topic Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package in Sky Q

UHD with Sky Q basic package

Cat1967 — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:39:23 GMT

Hi - is there any value in subscribing to the UHD option if you are only on the minimum Sky channel package and you don't have sports or movies? I.e. are there actually UHD channels or content to watch?

Also - if you don't have the UHD option, does this prevent you from watching free view UHD content for example via the Iplayer app?

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

TimmyBGood — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:51:13 GMT

@Cat1967 wrote:

I.e. are there actually UHD channels or content to watch?

There are basically no UHD channels which aren't Sport. Available UHD content will be in Box Sets.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

oldfella — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:51:41 GMT

@Cat1967 wrote:

Hi - is there any value in subscribing to the UHD option if you are only on the minimum Sky channel package and you don't have sports or movies? I.e. are there actually UHD channels or content to watch?

Also - if you don't have the UHD option, does this prevent you from watching free view UHD content for example via the Iplayer app?

Hi @Cat1967

Edit

There is some Q UHD content Entertainment On Demand and also in BoxSets but it is limited assuming you have the Sky Signature package and not Sky Essentials.

The only UHD channels are Sky Sports and F1.

You should be able watch UHD content on the iPlayer if you have the Q UHD V3 box as far as I am aware.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Doc5907 — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:29:16 GMT

@Cat1967 wrote:
Hi - is there any value in subscribing to the UHD option if you are only on the minimum Sky channel package and you don't have sports or movies? I.e. are there actually UHD channels or content to watch?

Also - if you don't have the UHD option, does this prevent you from watching free view UHD content for example via the Iplayer app?

@Cat1967The other thing worth checking and I'm sure you do is.. Do you have a 4k TV ?

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Cat1967 — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:34:31 GMT

Yes I do - in fact I have the full package with sky now and thinking of downgrading to save cost as most of what we watch is not on sports or movies.

(sorry never could figure out how to auto quote on this forum).

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

nigea99 — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:39:00 GMT

hi @Cat1967

The UHD subscription does not affect most apps such as BBC iplayer, Disney + & Amazon Prime, however if you pay for Netflix via SKY then it is needed to both allow Netflix in UHD but also to watch on more than 2 (up to 4) screens simultaneously (need the HD add on first)

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Cat1967 — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:44:38 GMT

OK thanks but to be clear, on the Sky website there is one option "HD" and another option "UHD and HD" I was assuming that UHD includes HD (otherwise it would be crazy).

Also regarding Netflix - so are you saying that if you have a separate netflix subscription not through Sky, you can watch UHD content on netflix without the Sky UHD option?

(Edit: I suppose it's not that big a deal because you can just watch UHD netflix on your TV directly anyway - it's just nice to have a single UI)

Also - if you have Netflix through Sky today but you want to split the account out and pay separately, is that possible?

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

nigea99 — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:54:24 GMT

@Cat1967 wrote:

OK thanks but to be clear, on the Sky website there is one option "HD" and another option "UHD and HD" I was assuming that UHD includes HD (otherwise it would be crazy).

it is slightly confusing as the UHD add on needs the HD add on - they are billed separately but the option to subscribe to UHD usually is a combined UHD/HD ( i.e one option which selects 2 separate add ons) Edit : I think the 'list' prices are HD only £8, UHD £4 on top of the HD sub, making it £12 for UHD & HD combined

Also regarding Netflix - so are you saying that if you have a separate netflix subscription not through Sky, you can watch UHD content on netflix without the Sky UHD option?

If you pay for Netflix direct & separate to SKY then you need to subscribe to the Specific Level you want in their subscription plans.

Also - if you have Netflix through Sky today but you want to split the account out and pay separately, is that possible?

Providing it is not part of a minumum subscription, yes, you can stop paying via SKY and then pay direct

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Q-tips — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:09:02 GMT

Much of Sky's content that is tagged as UHD is actually upscaled and not technically UHD anyway (They are supposed to flag upscaled "UHD" content - see below - but they don't). This even applies to much of the sports content on the SkySportsMainEventUHD channel (401). Most decent 4K TVs do a better job of upscaling than Sky does so the benefit of a Sky UHD subscription is questionable.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

TimmyBGood — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:18:28 GMT

@Cat1967 wrote:

OK thanks but to be clear, on the Sky website there is one option "HD" and another option "UHD and HD" I was assuming that UHD includes HD (otherwise it would be crazy).

Historically the UHD supplement has not included HD and was possible to add by itself (to facilitate, for example, UHD Sports consumption). Sky now typically lists 'HD' and then 'HD & UHD' as separate add-ons.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

simon194 — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:09:49 GMT

@Q-tips wrote:
Much of Sky's content that is tagged as UHD is actually upscaled and not technically UHD anyway (They are supposed to flag upscaled "UHD" content - see below - but they don't). This even applies to much of the sports content on the SkySportsMainEventUHD channel (401). Most decent 4K TVs do a better job of upscaling than Sky does so the benefit of a Sky UHD subscription is questionable.

