Hi petpal,
Got Sky + HD installed very quickly & efficiently last Friday (away from NTL analogue ! ), into a recently bought Sony Bravia 40" KDL-40W4000 TV. While our expectations for picture quality were very high, the reality far exceeded the anticipation !
The HD picture quality is unbelievable. I recorded a Luxe HD programme called AquaVision (or similar) on underwater corals & fish life in the Indian Ocean. The picture, depth of field and perspective are stunning.
I would recommend HD to everyone !
On Setanta, I imagine it is available. Not a sports fan so haven't looked for it. It may be available under what they call Other Services - it is here that UTV / ITV are available, not part of the mainstream Sky packages.
Good luck.