Sky UK launching HDR Wednesday 27th May.

rolypolyman · 3 Jun 2020 at 19:56

Came back to Sky late last year and got SkyQ 2TB box for UHD as i have a nice Panasonic tv that does HDR. So paying for Sky Experience + HD (LOL) but the box they gave me is the V1(32B0)-NO HDR, so Sky if you are listening i would like an HDR capable SkyQ 2TB box please.

Bald-Eagle22 · 3 Jun 2020 at 21:47

So what is Sky Ultra then ?

kitfit1 · 3 Jun 2020 at 22:01

Nick1881 said:
Mine isn't compatible according to the list, but then I don't think my old OLED is either. It's a 65EF950v, I keep looking at the new models but it still looks so good.

I have the same 65EF950v as well and i can tell you 100% it does HDR no problem lol. I know because most Bluray's i have bought since owning it are HDR. And i know what you mean about looking at newer models as well, we all do it

The thing is though, the differences are so small it really isn't worth the outlay yet.
My Q box is also so old it's not on the HDR list as well.

Nick1881 · 4 Jun 2020 at 00:53

kitfit1 said:
I have the same 65EF950v as well and i can tell you 100% it does HDR no problem lol. I know because most Bluray's i have bought since owning it are HDR. And i know what you mean about looking at newer models as well, we all do it The thing is though, the differences are so small it really isn't worth the outlay yet.
My Q box is also so old it's not on the HDR list as well.

Oh I know it can do HDR 10, but it can't do HLG like the newer models can, so if we had newer Sky boxes we still wouldn't have a compatible screen.

I had mine calibrated, it's been great and I can't imagine the newer models being much better, my room is very dark so I don't need more brightness.

5punk3monk3y · 4 Jun 2020 at 19:55

Bald-Eagle22 said:
So what is Sky Ultra then ?

As in "Ultra" HD? 4xHD resolution which is 4k/2160p.

Bald-Eagle22 · 5 Jun 2020 at 09:36

5punk3monk3y said:
As in "Ultra" HD? 4xHD resolution which is 4k/2160p.

No the reason I ask is I’ve has Ultra for well over 2 years now on Sky Q , with this upgrade it clearly not 4K or HDR .

MissChief · 9 Jun 2020 at 15:24

Sky have now put up a pre-registration link for an upgrade to a HDR capable box. I have no idea whatsoever on timescales, self installs or engineer visits so please don’t ask.
https://www.sky.com/shop/pre-reg/entertainment

Converge · 9 Jun 2020 at 15:30

Thanks for the info as always MissChief, and I’m not shooting the messenger, but we have to pay £50 because SKY released boxes that weren’t capable of HDR? That’s a little naff isn’t it?

MissChief · 9 Jun 2020 at 15:53

Converge said:
Thanks for the info as always MissChief, and I’m not shooting the messenger, but we have to pay £50 because SKY released boxes that weren’t capable of HDR? That’s a little naff isn’t it?

I haven’t checked the page, is it asking for payment or advising there’ll be a charge?

I see it is. I’d imagine sky will have millions of non-capable boxes to dispose of and there are production costs involved too. Not sure if a new contract would waive that though.

Converge · 9 Jun 2020 at 16:03

MissChief said:
I haven’t checked the page, is it asking for payment or advising there’ll be a charge?

I see it is. I’d imagine sky will have millions of non-capable boxes to dispose of and there are production costs involved too. Not sure if a new contract would waive that though.

Yeah you would have thought there’d be a delivery/collection charge or something understandably, but to charge for something that wasn’t provided and hadn’t been provided for a number of years surely should have a fee waived. Just seems an odd approach to me. The customer shouldn’t have to foot the bill in this instance.

Alpherah · 9 Jun 2020 at 17:59

Converge said:
Yeah you would have thought there’d be a delivery/collection charge or something understandably, but to charge for something that wasn’t provided and hadn’t been provided for a number of years surely should have a fee waived. Just seems an odd approach to me. The customer shouldn’t have to foot the bill in this instance.

Especially since the hardware is rented.
Another bad taste in the mouth

kitfit1 · 9 Jun 2020 at 18:28

Alpherah said:
Especially since the hardware is rented.
Another bad taste in the mouth

Yep, it leaves a very bad taste indeed.
If companies want to turn to a "rental" financial model, then they have to take the rough with the very profitable. Can anyone imagine the complete uproar across the UK 50 years ago if Rediffusion or Granada said they were going to charge their rental customers for a new tv to receive Channel 4.
It simply wouldn't and didn't happen then and shouldn't happen now either. If it wasn't so close to F1 restarting i would seriously consider just cancelling Sky, wait a month or so and then join as a new customer. Also, at the moment there is next to no HDR content on Sky anyway. In much the same way way there is still very little 4K content (F1 is the only 4K i watch on Sky).

