Sky Q Apps pixelating

[Gars1]

I did a software update on Sunday. Tried to watch something on Prime and the pixelating is just as bad as ever. 

Seems strange we never had this problem until the last 2 - 3 months.

[JCT9632]

I made a formal complaint online about this problem and said I wanted compensation for not getting the service I was paying for.  They acknowledged my complaint , saying they were working on it and compensation would be calculated from the date I made the complaint to when the fault was resolved  .

[Mintroyale]

Glad I found this thread

Ive had pixellation on all the apps (except YT and BBC) for the past 2-3 months.

900mb internet, wired into the sky box, no pixelation if I stream via Samsung TV apps, laptops etc...so it'd definitely the Sky Q box.

Will they issue a software fix???? Unlikely, Sky Q is on the way out, Sky are prioritising their Streaming Boxes and Glass now

[JibbaJoy]

I put in my complaint last week and rejected the 1st response then I was refererred to the technical dept. She wasn't aware of this issue and went through all the settings with me only for her to arrange for an engineer to visit next week.

[KinardUK]

Just a quick update from me. I spoke to customer services and the person I spoke to seemed to be aware of the issue, he checked my hardware and mentioned that as I'm running a really old (2017) Sky Q box, they are aware of issues with that box. They are going to be sending me a new Sky Q box, he said people have had more success with the newer boxes.

As it doesn't hurt to swap out old hardware I've agreed, and I'll report back if this does resolve my issue.

[Daniel0210]

@KinardUK 

This is likely to be via a 'doorstep box swap' whereby DPD deliver a new box and take your old box away so remember to remove the viewing card from the old box before it disappears into the van. 

[JCT9632]

Just out of interest what happens to programs/films you have stored on your box especially those that you paid for?

[Govee]

@JibbaJoy .........and the engineer will tell you there is nothing they can do. The engineers seem to be the only people who have been informed of the problem.

[Daniel0210]

@JCT9632 

Purchased films will remain available but normal recordings will be lost. 

[type-r]

I received a new box 24 hours ago and since installing it, I've watched arou d 3+ hours of a combination of Netflix and Disney, mainly 4k programming, and not seen a pixelation glitch yet. I had a 2016 Sky Q box so the new hardware looks like it has sorted out my issue. 

Also overnight, the Sky Q box updated automaticay to the latest firmware (5u193hm) and no issues showing. 

So in my experience, if you are suffering the issue and are offered a new box, take it.

[Mozzer51]

I am also experiencing this issue with an older sky Q box. We had a TV technician visit and install a new Sky Q box, I opened an Emily in Paris 4K episode and immediately was able to demonstrate the pixellating stream issue to the technician on the new box. 
We had a second technician visit last week and he admitted one of his local technician colleagues is also experiencing the pixelating stream issue on their own Sky Q box and haven't been able to resolve it either so the issue is caused by something within the Sky or Third Party streaming backbone.

I spoke to a customer support agent this afternoon but as I'm not in front of the sky a box they can't/won't help me or acknowledge there's a larger issue!!

I'm glad I found this thread today and will be back in touch with customer support on Friday

[gregg0176]

Any update on this issue please as it seems to be getting worse. What's the timeframe for a fix? We've just forked out for an OLED TV and it's detracting from our TV enjoyment.

[Meldrewman]

I approached Sky on two fronts this week.

I made a formal complaint and also, via DM, contacted Sky via Twitter saying that I'd heard that the age of the box may be part of the isue.

The twitter response was ...

"The issue you are having is a known fault, a replacement box isn't something we would issue for this as it isn't guaranteed to fix the issue as this is something that can happen to anyone. I apologise for any inconvenience this issue is causing you, it is planned to be fixed in an upcoming update, we don't have a timeframe however on when this will be released."

By now I'd been offered a call from Sky to discuss the problem so I thought this useful if they went down the "try this" route but, this morning, spoke with them and a technician who said that, while they concede there is a problem with an unknown fix date, older boxes are more susceptible and I was offered a new box or an engineer visit.

I asked the benefits of the alternative offers and was told that it would be best if I accepted the engineer visit because, before changing the box, he would check our set up.

We shall see! (but you'll have to be in suspense until October - we're on holiday first!).

[cmoh]

Had a new box on Wednesday and so far so good.

The engineer who came also said he thinks Q will be discontinued in the not to distant future and stream was the way to go

[Thondwe]

Not that it helps (given Sky are "working on a fix with no timeline" and their messaging is appalling on any bug, and their software devs are mostly rubbish as anyone who's fought the Windows version of Sky Go will testify) but the techie in me wonders if this is a scaling software issue in the streaming  element - I've only seen it on an older series (ITVX twelve) which I suspect may be a SD broadcast (it's an Aussie series), but Grace was fine (likely produced in HD)?  Prime (Rings of Power), Disney (Iron Man) all been fine - we have a HD TV.   Is it worse for those with a 4K TV - so upscaling both HD and SD content??