topic Re: UHD Content in Sky Q

UHD Content

ITFCFAN — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 17:22:58 GMT

I have 4 queries about Sky Q, I was wondering if someone could answer them for me.

I'm thinking of upgrading to Sky Q from Sky HD but I was wondering what/how much 4K content is available? I did a google search for a full list of UHD content on Sky Q but didn't get any results.

I've been thinking of upgrading for a while and naively thought that when I got Sky Q all the Cinema channels where in UHD haha, turns out after some recent research there isn't any UHD channels at all, well apart from sports.

I think I'm right in thinking 4K content is just available on demand? So yeah, could someone please give me a rough idea of how much 4K stuff I would have access too?

Secondly, can someone please tell me how the pic quality of the SD/HD TV channels on Sky Q compares to SKY HD, are they pretty much the same?

Thirdly, I've read that the Q boxes are quite noisy compared to regular Sky HD boxes, even when turned off, is this what people have experienced?

Finally I read that you can get Sky Q boxes that are not actually UHD boxes, is this really the case? If so do I have to ask specifically for UHD HDR box when upgrading?

Thanks for any help given.

Re: UHD Content

nigea99 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 19:27:35 GMT

@ITFCFAN wrote:

Hi

I have 4 queries about Sky Q, I was wondering if someone could answer them for me.

I'm thinking of upgrading to Sky Q from Sky HD but I was wondering what/how much 4K content is available? I did a google search for a full list of UHD content on Sky Q but didn't get any results.

I've been thinking of upgrading for a while and naively thought that when I got Sky Q all the Cinema channels where in UHD haha, turns out after some recent research there isn't any UHD channels at all, well apart from sports.

I think I'm right in thinking 4K content is just available on demand? So yeah, could someone please give me a rough idea of how much 4K stuff I would have access too?

Secondly, can someone please tell me how the pic quality of the SD/HD TV channels on Sky Q compares to SKY HD, are they pretty much the same?

Thirdly, I've read that the Q boxes are quite noisy compared to regular Sky HD boxes, even when turned off, is this what people have experienced?

Finally I read that you can get Sky Q boxes that are not actually UHD boxes, is this really the case? If so do I have to ask specifically for UHD HDR box when upgrading?

Thanks for any help given.

hi @ITFCFAN

You are correct that the only UHD channels are for live sport (although special events such as the late Queen's funeral & the King's Coronation were also live in UHD)

I haven't done any specific analysis but probably the majority of the main blockbuster films are available to download in UHD and a fair proportion of the back catalogue available of on demand films.

Some of the Key entertainment shows are also availble in UHD - for example currently True Detective S4 & from the back catalogue one my all time favourites - A Discovery of Witches.

I am sorry not to be able to fully quantify how much is available in UHD

BTW I should mention it doesn't help that SKY Q uses a GUI with 'Rails' and the people that are responsible for populating rails called Ultra HD don't always get it right and include shows only availble in HD !

I believe that some people find the SKY Q picture for SD & HD seems a little softer than via the HD box but I have no problem at all with SD & HD content on my Panasonic 58" OLED tv.

I think you maybe right that some SKY Q boxes seem noisier than SKY HD but I think it can vary from box to box (mini boxes are pretty much silent as they don't have a hard disc)

Edit: I should mention I rarely notice my main box but it is in an alcove behind my TV

Yes there are still some non UHD boxes offered - please can I refer you to some notes I have put together for people considering switching from SKY +/HD to SKY Q

SKY +/HD to SKY Q

which may also answer some other questions you may have or even prompt you to enquire more regarding something more specific - feel free to ask & we will endevour to answer

Re: UHD Content

PandJ2020 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 18:43:14 GMT

Just on UHD/HDR - they are different things entirely.

UHD is the video resolution (4K) and HDR is the colour range/brightness. (You need a TV with HLG).

You can have UHD without HDR. If you want a UHD+HDR box then there may be an additional one-off (non-refundable) charge. Remember all Q boxes are lent and must be returned if you cancel your subscription.

Re: UHD Content

Jones_The_Cat — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 19:14:50 GMT

@ITFCFAN

Sky Q boxes are noisier than Sky+HD boxes. They have a fan which spins constantly, even when the box is in standby. It's very quiet but if you're sensitive to such things it can take a bit of getting used to.

Re: UHD Content

oldfella — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 19:19:18 GMT

@Jones_The_Cat wrote:

@ITFCFAN

Sky Q boxes are noisier than Sky+HD boxes. They have a fan which spins constantly, even when the box is in standby. It's very quiet but if you're sensitive to such things it can take a bit of getting used to.

Hi @Jones_The_Cat

Q fan is temperature controlled and not continuously on

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-q-boxes-are-warm-to-touch-or-noisy

Re: UHD Content

Invisiblename — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 19:24:01 GMT

@oldfella wrote:
@Jones_The_Cat wrote:
@ITFCFAN
Sky Q boxes are noisier than Sky+HD boxes. They have a fan which spins constantly, even when the box is in standby. It's very quiet but if you're sensitive to such things it can take a bit of getting used to.
Hi @Jones_The_Cat
Q fan is temperature controlled and not continuously on
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-q-boxes-are-warm-to-touch-or-noisy

@Jones_The_Cat no noisy fan here

Re: UHD Content

Laing1 — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 20:02:59 GMT

@Jones_The_Cat wrote:

@ITFCFAN

Sky Q boxes are noisier than Sky+HD boxes. They have a fan which spins constantly, even when the box is in standby. It's very quiet but if you're sensitive to such things it can take a bit of getting used to.