MissChief · 9 Jun 2020 at 21:10

kitfit1 said:
Yep, it leaves a very bad taste indeed.
If companies want to turn to a "rental" financial model, then they have to take the rough with the very profitable. Can anyone imagine the complete uproar across the UK 50 years ago if Rediffusion or Granada said they were going to charge their rental customers for a new tv to receive Channel 4.
It simply wouldn't and didn't happen then and shouldn't happen now either. If it wasn't so close to F1 restarting i would seriously consider just cancelling Sky, wait a month or so and then join as a new customer. Also, at the moment there is next to no HDR content on Sky anyway. In much the same way way there is still very little 4K content (F1 is the only 4K i watch on Sky).

Sky go to great pains to tell you the equipment is 'loaned to you at no cost' rather than 'rented'. Legal connotations apparently.

kitfit1 · 9 Jun 2020 at 21:38

MissChief said:
Sky go to great pains to tell you the equipment is 'loaned to you at no cost' rather than 'rented'. Legal connotations apparently.

You do know that the words "Loaned to you at no cost" and "Rented to you at no cost" are exactly the same thing ? Even more so when Sky Q was first launched (and that's when i took it up), it was made well clear in the T&C's that the box belonged to Sky and had to be returned on cancellation of the contract.

Charlie Bravo · 9 Jun 2020 at 22:37

You honestly couldn't make it up. What a company!

MissChief · 9 Jun 2020 at 23:19

kitfit1 said:
You do know that the words "Loaned to you at no cost" and "Rented to you at no cost" are exactly the same thing ? Even more so when Sky Q was first launched (and that's when i took it up), it was made well clear in the T&C's that the box belonged to Sky and had to be returned on cancellation of the contract.

True, but the distinction is important, we got corrected and marked down on Conformance if we said 'rented'. And the price for Sky+HD and Sky Q subscriptions are the same so the 'at no cost' is correct. I assume 'Rented' means you're paying a charge for the boxes when you're not.

jpaul · 10 Jun 2020 at 11:12

Is there a thread elsewhere discussing peoples opinion/experiences of the sky HDR PQ, and the degree that their tv's give good rendering of HLG ?

you could, cynically, think hdr was introduced in Italy, first, because customer base was newer, and they mostly had compatible boxes, whereas for the uk, the customer base had older incompatible machines, so sky waited until newer boxes were owned by a majority of the population.

(despite the small amount of content currently) how do they avoid a contract breach legal action from customers ?
say, hypothetically, if they significantly reduced availible (non-hdr) 4k content, at what point could you complain

kitfit1 · 10 Jun 2020 at 17:25

jpaul said:
(despite the small amount of content currently) how do they avoid a contract breach legal action from customers ?
say, hypothetically, if they significantly reduced availible (non-hdr) 4k content, at what point could you complain

Sky don't need to reduce any non-hdr 4k content. The HLG codec carries SD, HD, 4K and HDR. It's the SkyQ box and your TV that has to be able to handle the HLG Codec, unless you are thinking of older SkyQ boxes that already handle 4K ?

jpaul · 10 Jun 2020 at 17:56

kitfit1 said:
Sky don't need to reduce any non-hdr 4k content. The HLG codec carries SD, HD, 4K and HDR. It's the SkyQ box and your TV that has to be able to handle the HLG Codec, unless you are thinking of older SkyQ boxes that already handle 4K ?

you misunderstood, - independant of hdr, could you legitimately abandon your contract, if sky, said tommorrow, we will stop showing 90% of 4k content.

kitfit1 · 10 Jun 2020 at 18:23

jpaul said:
you misunderstood, - independant of hdr, could you legitimately abandon your contract, if sky, said tommorrow, we will stop showing 90% of 4k content.

You are right, i did misunderstand lol. Absolutely you could walk away from the contract. SkyQ was launched on the basis that there would be 4K content, my current box receives 4K content............just not HDR.
Luckily for me, i'm not under contract so can walk whenever i want. Now that F1 is back soon, i'm not going to walk yet. But when the F1 season is over and they still havn't GIVEN me new box..................i will be walking.