i-CAN first to SkySports on Freeview HD

ADB i-CAN Easy HD 2851T - now with added Sky Sports
ADB i-CAN Easy HD 2851T - now with added Sky Sports

i-CAN has become the first Freeview HD brand to offer Sky Sports, thanks to a deal with Top Up TV.

A software update, which will be available from both i-CAN's and Top Up TV's websites, adds the extra functionality to existing i-CAN Easy HD Freeview HD boxes.

Those who have yet to buy an i-CAN Easy HD box will be pleased to hear that the pay service will be installed on to all new boxes which go on sale in the next couple of weeks.

Only one offering

The update means that users will be able to sign up to both Sky Sports (1 & 2) and ESPN through their i-CAN setup.

i-CAN spokesperson Karl Tempest-Mitchell said about the announcement: "We are proud to be the only company currently offering TV viewers in the UK the combination of Freeview HD and SD channels, iPlayer catch-up HD content from the BBC and premium sports, movies and entertainment channels from Top Up TV."

Although this is something of an exclusive for i-CAN at the moment, expect many more Freeview HD box manufacturers to get this update soon, as all new boxes have been primed to receive firmware updates that add extra functionality.

Just this week, Humax announced a small update for the HD-FOX T2, which brings Dolby Digital 5.1 improvements, resolved reminder issues and resolved subtitle issues.

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.