@Jones_The_Cat although some people have reported this it's not something i've experienced with the 2 boxes i have had my original 2TB UHD box and the 2TB UHD v2 HDR trial box I was given they were both /are quieter than the HD box I had

Re: UHD Content

ITFCFAN — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:44:00 GMT

Thank you very much for your detailed reply and the link, both were most helpful.

It sounds like there is a fair amount of UHD content so that's good to know, plus I'm happy with your answers for my other queries, I think I'm going to go for the upgrade.

Thanks again for your help.

Re: UHD Content

ITFCFAN — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:48:35 GMT

Thank you very much for your reply and thanks for explaining that for me.

So am I right in thinking there are 3 different Sky Q boxes, HD-UHD-UHD HDR?

Re: UHD Content

ITFCFAN — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:52:00 GMT

Thanks for letting me know, hopefully it won't bother me to much.

Re: UHD Content

Dubzzy — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:50:54 GMT

a silmiliar type of question i had, so came accross this on a search. I got a promotion on my Sky VIP rewards for 4 months free UHD then £4 after, but before I decide I really want to knw what content is available in 4K UHD. Google searches arent very clear and Sky's own website is vague.

It is my understanding that UHD is only beneficila for Sky Cinema and Sky Sports (premium channels). There is the odd show on Sky Atlanti, which really does not interest me. If that is the case, then I might aswell look into Netflix premium which has 4K content or watch some 4K content on YouTube

Re: UHD Content

PandJ2020 — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:04:51 GMT

@Dubzzy wrote:
my understanding that UHD is only beneficila for Sky Cinema and Sky Sports (premium channels). There is the odd show on Sky Atlantic

Yup, Cinema and Sports are the main source of material. There are 4K shows from Sky channels such as Atlantic for download. (Movies are all via download - there is some live sport in UHD)

UHD used to unlock premium in NetFlix so there was peripheral benefit but it's changed now.

Re: UHD Content

Number56 — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 16:28:48 GMT

I'm pleased I researched this(UHD) as it seems a waste of money in general.

Re: UHD Content

PandJ2020 — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 17:02:06 GMT

@Number56 wrote:
I'm pleased I researched this(UHD) as it seems a waste of money in general.

I disagree but YMMV - it's completely optional

Re: UHD Content

fac10 — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 13:24:41 GMT

Apologies if this is slightly off topic.

I recently had my old Sky Q 2TB box replaced with a new unit. Working fine overall but I could swear there are less HDR versions of UHD movies listed. To clarify, I can see some UHD films that were showing on my old 2TB as UHD HDR and were correctly recognised as such when played on my TV ‘HLG HDR’ are now listed only as UHD.

It could be my memory playing tricks here, but Sky’s own orginal movie ‘The Dry’ is now showing as UHD only, not UHD HDR, I was sure I saw this as UHD HDR on the previous box. Similarly listing such as ‘Inception’ were UHD HDR on the old box, now just listed as UHD. I can see the odd movie as UHD HDR eg. ‘The Beekeeper’ but most are only now showing UHD in the EPG. Am I imagining this?

Also, I’ve been told I have the ‘latest box’, however BBC iPlayer still has no UHD option even in beta mode. Do any Sky boxes support this?

Thanks in advance for any assistance

Re: UHD Content

MightyQuinn — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 13:45:43 GMT

Hi @fac10 What is the Hardware version of your 2TB box? It will be 32B(0,1 or 2)? I believe that only the 32B2 boxes support BBC iPlayer in UHD.

Re: UHD Content

best+of+the+best — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:05:11 GMT

@MightyQuinn wrote:
Hi @fac10 What is the Hardware version of your 2TB box? It will be 32B(0,1 or 2)? I believe that only the 32B2 boxes support BBC iPlayer in UHD.

I have the Sky Q V2 32B106 no BBC iplayer in UHD not too fussed as I have the iplayer app on my Smart tv and Firetvstick which I can watch content in glorious UHD/HDR

Re: UHD Content

fac10 — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:15:07 GMT

Hi @MightyQuinn thanks for the fast reply. Much appreciated.

The box is listed as '32B106' . So it would appear I don't have the most up to date box as claimed by the support team. In fact, when on the phone to them I was eventually put through to 'technical support' I was told they would send a signal within 4 hours that would remedy this and I would get a UHD option on iPlayer. 😲 I gave up at this point on an already lengthy call.

I was a little suspicious I was not getting the latest box as I read on another forum the newer boxes have and internal power supply, not external as is the case with my previous and current box. I wonder if I could simply request a 32B2 box if I'd have any success?

Re: UHD Content

MightyQuinn — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:26:51 GMT

@fac10 wrote:
I wonder if I could simply request a 32B2 box if I'd have any success?

Hi @fac10 The suspicion is they stopped making the 2TB boxes a while ago. If you want the latest box 32B2 then you would have to have the 1TB version. Exactly the same as the 32B2 2TB box, just with a smaller hard drive. I have a 32B2 2TB box and I have never gone over 10%. I probably record 15 programmes a day time shifting, delete as soon as they are viewed.

Re: UHD Content

fac10 — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:27:05 GMT

Thanks @Anonymous+of+the+best. So the V2 32B106 does not support it either?

Same as you, I can get a UHD option on the iPlayer app on my TV which I will continue to use. However, I thought the newer Sky boxes had this functionality and I was checking this to see if I had the newest box, it would appear not.

Is there a V3 box that has an internal power supply?