Despite a launch slowed by product shortages, it looks like Freesat has landed on its feet, with the UK's new no-subscription satellite service shifting over 100,000 receivers in just six months.
This is brilliant news, as Freesat holds the key to the future of recordable Blu-ray in the UK. Even as you read these words, Panasonic is finalising the specification of its first Blu-ray recorder with Freesat tuner, due to launch next year.

In Home Cinema Choice 162, on sale now, we take a closer look at the Freesat HD
proposal and conduct an in-depth investigation into the picture quality currently offered by both Freesat and Sky.

This issue, we also test drive awesome new receivers from Yamaha and Denon and look at five very different AV system solutions in our group-test.

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Exclusively in HCC 162, on sale now:

Satellite Picture Quality Survey 2008 We investigate the picture quality available on Freesat and Sky and discover that standards may be slipping

Freesat vs Sky The definitive guide to the UK's competing hi-def satellite TV services

Collecting Hammer We pick the best of Hammer Studio's legacy of terror on DVD

Retro HCC's very own Time Lord laments the demise of S-VHS

Plus tested in-depth...

Samsung LE46A786 Why this LED-backlit LCD has to be seen to be believed

Denon AVR-2309 Mid-range doesn't always mean mediocre

Pace Sky+ HD Say goodbye to component as Sky revamps its iconic HD+ PVR

Audio Pro Evo Design Collection This stylish Swedish 5.1 package is all white in our books

LG 32PG6000 The Korean giant takes a big gamble on the world's smallest plasma

Yamaha BD-S2900 The audio specialist launches into Blu-ray with a premium-priced Profile 1.1 deck

Yamaha RX-V1900 This AVR might lack fancy network options, but it still sounds great to us

& much more!