Switching from SKY + / SKY HD to SKY Q - some points to note

[cuke]

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@Margni wrote:

Hi all. I have two Sky HD boxes and in my latest bill I noticed that Sky Box Set package is costing me £51.50. I called Sky and was told that to drop this pacakge I would need to go back on a new contract (out of contract at the moment) and would have to take Sky Q. Is that the case? It seems harsh to insist that if I dont want Box Sets then I have to change to Sky Q. I am currently happy with our Sky HD boxes although I appreciate that sooner or later I will need to change to Sky Q if I stay with Sky at a supplier. Thanks.

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Yes Sky are no longer issuing/renewing SkyHD accounts.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Margni wrote:

 in my latest bill I noticed that Sky Box Set package is costing me £51.50. 

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The legacy baseline subscription is 'Entertainment', where Box Sets were an extra cost add-on.  'Signature' has Box Sets included, and 'Ultimate TV' adds Netflix.

Sky is trying hard to get the remaining users off the Sky+ HD platform because this is increasingly difficult to support, and may well insist on subscribers moving to Q in order to benefit from an in-contract current bundle at a lower cost.

[Margni]

Thank you all for the support and your thoughts. I have managed to negotiate to Sky Signature (which includes box sets) without a recontract but I notice that I lose HD so I will, I presume, need to subscribe to that as an add on @ £9 a month but free for the firest 4 months.  I dont knoiw that it was worth the effort TBH. I will eventually need to move to Sky Q but not yet.

[Wiganer5]

Many thanks for that much appreciated. 

[Redqueen-PSO]

Hi all,

We've just signed up to upgrade after getting an email and letter saying there will be no more software updates for the old hd boxes and they won't be supported anymore.

The order says Sky Q 1TB UHD Can I check if it will work ok connected to my quite old, just HD TV. At the time it was a good TV, full HD with up to 100hz refresh for gaming.

I assume it will be able to just output a lower resolution to the older TV? Though I don't mind the excuse if I've got to get a new TV! 🤣

[nigea99]

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@Redqueen-PSO wrote:

Hi all,

We've just signed up to upgrade after getting an email and letter saying there will be no more software updates for the old hd boxes and they won't be supported anymore.

The order says Sky Q 1TB UHD Can I check if it will work ok connected to my quite old, just HD TV. At the time it was a good TV, full HD with up to 100hz refresh for gaming.

I assume it will be able to just output a lower resolution to the older TV? Though I don't mind the excuse if I've got to get a new TV! 🤣

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hi @Redqueen-PSO 

Providing it has an HDMI input capable of HDCP 1.4  (which  I think probably all HD TVs do) 

P.S. I have used mine with a 2007 HD ready Sony 24" TV

[mr.tickle]

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@Redqueen-PSO wrote:

Hi all,

We've just signed up to upgrade after getting an email and letter saying there will be no more software updates for the old hd boxes and they won't be supported anymore.

The order says Sky Q 1TB UHD Can I check if it will work ok connected to my quite old, just HD TV. At the time it was a good TV, full HD with up to 100hz refresh for gaming.

I assume it will be able to just output a lower resolution to the older TV? Though I don't mind the excuse if I've got to get a new TV! 🤣

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If your TV works with Sky+HD now, I would've thought would work with SkyQ. As with Sky+HD, it can output lower than its max resolution if required - remember that when SkyQ launched, very few people had 4K TVs.

(Something to check before the technician leaves, not after!)

HTH

[Kenneth+Alan+Hunt]

Further to @nigea99's advice about making sure new subscribers to Sky Q received the 1TB UHD Box not the old non-UHD  Box, I am having Sky Q installed on 30th May and Sky informed me that it would be a 1TB UHD Box and the non-UHD Box had been discontinued. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Kenneth+Alan+Hunt wrote:

 Sky informed me that it would be a 1TB UHD Box and the non-UHD Box had been discontinued. 

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That's technically  correct: the original non-UHD 1TB from 2016 was replaced in the hardware lineup for new customers by the UHD/HDR 1TB in late 2019. 

https://www.whathifi.com/news/sky-launches-a-more-affordable-4k-capable-sky-q-box 

This isn't really the same thing as there no longer being refurbished non-UHD 1TBs in Sky stock though.

[Willie+OGorman]

Hi @NigeA @@@ I have@@recently switched to SkyQ and read that it's not possible to watch programmes I have recorded on my Sky+HD box. If I still have my Sky viewing card how does my old box know that I have switched to SkyQ and any suggestions how I could foo

[oj01]

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@Willie+OGorman wrote:

Hi @NigeA @@@ I have@@recently switched to SkyQ and read that it's not possible to watch programmes I have recorded on my Sky+HD box. If I still have my Sky viewing card how does my old box know that I have switched to SkyQ and any suggestions how I could foo

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There's no way I'm afraid. Your old viewing card will be switched off. The LNB on the dish is changed for Sky Q meaning that your Sky+HD box won't get a signal and without a signal it won't initialize when you switch it on, so you can't get to your recordings. 

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @Willie+OGorman   Your LNB on your dish would have been changed to a Wideband LNB which doesn't work on the old Sky+HD boxes. If the Sky+HD box cannot see the satellite then it is blocked. It is impossible to view your old recordings on your Sky+HD box.

[Willie+OGorman]

Thanks for explaining that.

[noelmartin53]

What are the pros and cons of upgrading from Sky+ to Sky Q.

I have contacted Sky to order three Sky Q boxes, living room, Kitchen and bedroom, and was wondering with the main viewing area being located in the kitchen,

will the other 2 Sky Q boxes be inferior to the main Q box.

[nigea99]

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@noelmartin53 wrote:

What are the pros and cons of upgrading from Sky+ to Sky Q.

I have contacted Sky to order three Sky Q boxes, living room, Kitchen and bedroom, and was wondering with the main viewing area being located in the kitchen,

will the other 2 Sky Q boxes be inferior to the main Q box.

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hi @noelmartin53 

I would ask that you read through this discussion as  I have tried to highlight main differences although I know I have not, perhaps, listed all the benefits of SKY Q - I am not a sales person and often forget the improvements / benefits of SKY Q taking some if not many for granted.

One feature I think I have nt mentoned but I find useful is that on the main box only you can get a mini preview of last channel or other channels whilst watching which can be very handy if (as I do) I watch something else during adverts being able to see when the 'main' channel I was watching is back.

I think one of the key things (mentioned in my initial notes) that you may need to be aware of is that only the main box is 4K and also that is the only one connected to the dish 

If you do have specific queries afte reading the notes do ask & we will try to help

P.S. I don't think this affects you but since writing the notes SKY no longer offer the Hybrid LNBs I mentioned needed for using SKY Q with other Freesat boxes