Advantages: Puase & rewind live tv, huge storage space
Disadvantages: Slower than standard sky boxes

...I've had sky +, and the Pace box in particular, for about 4 months and i can honestly say it has made a big difference to the way i watch tv. Now this may sound rather sad, but it's true! Not only can you pause and rewind live tv but the main benefit is that you can record one programme while watching another (it has 2 built in tuners). When you are ready to watch your recorded programme, you simply enter the sky + planner via the remote control, select the programme and start watching. Now here's the best bit - you can fast forward through ad breaks at 30 times normal speed meaning that hour long programmes on commercial channels can be viewed in about 45 mins. I appreciate that the same can be said for video and dvd recorders however the simplicity of recording with the pace sky + box is far superior to the aforementioned... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Quick to respond, almost silent, fantastic customer services
Disadvantages: None whatsoever

...the postage which was 1st class. I am so glad i chose a Pace. I have had Pace Sky boxes since Sky first started way back and i can say that they are THE BEST. The box is super quick at changing channels as well as looking around the EPG. My amstrad was very slow at doing this. I also have a much better signal strength with my Pace compared to the Amstrad. It is a great box that i will probably have for a long time. I went for a Pace as my Amstrad was useless and so noisy. and the Sky engineer told me to steer clear of Thomson who are making unreliable boxes at the moment, so i went for Pace on his advice aswell as my own opinion. This is a fantastic super quick, silent, reliable box, which is backed up by the fantastic customer services from Pace's website. If you want a box go for Pace and it will last you the longest out of all the brands!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Many years experience in the industry.
Disadvantages: None known.

...Pace have an outstanding reputation in the satellite business. They have been making satellite receivers for many years now, many of their products appear under other names - Maspro, for example, is merely a Pace receiver with a different badge. No surprise then, that their Sky digibox is a well engineered and reliable product. Panasonic and Sony are attracting much attention with their new boxes, but, whilst they have an extremely good reputation in the electronics industry, their experience in the satellite field makes them relative novices compared to Pace. Since all digiboxes are supposed to be the same, built to specifications set out by Sky, there shouldn't be any difference, but there is one aspect that Sky don't have direct control over, and that's build quality. That would explain why some manufacturer's boxes (such... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: No tapes, pauses live Tv, easy to use
Disadvantages: Limited storage space (only 20 hours)

...exaclty where you left it! Another les known fact of SKY+ is the excellent feature of being able to record two channels at once, something that has never been possible before with video recorders. You can also watch a recording from the start whilst SKY+ is still recording the ending. SKY+ has been years in development and it is truly worth the extra cost of £200 for a new digibox. SKY have taken all the best elements from the doomed TIVO player that unfortunately flopped in this country, but was majorly popular in the US. Only real downside is the small storage space (20 hours). This may sound like a lot, but once you have the facility to record all your favourite shows and movies, the hours are soon swallowed up! I would recommend anyone to purchase SKY+, as it enables TV to be watched at YOUR pace. Also looks very stylish with pearl white... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Very well presented news service
Disadvantages: Can become arepetitive loop

...presenters are extremely professional, the direction and use of external reporters a model for any news service provider. It has been said previously that Sky News or ITN do not have the authority or gravitas that perhaps BBC News has. This might have been so in the past but Sky News makes the BBC look dull and boring without being gimmicky. Indeed such has been the dumbing down or simplification of BBC News that Sky probably now offers a more informed programme. I was very impressed with Sky. TheIr news is presented in a well produced fast-paced way when the news content dictates it. They have the ability in sports coverage to provide picture coverage of incidents which have occurred on the day of transmission and their total coverage of sport is much better that the terrestrial channels. Sky is also innovative and its use of headline data... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Neat button panel on front of box
Disadvantages: Not over fast when navigating EPG menu's

...Sky Digital have reached over 4 million subscribers to date in the UK, they are the leading digital TV suppliers, so they should offer a range of high quality equipment made available to it's subscribers. The GDS200 is tough competition for the other boxes available, which include Pace and Panasonic. It's not full of features, it doesn't look particularly nice, but it does what it's supposed too, and it does it well. The GDS200 comes equipped with two SCART sockets, allowing easy connection to your TV and an existing VCR or DVD player. It also has two RF sockets, one of which can be used in conjunction with the "TV Link" allowing you to watch Sky on a different TV in another room, and still be able to change challels. There are also two RCA-type audio connections allowing you to hook up the box to a hi-fi to give the best possible... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Easy to use
Disadvantages: Case could be a different colour

...a tape that was already in the machine and by the time I got things set up I usually missed the beginning of what I wanted to record. I usually couldn't be bothered with the hassle and only used VCR if I was going out or going on holiday. With the Pace Sky+ box it's so easy. If you notice something you really want to see you can record at the touch of a button. Press another button and you can view your other recordings which is called your planner. You are able to select previous recordings or delete as required. You can also transfer recording you would like to keep to a VCR or DVD recorder which could be good for those special programmes you want kept. Another great feature is the pause button where you can pause live television, eg should the phone ring or you want to make a cup of tea, and pick up where you left off. Recording your... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fantastic invention, well worth it!
Disadvantages: NOISE! If you want it in you bedroom dont buy it!

...Well what would i do without it! This box is a must gadget that every home needs, and theres no subscription to use the recording facilities aslong as you have a subscription to Sky. I bought this box off eBay for a bargain price of £65 including P&P and it has proved itself to be worth every penny. Before you go any further into my review please read this: This was my first Sky+ box and after owning it for a week it has now GONE! The reason for this is that i have it in my bedroom and the noise it made when it was on drove me mad, a really high pitch noise. So it has gone now im afraid to say :(. So i replaced it with a Pace and WOW what a difference, the Pace is almost silent when in operation, and is fast at navigating through the menu's. So that now i have had chance to compare the Amstrad i dont think its that good afterall... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good presenters, reasonable range of coverage
Disadvantages: Lost its best stuff to competitors and is losing more

...Much has been said recently about the way that the BBC has been losing its sport to other channels be they other terrestrial ones or satellite competitors. Grandstand is one of those weekend institutions watched by many women and men around the country and usually is very entertaining, but the choice of sports being offered is being steadily whittled down. The sad fact of the matter is, these days if you are a real diehard fan of either football, cricket or either of the two alternative rugby codes, you need Sky Sports. No argument.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Speed, Design, OTA Software Downloads
Disadvantages: None

...I bought this digibox since my old Amstrad that came originally with my installation of Sky was becoming very slow, kept freezing and would no longer send information to Sky through the phone line anymore. I looked around and found this latest digibox from Sky and what a difference it is. Just the overall speed of this machine makes you realise what you've been missing out on with your old box. Changing channel is now instant instead of waiting that second or so for your old box to realise that you pushed the channel change button. The menus such as the Sky guide load up incredibly quickly so you can find that program you wanted to watch instantly without having to wait for it to load the listings. The box itself it a very modern and beautiful design which blends in really well with the rest of your equipment and is smaller than many... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful