*** Sky Q Thread ***

[Ev0]

I’d imagine not both!

It’s funny as iPlayer is fine, as that’s an app on the box.

But All4 seemed to be different and not just an app, more integrated with the Sky system.

Might end up dumping a spare Roku device we have sat in a drawer over to them to use for streaming stuff as they are so simple and easy to use, which would suit them.

 

[Ev0]

They say:

“We pay for the entertainment package which includes all sky channels apart from sport, children - it does seem weird that all formats are defaulted to HD - such a faff to have to keep changing it whenever we need to view/download from the channels we do have this access to ”

 

[steve5424]

It’s a disgrace that in this day and age you still have to pay for a HD subscription

Oddly though, the 4K content is free.

 

[MissChief]

It’s a disgrace that in this day and age you still have to pay for a HD subscription

Easy solution, make the cheapest pack £5 more and give the HD away for free?

 

[RoboCod]

Is the chat client on the app no longer available? Twice now I've tried to get on there but the option hasn't been available, it just gives me the "call us" option.

 

[MissChief]

Is the chat client on the app no longer available? Twice now I've tried to get on there but the option hasn't been available, it just gives me the "call us" option.

Depends on availability really, if there's loads of people chatting it's a 'better' service for those already chatting and anyone trying to chat won't get the option if there's too many people already in the queue. It's dynamic and certainly messaging support on a Sunday evening is patchy at best.

 

[Vertigo]

Yes some of the major content like Endgame is pre recorded via the satellite connection, not via broadband.

In it's entirety or just a bit of it so you can start playing immediately? Not overly amused at Sky using my box's storage up without asking me!

Pre-recorded??

It just streams from the servers now. Rather than storing locally.

The Sky Q system downloads movies to your box then plays them from there, but will let you start watching it once a small amount has been downloaded. In this way it's kind of "pseudo-streaming".
This is why on-demand stuff has a download icon and, when selected, needs to download a little bit before it's available to start watching. You then won't be able to fast-forward into it beyond the point it's downloaded.
What triggered my original question was noticing that some stuff has a simple "play" icon and starts immediately without this initial downloading/buffering, suggesting it's pre-downloaded some or all of it.

 

[stoofa]

So it would appear that Sky have put off HDR implementation until "End of 2020 at the earliest". Fantastic news. I mean, the quality of image via the Q box is far from great, but I was hoping that the addition of HDR might make things look better.
However, Sky apparently don't consider HDR (which with the right TV makes a far bigger difference to quality than 4k alone) important.

 

[steve5424]

In it's entirety or just a bit of it so you can start playing immediately? Not overly amused at Sky using my box's storage up without asking me!



The Sky Q system downloads movies to your box then plays them from there, but will let you start watching it once a small amount has been downloaded. In this way it's kind of "pseudo-streaming".
This is why on-demand stuff has a download icon and, when selected, needs to download a little bit before it's available to start watching. You then won't be able to fast-forward into it beyond the point it's downloaded.
What triggered my original question was noticing that some stuff has a simple "play" icon and starts immediately without this initial downloading/buffering, suggesting it's pre-downloaded some or all of it.

I still don't see this being the case. I know it was back on Sky+ but some content shows the download icon, then downloads and shows in my recordings and there is other stuff that has a play icon and literally starts playing as soon as you click it. So to me that is streaming.

 

[Woden]

The Sky Q system downloads movies to your box then plays them from there, but will let you start watching it once a small amount has been downloaded. In this way it's kind of "pseudo-streaming".
This is why on-demand stuff has a download icon and, when selected, needs to download a little bit before it's available to start watching. You then won't be able to fast-forward into it beyond the point it's downloaded.
What triggered my original question was noticing that some stuff has a simple "play" icon and starts immediately without this initial downloading/buffering, suggesting it's pre-downloaded some or all of it.[/QUOTE]

It’s a mix. Big premiers or the most popular things are broadcast on a data channel so don’t need to download before you watch. Everything else is downloaded a few percent over the interwebs

 

[steve5424]

It downloads the full program or movie as it shows in my recordings once completed.

