Sky Q Apps pixelating

[diggerddodar]

Well, I've had a email direct from Sky stating it's a known issue. With no date for resolution.

Yet, had an engineer out today (2nd attempt as failed to turn up for last appointment).

Said all was good, knew nothing of the issue, replacement box with external power source was for an old issue that's now been resolved. God knows when this will ever get sorted. 😱

[Govee]

@Mattym63  Frankly that is outrageous, this is Sky issue and we are paying them for for it. I have had two lots of compensation from them due to this issue, but it seems now they fear the floodgates opening and are trying avoid compensation.

I have been trying out Amazon 4k fire stick for the last few weeks, and as my contract is up soon, it works well, so I will definitely be leaving Sky after 26 years.

Such a shame!

[RandallCat]

So I raised a complaint / support ticket 2 weeks ago, got a call from a nice lad who listened to my requests. Said they would send a new SkyQ box , the model with the external PSU. However what was delievered was exacty the same model. And yes, it has the exact same problem. I spoke with Tech Support today and they are sending an engineer to test everything. It's sad that they really dont believe the community when we tell them the fix. I mean it would save them lots of engineering and support costs. I explained that I am a Tech guy, was a Network Manager previously ,  now working for a Software Vendor, and pretty well qualified to discuss such things.... Anyway theyre sending an engineer regardless so I can waste an afternoon hanging around to have a sprited discussion with a person who most likely will try to convince me that the exiisting box is fine.  However, they have waivered the £15 tech engineer bill.  Anyway I live in hope...

[Simon+Stapes]

Do these boxes with external power supplies run on the same software version as those boxes with an internal power supply?  I just can't get my head around why this isn't a software issue, considering it's an issue I've only had since July.  Prior to that I never had the issue in over a year of using these streaming services a lot via my Sky Q box.

[Mattym63]

@Govee The funny thing is when I asked for my complaint to be raised higher or open a additional complaint she told me she was the highest the complaints go....lol.

[RandallCat]

@Simon+Stapes concensus on here is that it may be the software upgrade needs more processing (hence heat) and this may be in part causing the problem. Members that have had a Externel PSU unit as replacement report that this appears to have resolved the problem. Or it could be pure coincidence or some kind of wizardry , at this point I'm not sure Sky even knows. 

[JibbaJoy]

I think the update they did mid-July took the original boxes over thier maximum operating threshold and the artifacts are the result of this. Sky could be trying to resolve this with more efficient software decoding of the video streams rather than replace all the original boxes.

As regards to complaints to the top - if you've exhausted the Sky process (and can prove it) then https://www.ombudsman-services.org/ is the next level up.

Or there's Whatchdog - Sky customers are paying out over a £100 a month for a Streaming TV service that is perfoming so bad for the last 3 months that a Sky community forum site has a discussion thread on the issue that's over 41 pages long, with 1000's of participants!

[Bob+Niro]

@Mattym63 I think you were unlucky with the person you got through to. One of the most irritating things is the total lack of consistency from front line staff. Other people have raised the very same issue you have and they have got a replacement box as a result. You should have told her that the problem is also now showing on sky recordings (which some people have already reported) and she couldn't say it not Sky's fault then. 

As someone said earlier, either watch your apps on your smart tv or get a new box. For a Sky employee to tell you you should have a smart tv is mind boggling. 

Has anyone else noticed pixilation on sky recordings? I think i have noticed twice so far but I'm wondering was it just my imagination!!!!

[Bob+Niro]

@KevNewMedia @Daniel-F  I appreciate Sky employees coming on here and trying to help when they don't have to but at this stage is there anyway we can get something more helpful that 'the engineers are still working on it'?? Should we all request new boxes or wait for a software update?

[type-r]

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@Bob+Niro wrote:

@KevNewMedia @Daniel-F  I appreciate Sky employees coming on here and trying to help when they don't have to but at this stage is there anyway we can get something more helpful that 'the engineers are still working on it'?? Should we all request new boxes or wait for a software update?

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And @KevNewMedia and @Daniel-F - why can you not simply rollback to whatever was the last working firmware was, that clearly worked with all boxes, whilst you work on a fix in the background? Everyone is then happy.

[B.O.B]

If it was a hardware problem, them surely the pixelating would be on sky aswell, ie, on demand, downloads.

Also how can it not be a sky problem when the apps are pixelating only on their box and not on any other smart tv etc.

[Umiamz]

Only just found this thread after suffering pixellation with the Sky Q Prime app. Workaround for me is to use the apps on my Apple TV 4K box which has superior picture quality with my LG TV, anyway. It was more convenient (i.e. fewer button presses and being able to use the same remote) to quickly watch things using the Sky apps but it is what it is. 

I assume that Sky Stream doesn't have this issue? My contract comes up for renewal next month and was wondering whether to switch to Stream as I have very good broadband connectivity. 

[JibbaJoy]

Just completed my subs renewal through Sky's cancellation/retention team and manage to improve my 28% discount to 35%.

I couldn't beat this even if I went to an Amazon Firestick with Now TV plus Disney, Paramount, Netflix & Prime (even with their six month deals).

[ChrisUK65]

Re pixelation on Sky Q recordings. I suffered from that and actually managed to take a screen shot of it on my phone to prove it. When I spoke to Sky support on the phone it was only when I mentioned to them that I was having problems on Sky channels and recordings as well as on apps like Netflix, that they immediately arranged for an engineer to visit and when they turned up they changed the Q box for one with the external supply without hesitation and stated "known problem and they have thousands of boxes to change"...

[ChrisUK65]

I should add that it is now a week since my replacement Sky Q box was installed and after watching hours of shows via Netflix, Prime etc and a few recordings we have not seen one out of place pixel or other issues. So my experience is that this is definately a hardware issue.