Metropol

I've had Digiguide and subscribed to it for about four years and despite trying the current beta I just feel its lagging behind in user interface terms and isn't worth the subscription anymore.

For starters, things like the horrid little scrollbars, the non native interface, the fact that upon install I have to change about 12 options to get it to useable and another 20 to get it to how i want it, means its more of an annoyance than the joy it used to be to use.

With on demand reducing the need to catch shows on first viewing, the BBC's listings actually being good now, and virgin's EPG eclipsing the old ondigital now and next I had to contend with when I first subscribed, the only real reason I now use it is for the occasional programme reminder.

Therefore £10 a year seems a bit steep for something I essentially use about 6 times per annum, so is there an alternative gizmo that can be used instead?

The Listings on Sky's website are pretty good now, and allow you to remote record directly.

well i'm with virgin but that sounds fab, how does that work then? is it transmitted down the air or does it use phone/ethernet to put it on the planner?

It's over the air. You associate your Sky+ box with your account and then when you make a remote record request on the online EPG it somehow sends it to the box within half an hour, although it generally happens instantly.