* Sky Q Thread *

Jamauk · 30 Mar 2020 at 09:46

I’m now at the point of wanting to cancel, for £96 per month a faulty main box seems to be the problem affecting itself and the mini boxes. I’ve phoned Sky twice now over a few weeks as it comes up with “technical fault” on all boxes. Rebooting the main seems to fix it for a few hours, every time I speak with Sky I’m told to run a network test which all comes back as having a good connection, just sounds like they are reading from a script. The fault is intermittent so when they get me to reboot it will fix it, network testing is pointless, although they have advised I reboot my (non-Sky) router every time! I get that there is an isolation lockdown currently but it would be good if they would listen to me and how the same tests have been done every time.

The dish and freesat boxes on one TV & separate box both show good signal strength so I’ve narrowed it down to the main box. Given the cost of it all if today proves to be no success the next call will be to cancel and either go the freesat route or Now TV.

the-evaluator · 30 Mar 2020 at 09:49

I wonder if whoever decided on the text input method on the search screen ever actually used it or if they just really hate people that don't use the voice remote? It's hideous! I don't want to have to keep the voice remote to hand just for searching as I use a Logitech Harmony which lack of voice search aside is vastly better.

Basher · 30 Mar 2020 at 10:37

the-evaluator said:
I wonder if whoever decided on the text input method on the search screen ever actually used it or if they just really hate people that don't use the voice remote? It's hideous! I don't want to have to keep the voice remote to hand just for searching as I use a Logitech Harmony which lack of voice search aside is vastly better.

What's so bad about it? Just tap the letter like old school texting...

the-evaluator · 30 Mar 2020 at 10:50

I didn't realise you could enter letters that way, I'd been scrolling up and down the list of letters and getting grumpy about it.

Basher · 30 Mar 2020 at 12:17

the-evaluator said:
I didn't realise you could enter letters that way, I'd been scrolling up and down the list of letters and getting grumpy about it.

Yeah that is a very frustrating way, but yeah, just tap away - that's why there are letters on the number keys

the-evaluator · 30 Mar 2020 at 13:26

The daft thing is that the letters on the keys thing is how I searched on the Sky HD box for years but didn't think to try it on the Q box.

5punk3monk3y · 30 Mar 2020 at 14:04

the-evaluator said:
The daft thing is that the letters on the keys thing is how I searched on the Sky HD box for years but didn't think to try it on the Q box.

But but that means you still need the sky remote....

Or use the harmony remote on your mobile

imginy · 30 Mar 2020 at 14:05

the-evaluator said:
The daft thing is that the letters on the keys thing is how I searched on the Sky HD box for years but didn't think to try it on the Q box.

I was doing the same at first.

The skyq remote and menus do take a while to get used to especially if you are in dark room.

I still struggle with the sort order for my recordings. Lots of stuff is being recorded and stays the bottom of a very long list never to be seen.

the-evaluator · 30 Mar 2020 at 14:08

5punk3monk3y said:
But but that means you still need the sky remote....

No I don't. I'll use the onscreen numeric keypad on the Harmony.

5punk3monk3y · 30 Mar 2020 at 19:49

the-evaluator said:
No I don't. I'll use the onscreen numeric keypad on the Harmony.

I find using my mobile for text entry rather than the keypad on both my ultimate and elite controllers much easier.

james.miller · 30 Mar 2020 at 19:58

I find no real difference between my elite and the q remote, although the elite doesn't respond as quick which is a bit of niggle. Still, more convenient than logging in to the mobile app!

the-evaluator · 31 Mar 2020 at 07:18

The Q remote is fine, but the reason I use the Harmony is that is much easier to push a single button on the Harmony then use multiple other remotes to turn on the TV, turn on on the Q box, set the TV to the right innput, turn on the AV receiver and set that to the right input.

ChrisD. · 31 Mar 2020 at 10:52

I've got loads of remotes, the Sky Q one, one for the amp, one for my hifi amp, one for my Apple TV, one for the TV etc. Is Harmony worth the investment? Can it control everything?

the-evaluator · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:12

ChrisD. said:
Is Harmony worth the investment?

In my opinion, yes. It's great to have a single remote that controls everything but also puts things on the right input.

ChrisD. said:
Can it control everything?

There's probably some things it can't control but everything I've tried, it can.

ChrisD. · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:15

the-evaluator said:
In my opinion, yes. It's great to have a single remote that controls everything but also puts things on the right input.

There's probably some things it can't control but everything I've tried, it can.

Cheers, which is the one to go for?

the-evaluator · 31 Mar 2020 at 11:20

It's down to personal preference and budget. I've got a Harmony Ultimate (now discontinued) which wasn't cheap but I'm very happy with it.

imginy · 31 Mar 2020 at 16:38

ChrisD. said:
I've got loads of remotes, the Sky Q one, one for the amp, one for my hifi amp, one for my Apple TV, one for the TV etc. Is Harmony worth the investment? Can it control everything?

I don't know anything about the harmony remote.

But my little tv remote that came with my samsung q8 can control anything that's plugged into the tv. That includes sky q, blueray player etc...

It's weird the way it works because the samsung remote doesn't even have a keypad or numbers. It does a really good job though everything is really nippy, faster than using the standard remotes.

5punk3monk3y · 31 Mar 2020 at 18:00

ChrisD. said:
I've got loads of remotes, the Sky Q one, one for the amp, one for my hifi amp, one for my Apple TV, one for the TV etc. Is Harmony worth the investment? Can it control everything?

Yes absolutely worth the investment if you have a lot of tech, I have 2 ultimates (in our bedroom for surround sound system skyQ, firestick and XF90 and the other the kids have again for skyQ, firestick and the tv) and an elite, the elite is practically the same as the ultimates but has dedicated buttons for smart bulbs and plugs, so I assigned the sub to a smart plug button to turn it off for late movies the other turns the light off in my tortoise Viv and likewise the bulb button turns on and off the living room lights and hallway lights.

The controls for devices are available on the ultimate as are all the smart lights and plugs in the devices menus on both types of remotes.

You can pick up the ultimate with hub for £40 - £60 second hand if you look around.

Oh and it means you can put all your kit in a cupboard and close the doors.

ChrisD. · 31 Mar 2020 at 18:37

Cheers, my cabinet has to parts to it, separated by the centre speaker. Would this cause an issue with the hub signals?

5punk3monk3y · 1 Apr 2020 at 00:10

ChrisD. said:
Cheers, my cabinet has to parts to it, separated by the centre speaker. Would this cause an issue with the hub signals?

The hub comes with 2 IR blasters with a fair length of cable per blaster in my living room I have the hub on top of my amp on one side of my cabinet then a blaster on top of my center speaker to take care of the TV and the final blaster in the other half of the cabinet which takes care of my sky box, Apple TV box and my UHD player. There is a divide in my cabinet between the two halves and the TV is on the wall above and behind the cabinet.

Short answer unless it's over 2M between them then no.

*** Sky Q Thread ***

* Sky Q Thread *