* Sky Q Thread *

stoofa · 23 May 2019 at 19:10

Series 2 Riviera - available in UHD.
I have a Sky Q 2TB box and pay whatever I have to be paying for UHD content. I also pay the £5/month rip-off for HD content.
Attempt to download any episode of Riviera S2 "You do not have the required subscription to watch this in HD" and it proceeds to download some crummy SD stream that looks like something out of the 1990's.

Sky of course make life as difficult as possible to contact them - live chat isn't available for the issue I cannot actually match through their online help.
Their messenger and text service - all their part-timers go home at 7:00pm.

Anyone else seeing the same? Is there anyway I can actually speak to someone tonight or is this one for the morning?

Robzere31 · 23 May 2019 at 19:14

stoofa said:
Anyone else seeing the same? Is there anyway I can actually speak to someone tonight or is this one for the morning?

Just tried downloading in UHD & no problems here.
Have you tried rebooting the box? On the odd occasion I've had issues this has usually sorted it.
Not ideal I know but its a short term solution until we get a well built unit....not holding my breath on that one!
I find i have to reboot my 2tb box at least once a week, random lock ups, freezes etc,

Jamauk · 23 May 2019 at 21:35

I've got exactly the same issue with Riviera in UHD. I've tried rebooting the box twice now and still not the required subscription. I think I'll get rid of the UHD content, I only use it for the F1 and I can live without that in UHD. As you said, their website is useless, no mention of that error.

Edit: Just changed my subscription, that was the issue, for an extra £12 per month unfortunately, but that does include Netflix. Now downloading the remaining nine episodes I've not yet seen.

stoofa · 24 May 2019 at 00:48

I eventually got through to someone via the messenger service.
I was told that an update had been sent, please reboot the box.
Yanked the power cable, waited half an hour, plugged back in - exactly the same error.
Let's be honest, a Sky representative lying to you is nothing new, didn't for a second think they had done anything....and of course now all forms of communication with them will now need to wait until the morning.

I do truly wonder sometimes why I give these people money - I'm forced to have multiroom if I want UHD. I'm forced to have a 2TB box if I want UHD, despite all this I still have to pay them another £5 for HD. There isn't exactly a ton of UHD content and then when some pops up, I cannot actually watch it.

I do not have the "Ultimate on demand" package Jamauk, so don't get Netflix from Sky and nor should you need to if you want UHD. If you've already got a 2TB box then you're already paying for multiroom and UHD, you shouldn't have needed to pay them even more.

MissChief · 24 May 2019 at 01:29

stoofa said:
I eventually got through to someone via the messenger service.
I was told that an update had been sent, please reboot the box.
Yanked the power cable, waited half an hour, plugged back in - exactly the same error.
Let's be honest, a Sky representative lying to you is nothing new, didn't for a second think they had done anything....and of course now all forms of communication with them will now need to wait until the morning.

I do truly wonder sometimes why I give these people money - I'm forced to have multiroom if I want UHD. I'm forced to have a 2TB box if I want UHD, despite all this I still have to pay them another £5 for HD. There isn't exactly a ton of UHD content and then when some pops up, I cannot actually watch it.

I do not have the "Ultimate on demand" package Jamauk, so don't get Netflix from Sky and nor should you need to if you want UHD. If you've already got a 2TB box then you're already paying for multiroom and UHD, you shouldn't have needed to pay them even more.

You don't need the Ultimate On Demand pack, it includes Box Sets and Netflix. You just need the Box Sets package.

There was talk of UHD and Sky Q Experience being separated so you can take just UHD, but I haven't heard anything new about it in a while though.

stoofa · 24 May 2019 at 12:54

MissChief said:
You don't need the Ultimate On Demand pack, it includes Box Sets and Netflix. You just need the Box Sets package.

There was talk of UHD and Sky Q Experience being separated so you can take just UHD, but I haven't heard anything new about it in a while though.

Isn't Riviera UHD classed as "CatchUp" rather than "Box Sets"?
Surely you don't need Box Set access for this?

