I've had a Sky Stream puck since July 2025 and, to be honest, not be very happy with it since day 1. I've always used my Apple 4k box (2017) for Netflix, Prime, etc, and just used the Puck for terrestrial catch-up and Sky programmes. Given my dislike of the puck I thought I'd try ITVX on the Apple box. The first thing that struck me was how much better the sound was, I mean soooo much better.
All my devices are attached to a Yamaha A6A amp which is connected to a Sony TV. I do not ues EARC for anything. I found the problem was that the puck was only outputting stereo sound for catch-up apps (as it should) but the amp said it was receiving a 5.1, and in some cases a 7.1, input. This prevented the amp effectively applying Dolby Surround, as it already thought the input was 5.1 audio. The same happened when I selected live channels, e.g. BBC, Channel 4.
I tried changing the audio output on the puck, Auto, Dolby Digital, Passthrough, but the only one which correctly said 2.0 was being output was the Stereo option. Incidentally, a Sky Dolby Atmos programme did give the correct output.
Testing the same catch-up app and same programme (Trigger Point on ITVX) on the Apple box correctly output 2.0 sound and correctly told the amp it was 2.0. I tried all the usual things complete power down of everything swapping cables/inputs between the Apple an puck, etc, all to no avail.
This was the final nail in the coffin for Sky Stream. After 27 years with Sky I've just cancelled Stream and will no longer have any Sky services. When I got my first Sky box all those years ago I thought it was the eighth wonder of the world, and Sky Q was brilliant. I know TV is moving towards Internet provision so surely Sky could have invented something better the the puck we have now. Couldn't they?
