Goal keeping: will Premiership football drive HDTV? Photograph: Phil Cole/Getty Images
We've written extensively about the upcoming birth of high definition TV in Britain, but this morning things took a further turn: satellite broadcaster Sky announced a series of launch channels which will be available when it starts its HD service early next year.
As expected, the focus is on sport - with Sky Sports showing Premiership football and rugby (and likely followed with dedicated coverage of the World Cup in Germany) - but there's also a mixture of entertainment channels, including dedicated HD movie channels, arts programming and Sky One.
From Sky Movies there will be two HD screens dedicated to films in HD, with titles available at launch including Spider Man 2, The Day After Tomorrow and House of Flying Daggers. In addition, movie fans will able to choose from up to ten movies in HD each week on Sky Box Office.
A simulcast version of the existing Sky One channel will deliver high-quality entertainment programming with a range of Sky One shows and cutting edge series in HD.
Sky HD's simulcast version of the existing Artsworld channel will offer a selection of arts programming including opera, dance, and classical music. The quality of HD broadcasts will transform the viewing experience offering stunning picture and sound quality, bringing alive performances of a wide range of artistic genres on the UK's only dedicated arts and culture channel.
This launch spread will appeal to many early adopters - particularly pubs - and are likely to join the mix before it actually hits our TV screens. But will there be enough to entice you to high definition?
Related: For more information on HDTV, see this piece written by myself and Ashley Norris earlier this year.
