Sky Sports UHD picture keeps stuttering

[pingloss]

This is something I've started to notice myself over the past couple of months on the two pucks I have. Prior to this, I've had zero issues streaming UHD content. Both pucks are connected via Ethernet and internet is via a very stable 1Gb fibre. Latency and jitter are very much within acceptable levels. Everything has been checked, patch cables and HDMI cables changed with zero improvements. I've even swapped the two pucks between the two TV's in an attempt for any change.

I've identified the IP addresses the streams are coming from at the times the stuttering is occurring and there's no packet loss and ping times on every hop along the path is sub 15ms. I don't know this has started occurring since a recent software update but it's something that's very visible when watching football or F1 on either the standard UHD or the low latency channel (922).

[antderoche]

What irks me just as much is I expect Sky to intervene here. They must read these threads yet cannot bring themselves to offer up an answer...but of course we know why. 

[David07]

I had this problem for a long time but think I figured the issue on my set up. I have LG TV with Sonos soundbar and changed the sound setting on the sky stream box to 'pass through' and this immediately fixed the stuttering. 

It makes no sense that a sound setting fixed the picture setting but it did! 

[tvboy55]

Trying to watch the recording if this morning La Vegas F1GP constantly freezing and stuttering  anyone else having  that issue , asking because a I have fitted a 

4K HDMI CEC Less Adapter to try and resolve another sound drop out issue 

[pingloss]

It would be interesting to know if Sky are trialling/testing something similar to what is mentioned by the BBC in their latest low latency iPlayer trial: https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/articles/2025-09-low-latency-streaming-trial 

'whereby a TV that has started behind the target latency or has subsequently fallen behind can play slightly faster than normal speed to catch up'

This is the kind of behavour I'm seeing where the picture stutters and then speeds up to catch up with the audio.

[Lasvegas]

Happens to me too - to be honest I think the sky stream boxes are really cheap and it's more to do with the tech inside them. I mean there's hardly any weight to the things they just feel poorly made. 

[antderoche]

Totally LasVegas

Sky rang me today and enquired about my service. Told them about the issue - they presented no solution and offered me £10.00 as compensation.  You really couldn't make it up. I refused the offer as its insulting. Can't wait for Virgin to ring me.

[RhYnoECfnW1]

Been having this issue the last few games, it's been particularly bad in the Man Utd -  Everton game tonight.

[antderoche]

Just turned it on and you're right.  I'm watching it on my Hisense TV which doesn't have anywhere near the quality of my LG (sorry Hisense) and it's juddering away. Really poor and so frustrating.....and I'm not talking about Man U.

[_DN_]

This appears to worked for me, but with a Sony Bravia VH1 and Sonos. Changed the sound settings on the puck to passthrough and no more stuttering/juddering. Not sure what the puck means by loosing some sort of audio functionality when changing the sound settings, but would rather watch a smooth match than keep some features I don't use. 

[RhYnoECfnW1]

I've tried changing to passthrough, and it did seem to make a difference for about 10 minutes but now stuttering again 

[antderoche]

RhYnoECfnW1 - you jinxed it! I thought the same but as your message appeared the juddering started again. 

Just remembered -  I know a high ranking Sky tech bro  - will send him a text now. 

[Geewhiz]

The game is unwatchable tonight on UHD, after the nonsense with the F1 being unavailable at the weekend this is just ridiculous.

[antderoche]

Just spoke to my Sky tech mate.

His response was he has the same problem 😂 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[pingloss]

All this anecdotal evidence seems to suggest this isn't a Wi-Fi/Ethernet or internet issue. Something has definitely happened to either how they are streaming or how the firmware is processing the stream. 

Either way it's not really an acceptable situation to be in and I'd like to think the more comments on the subject highlights the issue.