in HD this summer then you will want to find out about the best deals.

Freeview HD and Freesat HS

Fans who want to catch the full HD experience, on a budget, may find that Freeview HD and Freesat HD are the best options, but with only a few channels available, content may be limited.

Freeview HD boxes show BBC HD, ITV HD and C4 HD. Rates start from £99 and increase to over £250 for the Freeview+ HD PVR boxes.

Freesat HD boxes total upfront costs are £230 which includes installation for the service in a single room but the ongoing costs are free with no subscription. Freeview HD will only be available to 50% of UK homes this June so check on the Freeview website first to see if it is available at your postcode.

SKY

Sky offers the largest selection of HD channels and programming, covering ITV and BBC HD, premium sports and a large range of movies and documentaries. The HD box is currently free and has all the same features of a Sky+ box like pausing and recording live TV.

Sky have recently announced that they will be raising the price of Sky Sports channels. For more information read our full report.

Charlie Ponsonby, chief exeuctive of digital TV comparison site simplifydigital.co.uk, said: 'Sky offers by far the broadest range of HD content, with 39 HDTV channels to choose from, including premium sports and movies, to drama and documentaries.'

'But the Sky HD experience comes at a price with Sky+HD, costing £10 per month, on top of your existing Sky subscription. So for families not looking to pay for TV content, Freeview or Freesat offers a good no-subscription HD alternative, though they only offer terrestrial HD channels – BBCHD, ITVHD and C4HD.'

The alternatives

Virgin Media offers 8 HD channels, including BBC HD and ITV HD so that you can watch the World Cup. It also offers ESPN HD and on-demand content in HD.

It will set you back £84 upfront and this includes BBC and ITV HD. The ongoing monthly cost ranges from £17.49 (£5.50 per month for basic TV package and £11.99 line rental) to £22.49 (add £5 for V+HD subscription) for a 12 month contract.

You can also buy a VHD Box on its own with a one off installation fee of £49 and no ongoing monthly costs. Virgin Media's executive director of digital entertainment, Cindy Rose, said: 'Our new V HD Box is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the power of HD without the extra monthly fee.'

BT Vision offers a Talk First and Watch More package (which includes BT Vision with Bronze pack, BT Total broadband Option 1 and BT Unlimited Weekend plan) that provides a limited range of HD content on-demand and the Freeview HDTV channels. BT Vision is only available to BT Broadband customers and you must be in the 50% of the UK that can receive Freeview HD to watch the World Cup in HD as a BT Vision customer.

Upfront it will cost you £45 with an introductory rate of £24.74 (£13.49 subscription and £11.25 for line rental) for the first 3 months, increasing afterwards to £40.14 (£28.99 subscription and £11.25 for line rental) on an 18 month contract.