topic Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality. in Sky Stream

A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

Jones_The_Cat — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 13:14:43 GMT

My Sky Stream subscription cancellation came into effect a few days ago. I bought the puck back in October 2022 (back when you could properly buy one for £20) so it's one of the 'customer owned' ones and I don't need to return it to Sky.

According to Sky:

Any Sky Stream pucks you have won't work without a subscription. You'll see a "No subscription" message

This is correct. When I first powered on my puck after the subscription had ended, that is what appeared on screen. But, after reading a post by @Derek_Trotter at the end of last year (post 9 on this thread), I tried what he did and factory reset the puck.

I then powered the puck back on, connected to WiFi, connected the remote and tried re-linking it to my SkyID. I logged into my SkyID online, input the linking code and boom - the usual Sky Stream home page appeared! The TV Guide, all the apps and games were there, and even my previous playlist items where there. The only thing which didn't work were the live channel streams - it just says on-screen that you need to upgrade your subscription to watch.

Just to be clear - I have no active Sky Stream subscription at all.

I tried some of the apps (well, the ones I could be bothered logging into again) and they all worked fine. Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, etc. I didn't try Netflix in case it tried to link it to my Sky account and screwed up the payment method I now have via my EE SIM card (£10pm for Premium) but everything else worked as normal.

I tried clicking on a BBC show that was in my playlist and it opened iPlayer as normal to continue watching it. Same with a Channel 4 show. They appeared in the continue watching rail too (later in the day).

I also tried adding a BBC programme and a couple of Channel 4 programmes to my playlist and that also worked!

So what Sky say: Any Sky Stream pucks you have won't work without a subscription clearly isn't true.

Now, maybe this is a temporary thing. It's only been three days since my subscription ended, but I've checked every day since and the puck has turned on to the usual home page as normal, as if I had a subscription. Perhaps Sky will stop it at some point once they realise my SkyID isn't generating them any income, but for now, it does function.

Don't know if this is useful information to anyone or not, and perhaps Sky don't want customers to know that the pucks do work like a standard streaming device (to some extent) without a subscription.

The key thing I guess is the fact that the majority of pucks out in the wild now (post Feb 2023) are Sky-owned and just loaned to customers. The numbers of customer-owned pucks (Oct 2022 - Feb 2023) are probably a lot less, and people who do own them are probably still subscribing.

(removed)

Moderator note: Removed innapropriate remarks.

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

Jporch316 — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:29:52 GMT

@Jones_The_Cat

Acts in basically the same way as the glass providing you don't cancel your sky account (only the subscription)

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

Jones_The_Cat — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:57:29 GMT

@Jporch316 wrote:
@Jones_The_Cat
Acts in basically the same way as the glass providing you don't cancel your sky account (only the subscription)

Indeed. The aerial port on the back of the puck is still functionless. It would have been a surprise if that suddenly started working!

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

shorty64 — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:22:48 GMT

The aerial does work for some, my subscription ended last week and the aerial app appeared, I

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

TimmyBGood — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:37:49 GMT

Perhaps worth reiterating that this is only relevant to pucks acquired before February 2023, because those are the property of the person who originally obtained them.

All picks after that date are on loan from Sky (no matter if a fee was paid) and have to be returned if the Sky television subscription ends.

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

Jporch316 — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:38:07 GMT

@shorty64

Is that a glass or puck ? The glass aerial socket has always been live when there's no internet connection......

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

shorty64 — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:45:52 GMT

It is the sky steam puck, obtained when you had to pay for them.

Re: A Stream Puck without a subscription DOES have some functionality.

Laing1 — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 14:36:14 GMT

@shorty64 wrote:

It is the sky steam puck, obtained when you had to pay for them.

@shorty64 you still have to pay for them

Do you mean you received the puck before Sky started loaning them and you own yours