Jamauk · 24 May 2019 at 13:06

stoofa said:
Isn't Riviera UHD classed as "CatchUp" rather than "Box Sets"?
Surely you don't need Box Set access for this?

I'm wondering if it's a bit of both.

I could download the previous episodes without Box Sets, however trying to download the rest of the series I was informed I didn't have the required subscription - since downloaded the rest of the series and will have a Riviera binge over the weekend in between watching UHD Monaco F1!

stoofa · 24 May 2019 at 13:32

I went and found a random episode of "Billions" - I've never watch it before and I was able to download the episode in UHD.
I don't have any boxset access - I have Netflix & Amazon and I watch plenty on there, so could see no point in having it on Sky - anything new is classed as "Catch Up".

So now I'm thinking have Sky moved the goalposts and the only way I'll be able to watch Riviera S2 in UHD is if I splash out on Boxsets - something I specifically don't want.
If this is the case, then I'll be having words with someone - you can't just release new series, allow people to Series Link in HD but then force them to have a boxset subscription to watch it in UHD, especially as I'm already paying for UHD access.

MissChief · 24 May 2019 at 14:01

stoofa said:
I went and found a random episode of "Billions" - I've never watch it before and I was able to download the episode in UHD.
I don't have any boxset access - I have Netflix & Amazon and I watch plenty on there, so could see no point in having it on Sky - anything new is classed as "Catch Up".

So now I'm thinking have Sky moved the goalposts and the only way I'll be able to watch Riviera S2 in UHD is if I splash out on Boxsets - something I specifically don't want.
If this is the case, then I'll be having words with someone - you can't just release new series, allow people to Series Link in HD but then force them to have a boxset subscription to watch it in UHD, especially as I'm already paying for UHD access.

Because each episode hasn't yet been shown on broadcast they're not all catchup. Once E1 S2 has been shown it'll appear on catchup as normal. To download the full season requires box sets.

5punk3monk3y · 24 May 2019 at 15:07

stoofa said:
I went and found a random episode of "Billions" - I've never watch it before and I was able to download the episode in UHD.
I don't have any boxset access - I have Netflix & Amazon and I watch plenty on there, so could see no point in having it on Sky - anything new is classed as "Catch Up".

So now I'm thinking have Sky moved the goalposts and the only way I'll be able to watch Riviera S2 in UHD is if I splash out on Boxsets - something I specifically don't want.
If this is the case, then I'll be having words with someone - you can't just release new series, allow people to Series Link in HD but then force them to have a boxset subscription to watch it in UHD, especially as I'm already paying for UHD access.

I know that SKY make available a box set of a series whilst airing the first episode occasionally this would then be a Boxset and not catchup. This has nothing to do with UHD and access, I pay for UHD and not sports but don't demand that I have UHD sports because I pay for UHD alone.

I assume that your paying £8.99 a month to Netflix for the 4k sub? why not pay the £1.01 more and have ultimate on demand...

Oh and "Billions" isn't random, it's one of the best shows on Atlantic

StevieP · 27 May 2019 at 13:05

How do the Sky Q boxes communicate? Does the main box connect to the Wi-Fi and then to each other through that or do they connect directly somehow?

In a 3 storey new home there is likely to be the main box on the middle floor and then a mini box upstairs and one downstairs - but my router will be in a store room on the ground floor -seems a long way to connect to the top floor box purely via Wi-Fi! (am I right in thinking the built in powerline feature has been ditched?)

Jamauk · 27 May 2019 at 16:37

StevieP said:
How do the Sky Q boxes communicate? Does the main box connect to the Wi-Fi and then to each other through that or do they connect directly somehow?

In a 3 storey new home there is likely to be the main box on the middle floor and then a mini box upstairs and one downstairs - but my router will be in a store room on the ground floor -seems a long way to connect to the top floor box purely via Wi-Fi! (am I right in thinking the built in powerline feature has been ditched?)

I've used a combination of wired and wireless, at one point when I ran out of Ethernet sockets I had a Mini through Wi-Fi and the main Sky Q box was wired. Now I have them wired, going through a few switches. Not heard of the powerline feature and given the power connection these boxes have I doubt it was intended as they are just a figure of eight connector, with powerline I'd have thought it would be something more substantial to the socket.

