Sky Stream - my worst decision in decades

[Uehara]

Pulled the pin on SKY Stream last week. In all fairness had a relatively trouble free 9 months with it compared to a lot of people. So,. One morning when my Puck refused to connect to the Internet I restarted etc. Nothing. Replacement puck sent. Now interestingly when it arrived with a very old software version it worked out the box. After a software update, exactly the same problem as the previous puck. I wasted almost 2.5 hours on the phone with Sky Tech and we ran through every possible solution. They assured me of a escalation and a follow up call. Nothing - so I've just cancelled.

Gone back to NOW on a new Apple TV and everything working like clockwork. 

I honestly don't think the puck is TRULY fit for purpose although the idea is great... As were the interface improvements over the last few months. 

[Bordonbert]

Hmmmm!   My puck STILL reports it is stuck in the middle of a software update after days.  There is no apparent way to kill the process and restart the update that I can see.  Anyone got any suggestions as to what might cancel it?  (Yes, of course I have restarted and no, there is no problem with internet access.  Oh, I am on fibre to the house and the puck is cabled to the network too on a 1GB setup so no wireless.)

[Jporch316]

I quite like the interface ..... one of the selling points to me 

[Bordonbert]

@Jporch316There is nothing wrong with what it is set up to do, just that it doesn't do it!  It is flaky and bug ridden and falls over with the slightest tug.  As an ex software developer I can't see anthing good about the way they have the thing working.  To say it limps along is impolite to those with mobility issues. 😉  And that is independent of the problems with the remote which are well documented here.

[Suskha]

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@Jporch316 wrote:

I quite like the interface ..... one of the selling points to me 

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Yep, I dont mind it either, I rarely see any problems and I use it all the time

[Fothergill1]

@Suskha Like you I have relatively few problems with my Glass TV and anytime there is a problem it is always cleared by a quick reboot.

The interface seems fine to me but it would be great if we could change the order of the rails but you can't do that with Sky Q either so it't not going to happen.

[Jporch316]

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@Suskha wrote:

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@Jporch316 wrote:

I quite like the interface ..... one of the selling points to me 

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Yep, I dont mind it either, I rarely see any problems and I use it all the time

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I got glass and stream and never had any such problems - I've even started using the continue watching rail and seems to be working fine for me 

never had one show drop from my playlist either 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Bordonbert]

This is going to go nowhere as most disagreements online of course, no big deal with that.  But hey guys just consider, what is the real point of posting "well it works fine for me"?  Of course it does and I'm really pleased for you lucky ones.  Bravo!

Have you looked to see the huge back reporting of terrible issues with the puck here, literally thousands of people suffered with it being virtually unusable?  Sky acknowledged that openly and issued replacements which were constructed differently inside to remove obvious documented problems.

We have the same thing with the puck and its software.  There are huge numbers of people posting that they have a variety of common shared problems with this device.  Does that mean you should too?  Not at all, but you should consider yourself lucky you are one of the lucky ones who manage to make it work.  Does that mean that the moaners are wrong, lying, imagining it, or just have "different tastes" they judge the interface by?  Not at all!

A puck which spontaneously reboots for no reason in the middle of a programme is an indication of a fault!  A puck which reboots or locks up when you try to skim backwards or forwards is faulty.  A puck which jumps back to the irritating "Why don't you watch this" screen during normal programme watching is either unbelievably badly designed at some level or it is faulty.  I and others suffer these faults regularly, at least a couple of times an evening, sometimes more.

Faults like these are most likely software related and that means they can be identified and fixed.  Should Sky do that?  Now we get to the difference of opinion.  To me that is a "yes" in capitals, they should feel honour bound to offer their customers a better quality service.  To you it seems to be a "no" with an added "why should I care, I don't get that, it works for me".  Would you be happy to continue to drive a car which suffers a documented huge number of crashes due to faulty brakes because you don't seem to have a problem?  Would you refuse the recall notice when it came because "I have never seen any problem".  That is not how supplied consumer items should work and not how we should gauge our expectations of them.  Those recalls of any faulty items are driven by others reporting they suffer faults.  That should be how we are seeing this here.

For Pete's sake take on board the idea that not everyone who reports problems and moans openly about them is an idiot or just a grouchy complaining pain in the **bleep**.  We may go over the top in our frustration but we aren't wrong or to be despised for it.  These are issues that Sky should be keen to face up to and deal with with determination.  And we should be keen to support each other and make them do so.

[Fothergill1]

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@Jporch316 wrote:

........ I've even started using the continue watching rail and seems to be working fine for me 

never had one show drop from my playlist either 🤷🏻‍♂️

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@Jporch316 To me the frustration with the CW rail is not being able to delete programmes you no longer wish to watch.  I have had some programes stuck on the CW rail for 4 months before they finally disappeared.  

[Jporch316]

@Fothergill1 

Not really used much to until recently- the current shows I'm in the middle of (including foundation on Apple TV ) all seem to be on there and play from the correct place when I select them 👍

[Jason+Golding]

For the balance of conversation and opinion. I like many other have had stream for a while now. It has been very very steady - no real issues. In actual fact I had far more issues with sky Q and the mini box frequently disconnecting. Both my sky stream boxes are connected via Wi-Fi. I love the ease of use of stream, I really like the UI and the fact that everything is contained in one box. 

