Sky Go on windows will not play any UHD channels despite listing them.

[EASharts]

My Sky Go app on Windows has just updated itself. It now lists all the UHD channels. But I won't play them. I get the error code PFE 9036-IH 

HD and SD channels work as normal. My PC is fully capable of playing 4k content and i have 1GB broadband.

So not sure why this issue is happening.

[Millsyboon · Accepted solution]

Pretty certain you can only play it on a UHD TV, we have the Sky Q Miniboxes and they wont play UHD content, it says you can only play from the SkyQ box directly.

[EASharts]

It seems strange that in 2023 a large corporate company like sky cannot provide 4k content to any devices using SkyGo. 

Definitely going to get rid of all my sky services at the next available chance. This is just one of many issues with sky that doesn't warrant the £80 a month they're asking for. 

[TimmyBGood]

---

@EASharts wrote:

It seems strange that in 2023 a large corporate company like sky cannot provide 4k content to any devices using SkyGo. 

---

Go in its current form is simply not specified for that.

[Millsyboon]

This is expected behaviour (i've just learned) Mine is working now, why does the app list UHD content that you cannot play through SkyGo? HD content is working, just means having to record 2 versions of every race and qualifying.

Also can't plauy UHD content on a sky Minibox, plays on main sky Q box only.

[TimmyBGood]

---

@Millsyboon wrote:

Also can't plauy UHD content on a sky Minibox, plays on main sky Q box only.

---

That's correct: a Q Mini has HDMI 1.4 / HDCP 1.2 and so could not output UHD even if it received content in this format, and a main Q box cannot downscale UHD to HD in order to transmit this to a Mini box.

[EASharts]

They why show it in the list? If I use Sky Go on my tablet it only shows me HD channels and content from my Sky Q box. However the App on PC shows me all the UHD channels and all UHD recorded content, yet won't play it all? 

Sky as a company are really lagging behind the other top players in the field. I mean even NOW Tv is limited to 1080p. Its 2023, people have GB broadband now. Why are they so far behind everyone else and yet so much more expensive? Doesn't make any sense. 

[TimmyBGood]

---

@EASharts wrote:

Why are they so far behind everyone else and yet so much more expensive?

---

Probably because they were first, and so have a huge legacy infrastructure.

The change of ownership in 2018 hasn't helped either.

[RARugby]

I am experiencing the same problem with Sports F1 being delivered in UHD, though at times the channel is playable as it is HD though there seems no rhyme or reason as to what is in HD or UHD.

The content plays just fine on my Mini boxes as I am watching live, so it seems the SkyQ main box can differentiate between HD and UHD.  It also works on my Phone App with no problem. 

I have had a call into Sky Service Desk for over a month now and I have unistalled and rebooted so many times to no avail. The final answer I have just been given is my PC is incompatible. It did work before......

If I figure anything out I will post but I am so surprised (well maybe I am not) that Sky have application error codes that are totally meaningless to the support staff. It seems they really rely on the Community to fix things for them.

[Matto+E]

@EASharts 

I think it's because u can only use UHD on a TV. 

Same as mini boxes only go to HD for some reason don't know why they haven't done UHD mink boxes 

I noticed on my skygo it says UHD sky sports but doesn't work

[RARugby]

Hi,

I have found that if in the Sky Go Settings (Bottom of the Home page, under preferences) and I set the Connect to Sky Q box OFF then the channels no longer appear as UHD and DO work. If I change back to ON then the channels once again are in UHD and will not work.

The setting is real time and does not require any restarts etc. of course this only works for real time TV and not for recordings, I am recording a UHD program later and will see what happens when I try to play.

[steve1h]

Thanks everyone for your responses , I am not happy that UHD will not work on SkyGo but looks likely to be the case for the foreseeable future .

[Italy55]

@RARugby you are a legend!! SKY customer service only seem interested in selling you more channels, or telling you that your state-of-the-art device costing £2k is not suitable, but you have given a simple fix that works perfectly! 
Turning off 'connect to SKYQ box' in the SKYGO settings has now listed the UHD channels as HD. Why couldn't SKY just tell people that?!!

[steve1h]

Thanks , thats great to know , I also found another way to watch on my PC , I downloaded Sky Sports App and that has also resolved my immediate problem , I can now watch the Miami GP whilst my wife watches TV . 

[ColinJ75]

Same on Mac. I noticed my Sky Q boxes now have UHD channels (e.g. Sky Sports F1 UHD) but I want to watch from the garden on Sky Go, not be stuck indoors on a lovely evening. Surely Sky Go should make the HD channels available. It's still possible to watch these channels on the Sky Go app on an iPad, thankfully.