MissChief · 27 May 2019 at 18:43

StevieP said:
How do the Sky Q boxes communicate? Does the main box connect to the Wi-Fi and then to each other through that or do they connect directly somehow?

In a 3 storey new home there is likely to be the main box on the middle floor and then a mini box upstairs and one downstairs - but my router will be in a store room on the ground floor -seems a long way to connect to the top floor box purely via Wi-Fi! (am I right in thinking the built in powerline feature has been ditched?)

Jamauk said:
I've used a combination of wired and wireless, at one point when I ran out of Ethernet sockets I had a Mini through Wi-Fi and the main Sky Q box was wired. Now I have them wired, going through a few switches. Not heard of the powerline feature and given the power connection these boxes have I doubt it was intended as they are just a figure of eight connector, with powerline I'd have thought it would be something more substantial to the socket.

Powerline has indeed been ditched. Wi-Fi is the preferred option at installation and the Engineer can install a Booster if required to improve the signal. Third party powerlines can also be used but the Engineer is likely going to be wary using them.

StevieP · 27 May 2019 at 19:19

Thanks @Jamauk and @MissChief - I've never been 100% confident in Wi-Fi but I guess it's getting better all the time - although surely it has to be rock solid to effectively stream 4K content from the main Sky box to the mini's!

Jamauk · 27 May 2019 at 20:32

StevieP said:
Thanks @Jamauk and @MissChief - I've never been 100% confident in Wi-Fi but I guess it's getting better all the time - although surely it has to be rock solid to effectively stream 4K content from the main Sky box to the mini's!

The Mini doesn't do 4K and as far as I know (@MissChief please correct me if I'm wrong) with the Mini box there are no plans for it to be introduced.

MissChief · 27 May 2019 at 21:39

Jamauk said:
The Mini doesn't do 4K and as far as I know (@MissChief please correct me if I'm wrong) with the Mini box there are no plans for it to be introduced.

The current Mini box is physically incapable of streaming UHD content. The bandwidth offered by 5GHz in most homes was deemed insufficient for it to be smooth and trouble free so the boxes were made that they can't output a UHD signal. It might come in the future but if it does it'll be with a new style Mini box.

5punk3monk3y · 29 May 2019 at 01:39

MissChief said:
The current Mini box is physically incapable of streaming UHD content. The bandwidth offered by 5GHz in most homes was deemed insufficient for it to be smooth and trouble free so the boxes were made that they can't output a UHD signal. It might come in the future but if it does it'll be with a new style Mini box.

It's quite interesting that considering most streaming boxes are capable of 4k over WiFi.

wellibob · 29 May 2019 at 11:33

Sky mini's were not desgined for uhd streaming, not because 5ghz wifi can't handle it. It's risky for sky to offer mini uhd because, of the general lack of superior 5ghz wifi in peoples homes.
I suspect a different situation if sky could manufacturer a Roku style 4k stick (£60 maybe) that pulls direct from the sky Q box that works like Sky mini "mini'. The current Sky mini really just streams as far I'm aware and it does get rather toasty doing so.

RoboCod · 29 May 2019 at 14:37

Something that does drive me mad is the mini box interferes with my headphones. That means when the gf is streaming to the mini in the other room, I can't listen to my cordless headphones in the next room. It just cuts and breaks the sound constantly.

MissChief · 29 May 2019 at 16:34

wellibob said:
Sky mini's were not desgined for uhd streaming, not because 5ghz wifi can't handle it. It's risky for sky to offer mini uhd because, of the general lack of superior 5ghz wifi in peoples homes.
I suspect a different situation if sky could manufacturer a Roku style 4k stick (£60 maybe) that pulls direct from the sky Q box that works like Sky mini "mini'. The current Sky mini really just streams as far I'm aware and it does get rather toasty doing so.

Wait and see...…...

*** Sky Q Thread ***

* Sky Q Thread *