Sky to launch Sky Q without dish by Xmas based on Xfinity X1 box

[TimmyBGood]

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@Rhonny wrote:

@tarbat 

The future does not include aerials or dishes. 

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Perhaps more importantly it probably doesn't include orbiting broadcast platforms or, to a lesser extent, masts, both of which represent seriously expensive long-term infrastructure investment which is looking much less attractive than it did forty years ago.

[tarbat]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:
Perhaps more importantly it probably doesn't include orbiting broadcast platforms or, to a lesser extent, masts, both of which are represent seriously expensive long-term infrastructure investment which is looking much less attractive than it did forty years ago.

Totally agree, and I'd expect the likes of the BBC & ITV to be the last to be willing to give up on traditional broadcast platforms. I suspect masts have a longer remaining lifespan than the Astra 28.2E satellites.

[TimmyBGood]

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@tarbat wrote: I suspect masts have a longer remaining lifespan than the Astra 28.2E satellites.

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Interesting to note that the only two 'upcoming launches' listed on the SES website are MEO internet platforms: their last television vehicle went up in 2018, and the 28.2E cluster already averages a decade old.

[fizzdisco]

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@johnboy999 wrote:

Will this box support HLG and Dolby Vision. I see it supports Doly Atmos?

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It doesn't support Dolby Vision in its current form. 

I'd think it unlikely that Sky would add it to their version of the box. They still want to be a mass market provider and Dolby Vision is not mass market. 

They wouldn't be able to just flip a switch and have all their HDR Sky Cinema & Sky Original content turn from HLG to Dolby Vision, it's a bit more complicated than that, particularly when all of Sky Cinema's 24fps content is currently sped up to 25fps. 

The Xfinity box does not have frame rate matching either so Sky will want to stick with their current 25fps/50hz content, as it is still the UK broadcast standard. 

I suspect Sky's version of this box will just be a more powerful NOW TV type streaming device with a Sky Q-esque user interface. 

[notagain]

I hope it does not have the buggy puma 6 chipset for its wifi, as Intel's Puma 6 chipset are included in several cable modems, including Arris ones. These are known to be defective, as they cause high spikes in network latency (slow web page loading, for example). These are pretty severe issues and cause network latency spikes and interfere with online gaming, streaming video, or simply surfing the web. So if its is an old Arris box with puma 6 it wont be much fun. Later models had broadcom chipsets.

[fizzdisco]

I love how we're all picking holes in a product that hasn't even been finalised yet!

Maybe the current tests that are underway will be an unmitigated disaster and the whole project will be shelved again... or maybe, just maybe, it'll actually work quite well.

[Q-tips]

I assume there will be an option to run both the current system and the new internet service side by side before an existing customer decides to kick the satellite. 

Internet outages, planned and unplanned, will presumably leave us with blank screens. OTOH, internet services should be impervious to adverse weather, unlike the satelllite signal.

One thing's for sure: I won't be switching my gigabit FTTH service to Sky for love nor money.

[notagain]

Well it is comcast and I bet they have a whole bunch of old Arris devices with that intel chipset, with the current semiconductor shortage I dont imagine it will be bang up to date hardware. Also many people cant get over 20Mbps in the UK and will they get 4K HDR with lower speeds, and higher latency that some lines have. You have to point out the good and the bad with any new system to get a overal view. I would personaly not want a Arris box if it was thorwn at me if its wifi/Ethernet setup is Intel based. I mean it was only this year that Arris used broadcom based components so whats the chance the UK gets that stock?

[Invisiblename]

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@tarbat wrote:

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@TimmyBGood wrote:
Perhaps more importantly it probably doesn't include orbiting broadcast platforms or, to a lesser extent, masts, both of which are represent seriously expensive long-term infrastructure investment which is looking much less attractive than it did forty years ago.

Totally agree, and I'd expect the likes of the BBC & ITV to be the last to be willing to give up on traditional broadcast platforms. I suspect masts have a longer remaining lifespan than the Astra 28.2E satellites.

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Unless you live in the North East and are served by the Bilsdale mast!

[TimmyBGood]

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@Q-tips wrote:

I assume there will be an option to run both the current system and the new internet service side by side before an existing customer decides to kick the satellite. 

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Probably not: that isn't a deployment model Sky has ever used.  I would have thought early adopters are going to be those who cannot have a dish.

[AnytimePlus+On+VM]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@Q-tips wrote:

I assume there will be an option to run both the current system and the new internet service side by side before an existing customer decides to kick the satellite. 

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Probably not: that isn't a deployment model Sky has ever used.  I would have thought early adopters are going to be those who cannot have a dish.

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Doesn''t the Express article (I know it's alll rumour) imply that the dishless offering will only be offered to customers that can't have a dish.  I'm sure I read that somewhere.

[Q-tips]

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@AnytimePlus+On+VM wrote:

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@Q-tips wrote:

I assume there will be an option to run both the current system and the new internet service side by side before an existing customer decides to kick the satellite. 

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Probably not: that isn't a deployment model Sky has ever used.  I would have thought early adopters are going to be those who cannot have a dish.

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Doesn''t the Express article (I know it's alll rumour) imply that the dishless offering will only be offered to customers that can't have a dish.  I'm sure I read that somewhere.

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That would make the most commercial sense as a start point. But I was told by a Sky engineer a fortnight ago that it would eventually be available to all who meed to bandwidth criteria - and that it would be possible to revert to satellite service if required.

[bob1234]

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@Q-tips wrote:

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@AnytimePlus+On+VM wrote:

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@Q-tips wrote:

I assume there will be an option to run both the current system and the new internet service side by side before an existing customer decides to kick the satellite. 

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Probably not: that isn't a deployment model Sky has ever used.  I would have thought early adopters are going to be those who cannot have a dish.

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Doesn''t the Express article (I know it's alll rumour) imply that the dishless offering will only be offered to customers that can't have a dish.  I'm sure I read that somewhere.

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That would make the most commercial sense as a start point. But I was told by a Sky engineer a fortnight ago that it would eventually be available to all who meed to bandwidth criteria - and that it would be possible to revert to satellite service if required.

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I would not believe either an installer or the Sky help desk, neither will have the information. It is fun to speculate but there will be no accurate information on this site until Sky make a formal announcement (and it could still be wrong)

[tarbat]

Just wondering if Sky without a dish would need a TV licence? Does watching live TV over the internet fall within the "broadcast" category for a TV licence?

[GD1]

@tarbat  Yes, any Live TV regardless of how it's delivered.