topic Re: HD Frustration in Sky Q

HD Frustration

JohnC20 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:58:53 GMT

I have just spent the most frustrating 4 weeks of my 26 years of Sky usage. Following a review of my subscription (where I removed HD and multiroom costs) I was immediately unable to time-record Witness or access any On Demand content (both of which should not have been affected). I tried all the recommended solutions (including the laborious Factory Sttings re-set) without success. After patient and extensive on-line chats with many agents I have been told the only solution is a replacement box which is on its way but means long reinitiation of all my apps and settings, and loss of all our recordings. VERY FRUSTRATING and no guarantee that it will solve the problem!

Re: HD Frustration

Angel_Aka — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:06:15 GMT

@JohnC20

If you removed HD from your subscription did you change the download format to SD? Were you trying to watch the HD version of Sky Witness on channel 107 rather than the SD version on 807?

Press Home on your Sky Q remote.
Select Settings then Setup.
Select Preferences, then On Demand default download format, and choose SD

Re: HD Frustration

Daniel0210 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:11:51 GMT

@JohnC20

If you receive - and accept the replacement box it'll probably be via a 'doorstep box swap' whereby a courier company (usually DPD in the UK) deliver a new box and take your pre-disconnected faulty box away so remember to remove the viewing card from the old box before it disappears into the van. Also accept the power cable the courier brings in case it's a different fitting to the one you have already.

Re: HD Frustration

JohnC20 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:18:32 GMT

Thanks Angel - everything tried and failed. One of the fundamental issues is that it is not possible to change HD settings to SD as so simply explained. - there is simply no SD Option to change to in my settings procedure. Personally I think it's a Sky coding glitch.

Re: HD Frustration

xenon81 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:49:17 GMT

@JohnC20 wrote:
Thanks Angel - everything tried and failed. One of the fundamental issues is that it is not possible to change HD settings to SD as so simply explained. - there is simply no SD Option to change to in my settings procedure. Personally I think it's a Sky coding glitch.

Where are you looking? There is definitely an option to change the default download format to SD in the settings menu.

Re: HD Frustration

Laing1 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:59:27 GMT

@xenon81 wrote:

@JohnC20 wrote:

Thanks Angel - everything tried and failed. One of the fundamental issues is that it is not possible to change HD settings to SD as so simply explained. - there is simply no SD Option to change to in my settings procedure. Personally I think it's a Sky coding glitch.

Where are you looking? There is definitely an option to change the default download format to SD in the settings menu.

@JohnC20 the option is only available on the main Q box and not on minis

Re: HD Frustration

nigea99 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:08:14 GMT

@JohnC20 wrote:

Thanks Angel - everything tried and failed. One of the fundamental issues is that it is not possible to change HD settings to SD as so simply explained. - there is simply no SD Option to change to in my settings procedure. Personally I think it's a Sky coding glitch.

I do seem to recall someone a few years ago not getting the option to set to SD but it is very rare

I am not sure what the fix for them was - it may have been a restart or a refresh of their card but it may have been a box swap

Re: HD Frustration

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:12:31 GMT

@Laing1 wrote:
@xenon81 wrote:
@JohnC20 wrote:
Thanks Angel - everything tried and failed. One of the fundamental issues is that it is not possible to change HD settings to SD as so simply explained. - there is simply no SD Option to change to in my settings procedure. Personally I think it's a Sky coding glitch.
Where are you looking? There is definitely an option to change the default download format to SD in the settings menu.
@JohnC20 the option is only available on the main Q box and not on minis

As it the main box that down loads on demand content to the hard drive on the main box. There is no hard drive in the mini box's therefore it takes the download recordings from the main box. So if you have set the default to SD on the main box that programme will play if selected from recording on the mini box in SD. Even if you select the program you want to download load on the mini box it will be the main box will download the program in the format selected on the main box.. In fact the recording menu on both main box and mini box are exactly the same so if what ever you down load on the main box will be available in the same format on the mini box and vice verser. Therefore therefore there is no need for a format setting on the mini box. Are you downloads play ok in SD on your main box?

Re: HD Frustration

TimmyBGood — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:16:35 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:

In fact the recording menu on both main box and mini box are exactly the same so if what ever you down load on the main box will be available in the same format on the mini box

Unless it's UHD.

Re: HD Frustration

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:22:09 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
In fact the recording menu on both main box and mini box are exactly the same so if what ever you down load on the main box will be available in the same format on the mini box
Unless it's UHD.

I was going to put that point but on reflection did not want complicate matters but yes if you had the uhd add on and therefore download a uhd format programme on the main box , though it will show on the listings on record menu on the mini box it won't play because the minbox do not have uhd capability.