 

[Armageus]

With the All4 thing is there a way to set it to use SD by default as when I had a very quick look at it the other week it seemed to want to use HD every time, and gives me the message that the required subscription wasn’t there for that option.

Download on demand in SD, HD or Ultra HD
SD, HD, UHD – whatever your definition of choice, you can download in it if you have the right TV equipment and subscription.

1. Press Home on your Sky Q remote and select Settings, then Setup.
2. Select Preferences, then On Demand default download format, and choose SD, HD or UHD.

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/downloading-on-sky-q

 

[james.miller]

I still don't see this being the case. I know it was back on Sky+ but some content shows the download icon, then downloads and shows in my recordings and there is other stuff that has a play icon and literally starts playing as soon as you click it. So to me that is streaming.

It's pushed on demand and there's a toggle for it in the engineers menu. Same as sky+ it's not streaming, it's downloaded before you watch it.

 

[Vertigo]

I still don't see this being the case. I know it was back on Sky+ but some content shows the download icon, then downloads and shows in my recordings and there is other stuff that has a play icon and literally starts playing as soon as you click it. So to me that is streaming.

That was the whole point of my original question! The latter stuff only gives the impression of "streaming" when, in reality, it's just pre-downloaded so it can start immediately. It's still downloaded and then played from the local box just like all other on-demand content.

 

[Vertigo]

So it would appear that Sky have put off HDR implementation until "End of 2020 at the earliest". Fantastic news. I mean, the quality of image via the Q box is far from great, but I was hoping that the addition of HDR might make things look better.
However, Sky apparently don't consider HDR (which with the right TV makes a far bigger difference to quality than 4k alone) important.

Yep, totally pathetic.

I'll bet the BT Sport tie-up will be the next thing to be delayed yet again. That was supposed to be the start of last year.

 

[MissChief]

Yep, totally pathetic.

I'll bet the BT Sport tie-up will be the next thing to be delayed yet again. That was supposed to be the start of last year.

Coming before the end of Feb I’ve heard. We even got told pricing, but I can’t say anything yet.

 

[Robzere31]

So it would appear that Sky have put off HDR implementation until "End of 2020 at the earliest". Fantastic news. I mean, the quality of image via the Q box is far from great, but I was hoping that the addition of HDR might make things look better.
However, Sky apparently don't consider HDR (which with the right TV makes a far bigger difference to quality than 4k alone) important.

FFS , was hoping HDR via the Q box would add some quality to the basically pathetic image quality from Skys UHD offerings.
Although even the HD quality is fairly average from Sky.

The IQ via Netflix with HDR on my Oled LG is fantastic.

Really will have to consider my options in a few months when my current contract finishes.

 

[5punk3monk3y]

So it would appear that Sky have put off HDR implementation until "End of 2020 at the earliest". Fantastic news. I mean, the quality of image via the Q box is far from great, but I was hoping that the addition of HDR might make things look better.
However, Sky apparently don't consider HDR (which with the right TV makes a far bigger difference to quality than 4k alone) important.

It's annoying that we have to wait so long considering this -

https://www.sky.it/come-vedere/4k-hdr.html

 

[Vertigo]

Coming before the end of Feb I’ve heard. We even got told pricing, but I can’t say anything yet.

Well, as I said before, that guy I spoke to mentioned end of Jan so hopefully you're right.

All depend on pricing of course. Can you even hint whether it'll be significantly cheaper than getting BT Sport directly, which is daylight robbery?

 

[stoofa]

It's annoying that we have to wait so long considering this -

https://www.sky.it/come-vedere/4k-hdr.html

So they are still advertising HDR despite the fact it could well be another year away? Terrible.
I don't upgrade to Q specifically for HDR, but when I did middle of last year I was very much given the impression it was due "imminently" and then I was given the impression early 2020.
With NowTV going 1080p at some point - may well be time to look at my options too. I like having 4k, but 4k alone, without HDR is the cake without the icing.