Sky Q no longer available - what's the alternative(s)?

[JohnnyUK]

Hi

We've used the above for many years and it's been very reliable and continues to improve e.g. 4K HDR and Atmos sound.

Plus, the ability to record, watch later, pause, rewind etc is great!

But.....Sky Q is no longer available to order, the satellites proving too expensive to upgrade, I believe.

So, any users of Sky Stream / Glass out there? Did you move from Sky Q?

Can you record etc?

Anyone prefer Virgin Media and their platform?

Thanks!

[JulianHJ]

You can still order it over the phone apparently, just not online.

I suspect satellite services are being phased out as the current satellite is due for replacement in a few years (2029?), at a very significant cost.

It appears Sky are trying to get customers on to Stream, which is a rebranded Comcast (parent company) box. I understand it doesn't have a great reputation - slow and unreliable.

[732NM]

I read this, no experience personally.

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Stream/My-good-jo...

Like any streamed service, you need a good broadband to make it usable.

[Skyedriver]

Might be wrong but I have a feeling that with "Stream" you don't record as there's stuff aways available.
Will feck up my wife who has stuff from 2021 she hasn't watched yet and I have a couple of documentaries I've saved to rewatch

[Mazinbrum]

Dodgy Firestick.

[732NM]

Mazinbrum said:

Dodgy Firestick.

You should see a doctor about that.

[normalbloke]

I think Sky are trying desperately not to become just another streaming company,hence trying to tie people in with the generic TV thing. For us, the Sky box and interface is what makes it. If that went, couldn’t see much attraction to sky for us for much longer.

[jimmyjimjim]

JulianHJ said:

You can still order it over the phone apparently, just not online.

I suspect satellite services are being phased out as the current satellite is due for replacement in a few years (2029?), at a very significant cost.

It appears Sky are trying to get customers on to Stream, which is a rebranded Comcast (parent company) box. I understand it doesn't have a great reputation - slow and unreliable.

Having used comcast boxes for years, I was very glad to see the back of them and move to purely streaming services (based on comcast internet), then even more glad to finally punt comcast internet for local fiber. Significant cost savings.

[mikef]

I watch footie over Sky Q satellite and subscribed streaming services and sometimes terrestrial TV,. The streams are anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds behind the satellite signal which is between 5 and 10 seconds behind the OtA broadcasts. This isn’t progress…

[ffc]

We've had Sky Stream for a while now. It works fine with our broadband (1Gb fibre). We've got three pucks all ethernet connected and they work really well. Recording is no longer onto a hard drive, you create a "playlist" and add programs you want to "record" to that and it uses network recording. TBH so much is available on demand now we don't really use the recording stuff. The interface is still good, the only irritation is sometimes we start an app accidently by punching the select button too many times.

The Strema puck supports all the usual apps Netflix/iPlayer/ITV/C4/C5/Youtube/Prime/Disney+/Apple TV/Discovery etc. It's good enough to be our primary STB. My monthly cost went down when we moved frpm Q to stream, I can't remember why though.

Also no service loss with heavy rain.

Edited by ffc on Sunday 21st December 22:02

[NickXX]

Went from Q to a Sky streaming puck about 18 months ago, and I’m very happy with it. As others have said, the interface is the USP for me and it integrates all of the usual streaming services well. I only really watch the F1 and a bit of football on it.

I was very happy to get up a ladder and remove the hideous dish.

[-Cappo-]

normalbloke said:

I think Sky are trying desperately not to become just another streaming company,hence trying to tie people in with the generic TV thing. For us, the Sky box and interface is what makes it. If that went, couldn t see much attraction to sky for us for much longer.

Pretty much what I had concluded. I think the only thing we would miss if we can't get it elsewhere is Sky Atlantic (Billions, Succession, that sort of thing). Can you get Sky Atlantic through any other service?

[sgrimshaw]

-Cappo- said:

Pretty much what I had concluded. I think the only thing we would miss if we can't get it elsewhere is Sky Atlantic (Billions, Succession, that sort of thing). Can you get Sky Atlantic through any other service?

Apparantly ....

[JohnnyUK]

ffc said:

We've had Sky Stream for a while now. It works fine with our broadband (1Gb fibre). We've got three pucks all ethernet connected and they work really well. Recording is no longer onto a hard drive, you create a "playlist" and add programs you want to "record" to that and it uses network recording. TBH so much is available on demand now we don't really use the recording stuff. The interface is still good, the only irritation is sometimes we start an app accidently by punching the select button too many times.

The Strema puck supports all the usual apps Netflix/iPlayer/ITV/C4/C5/Youtube/Prime/Disney+/Apple TV/Discovery etc. It's good enough to be our primary STB. My monthly cost went down when we moved frpm Q to stream, I can't remember why though.

Also no service loss with heavy rain.

Edited by ffc on Sunday 21st December 22:02

Thanks - does it record? So, the F1 race, I tend to record and watch later in the day - can I do that with the Streamer?

[732NM]

Already answered in the thread. Covered extensively in the link I posted also.

You have the option to record to cloud.

[alangla]

sgrimshaw said:

Apparantly ....

It s normally a lot cheaper getting Sky content from NowTV than it is from actual Sky, obviously if you watch a lot of sport your calculations may be different. On the front page of the NowTV website they re currently offering a year of entertainment and films for £8.99 a month for the next year or £4.99 for just the entertainment

[-Cappo-]

alangla said:

sgrimshaw said:

Apparantly ....

It s normally a lot cheaper getting Sky content from NowTV than it is from actual Sky, obviously if you watch a lot of sport your calculations may be different. On the front page of the NowTV website they re currently offering a year of entertainment and films for £8.99 a month for the next year or £4.99 for just the entertainment

Thanks sgrimshaw.

Re the above, I’d probably take that and make the change now, but I need a new tv first - our current elderly LG doesn’t have native wifi/internet connection, so anything we stream comes through the Sky Q box which, ironically, is terrible for streaming from.

[alangla]

-Cappo- said:

Thanks sgrimshaw.

Re the above, I d probably take that and make the change now, but I need a new tv first - our current elderly LG doesn t have native wifi/internet connection, so anything we stream comes through the Sky Q box which, ironically, is terrible for streaming from.

Cheap Amazon Firestick should solve your problem, it also does Now and Paramount which some TVs (Panasonic!!) can’t do.

[andygo]

The problem with streaming is that you cannot fast forward the interminable adverts, certainly on the streaming such as now, discovery plus etc which I have used. When I used to have a recording box and satellite, we would always record to view later and then fast forward the ads despite their obvious entertainment value.

[alangla]

andygo said:

The problem with streaming is that you cannot fast forward the interminable adverts, certainly on the streaming such as now, discovery plus etc which I have used. When I used to have a recording box and satellite, we would always record to view later and then fast forward the ads despite their obvious entertainment value.

Ahhh, but there comes the upsell. For an extra £6/month Now becomes ad free.