Exclusive: New design for Sky's digibox

Sky is planning a major design overhaul of its basic entry-level digibox, sources have revealed to Digital Spy.



The new design for 2006 sports a silver wrap-around cover. Control buttons have been moved to the top of the box, with the four status LEDs remaining on the front. The main new design feature is a blue Sky logo in the middle of the front panel; when the box is on, this will illuminate in a soft blue colour. When a button is pressed on the remote, the logo will brighten for a couple of seconds before returning to the lower illumination level.

The new boxes, despite the radically updated design, will not have any functionality changes compared to Sky's existing digiboxes.

Amstrad, Pace and Thomson will manufacture the new boxes. Sources indicate that the first boxes to be introduced into Sky's distribution chain will be from Amstrad, with boxes from the other two manufacturers to follow later in 2006. The first boxes should start hitting Sky's mainstream distribution chain beginning in early 2006.

Sources have also emphasised to DS that customers will not be able to pick the new design box; it will simply be the luck of the draw.