Sky do flag upscaled content quite well. There quite a lot of "Enhanced for UHD" content indicated.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Q-tips — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:30:08 GMT

@simon194 wrote:
Sky do flag upscaled content quite well. There quite a lot of "Enhanced for UHD" content indicated.

That's of interest. Where do you see it flagged? I mostly watch sport in "UHD" and have never seen this flag - and I always check the EPG.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Cat1967 — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 12:50:30 GMT

Also "Enhanced for UHD" is obviously marketing, since unless you know otherwise, you might think this means it's even better than "normal UHD".

I was wondering about this and other streaming services a few times. I have a Phillips 4K TV, and on the TV I have never been able to find a way of displaying on screen whether I am watching "true UHD" or not - I think it does flash up "HDR" content for a split second sometimes when you switch channels, but on other TVs I have had there is a button you can press which shows on the screen exactly what type of content you are watching.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Q-tips — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 13:50:28 GMT

@Cat1967 wrote:
Also "Enhanced for UHD" is obviously marketing, since unless you know otherwise, you might think this means it's even better than "normal UHD".

Yup - it should be "Upscaled for UHD".

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Q-tips — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 13:54:17 GMT

Still hoping that simon194 (or anyone) will be able to get back to me with some examples of the "Remastered for UHD" tag. Maybe it's exclusive to Sky Cinema or some other add-on Sky service that I don't subscribe to…

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

xenon81 — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 14:15:41 GMT

It's definitely listed for entertainment shows. To see it, go to Home, On Demand, Ultra HD, under "Even More in UHD" you should find NCIS Los Angeles, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, SEAL Team and Blue Bloods showing "Enhanced for UHD" in the description.

Films on Sky Cinema are also listed as Enhanced for UHD where appropriate The Amazing Spiderman and The Matrix are two currently listed on the first page of the Sky Cinema section showing as enhanced.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Q-tips — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 14:32:35 GMT

@xenon81 wrote:
It's definitely listed for entertainment shows. To see it, go to Home, On Demand, Ultra HD, under "Even More in UHD" you should find NCIS Los Angeles, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, SEAL Team and Blue Bloods showing "Enhanced for UHD" in the description.

Films on Sky Cinema are also listed as Enhanced for UHD where appropriate The Amazing Spiderman and The Matrix are two currently listed on the first page of the Sky Cinema section showing as enhanced.

Thank you. Those are places I've never been to. And I guess a lot of folk get to those programmes without going through the listings pages. It's not very useful unless it shows up in the programme guide and the EPG. And AFAICT, none of the sports programmes is flagged up as "Enhanced for UHD" - which they should be since there's a dedicated Sky Sports "UHD" channel which shows a lot of non-UHD programmes.

It looks like Sky are burying the tag when they do use it - and ignoring it completely in the high traffic sports channels, presumably hoping that viewers will be duped into thinking they are getting more native UHD than they are.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

xenon81 — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 14:44:23 GMT

@Q-tips wrote:
@xenon81 wrote:
It's definitely listed for entertainment shows. To see it, go to Home, On Demand, Ultra HD, under "Even More in UHD" you should find NCIS Los Angeles, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, SEAL Team and Blue Bloods showing "Enhanced for UHD" in the description.

Films on Sky Cinema are also listed as Enhanced for UHD where appropriate The Amazing Spiderman and The Matrix are two currently listed on the first page of the Sky Cinema section showing as enhanced.
Thank you. Those are places I've never been to. And I guess a lot of folk get to those programmes without going through the listings pages. It's not very useful unless it shows up in the programme guide and the EPG.

The only way to watch those programmes is to download them (there is no UHD entertainment channel) so however a viewer accesses them, whether it's via the menu, voice search or any other way, they will see the description with "enhanced for UHD".

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Q-tips — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 16:28:01 GMT

@xenon81 wrote:
@Q-tips wrote:
@xenon81 wrote:
It's definitely listed for entertainment shows. To see it, go to Home, On Demand, Ultra HD, under "Even More in UHD" you should find NCIS Los Angeles, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, SEAL Team and Blue Bloods showing "Enhanced for UHD" in the description.

Films on Sky Cinema are also listed as Enhanced for UHD where appropriate The Amazing Spiderman and The Matrix are two currently listed on the first page of the Sky Cinema section showing as enhanced.
Thank you. Those are places I've never been to. And I guess a lot of folk get to those programmes without going through the listings pages. It's not very useful unless it shows up in the programme guide and the EPG.
The only way to watch those programmes is to download them (there is no UHD entertainment channel) so however a viewer accesses them, whether it's via the menu, voice search or any other way, they will see the description with "enhanced for UHD".

But the sports downloads aren't flagged as "Enhanced for UHD" so where's the consistency? Also the channel hoppers need to see that flag in the EPG. Sky are burying it across all of their sports output - which is especially deceptive in the dedicated sports "UHD" channel.

Re: UHD with Sky Q basic package

Cat1967 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 08:12:46 GMT

Why about the F1 channel - is that one proper UHD or "enhanced for UHD", which as far as I can tell from this thread means "not really UHD"