The jump in profits announced today by satellite television company BSkyB is partly due to the growing popularity of Sky Plus, a digital service that lets viewers pause live television and record an entire series without the use of tapes.

More than 87 per cent of customers signing up to BSkyB in the last three months opted to join Sky Plus, which now accounts for 8.4 per cent of all Sky subscribers. However, BSkyB is not the only company to offer “video-on-demand” services – a growing range of similar products are now available. We compare the main rivals.

Sky Plus

Features: The Sky Plus box records digital TV on an internal hard disk similar to the memory in a PC. You can record two shows at once while watching a third, and program the device to record every episode of a series without having to set up each episode. It also allows you to pause or rewind live TV. The standard 40Gb box can store 20 hours of programming while the 160Gb version stretches to 80 hours.

Availability: Throughout the UK.

Ease of use: You can use standard Sky TV listings menus to select the shows you want to record without having to set timers or enter codes.

Cost: The standard Sky Plus box costs £99 (the 160Gb version is £399) and there is a monthly subscription fee of £10 unless you subscribe to at least two premium channels. These charges are in addition to the standard Sky subscription fees.

Number of subscribers: 642,000

Personal Video Recorders (PVRs)

Features: PVRs are digital recorders than can be connected to an existing digital, terrestrial, satellite or cable TV service. Like the Sky Plus service, they record programmes to a hard disk, so do not use video cassettes, and most offer the same recording and playback features. Memory size varies between models but most accommodate between 20 and 80 hours of television. Some will also play music and store several hundred CDs on their hard disks.

Availability: A range of PVRs can be found in high-street shops and internet-based stores.

Ease of use: This varies between models. Most are no harder to use than standard video recorders, but some do not offer the simple, on-screen menus of Sky Plus and HomeChoice.

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