[Suskha]

@Bordonbert It was posted for balance - folk dont usually come here and post if things are going well so you will always get a forum full of issues and questions which gives the impression that a product is junk - its not for me and many others and I will keep saying so regardless of any attempts to keep me quiet.

[Jporch316]

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@Bordonbert wrote:

This is going to go nowhere as most disagreements online of course, no big deal with that.  But hey guys just consider, what is the real point of posting "well it works fine for me"?  Of course it does and I'm really pleased for you lucky ones.  Bravo!

Have you looked to see the huge back reporting of terrible issues with the puck here, literally thousands of people suffered with it being virtually unusable?  Sky acknowledged that openly and issued replacements which were constructed differently inside to remove obvious documented problems.

We have the same thing with the puck and its software.  There are huge numbers of people posting that they have a variety of common shared problems with this device.  Does that mean you should too?  Not at all, but you should consider yourself lucky you are one of the lucky ones who manage to make it work.  Does that mean that the moaners are wrong, lying, imagining it, or just have "different tastes" they judge the interface by?  Not at all!

A puck which spontaneously reboots for no reason in the middle of a programme is an indication of a fault!  A puck which reboots or locks up when you try to skim backwards or forwards is faulty.  A puck which jumps back to the irritating "Why don't you watch this" screen during normal programme watching is either unbelievably badly designed at some level or it is faulty.  I and others suffer these faults regularly, at least a couple of times an evening, sometimes more.

Faults like these are most likely software related and that means they can be identified and fixed.  Should Sky do that?  Now we get to the difference of opinion.  To me that is a "yes" in capitals, they should feel honour bound to offer their customers a better quality service.  To you it seems to be a "no" with an added "why should I care, I don't get that, it works for me".  Would you be happy to continue to drive a car which suffers a documented huge number of crashes due to faulty brakes because you don't seem to have a problem?  Would you refuse the recall notice when it came because "I have never seen any problem".  That is not how supplied consumer items should work and not how we should gauge our expectations of them.  Those recalls of any faulty items are driven by others reporting they suffer faults.  That should be how we are seeing this here.

For Pete's sake take on board the idea that not everyone who reports problems and moans openly about them is an idiot or just a grouchy complaining pain in the **bleep**.  We may go over the top in our frustration but we aren't wrong or to be despised for it.  These are issues that Sky should be keen to face up to and deal with with determination.  And we should be keen to support each other and make them do so.

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Sorry I'll expand a little 

I have 3 pucks  and sky glass since April 22. I had a defective puck on delivery - wouldn't boot up at all - no drama - called sky went through the troubleshooting and they sent a replacement out within 3 days. Didn't even cross my mind to go on a forum on call it the worst decision I've ever made .....

you are right - there are a lot of posts on here of users with issues. That's why its called a help forum. Users don't come on here and post how much they like their new equipment - why would they ? 
we try and help those with issues and if you look and read the majority of posts on here you will find 

- you need a fast and stable WiFi or internet connection 

- ethernet , mesh WiFi and powerline adapters are all advised 

In the event of a non working or rebooting puck - sky are more than ready to troubleshoot or replace ? Not sure why anybody wouldn't get their equipment replaced under warranty if it was defective ?

in answer to your point - why shouldn't I post on here that I haven't experienced any of the issues posted ? 

[Gincap]

Sometimes you'll post in frustration to vent it's human nature and you feel better for letting rip but your still left with the issue.

There are people who just love Sky come what may and will never accept there are issues or there are cheaper, better alternatives. Others hate Sky and so on....

The same applies to Glass/Stream some users love it and will put up with all kinds of glitches, bugs workarounds and see it as part of being a Stream user, excited by the next firmware update and what issues that will bring for them to play with,  others just want to turn it on and watch what they want. That's turn it on not on or off and unplug and....

A glass half full or empty.

If like myself Stream is not working for you then any amount of posting here gets you knowhere, well it does put you on a watchlist and almost banned but it doesn't resolve your issues!

Fed up stop posting call Sky, make a cuppa keep calm and negotiate your way out, a level head often brings a solution.

Often it is best to move on ditch the frustration and look at alternatives.

"All you need... is patience. Be smarter than your smart TV" 😉

[Bordonbert]

Good words Gincap.  I did start to write another reply, my last. It was polite and addressed all of the things said by previous posters.  It got long as I addressed all of the points that seemed relevant in a calm factual way.  I ditched it as I decided that no amount of pointing out factual stuff would change anyone's perception that complaining about real faults many of us actually physically experience was warranted, and that posting "doesn't happen for me" responses was somehow a "fair thing to do" and not just pointless given the nature of what you are responding to!

Then I realised the route this was going down.  "...I will keep saying so regardless of any attempts to keep me quiet".  As Buffalo Springfield once sang, "Paranoia strikes deep".  Personally, as it was aimed at me, being the one pointing out the pointlessness of posting that everything is hunky dory in your world in a thread devoted to addressing faults, I take that comment as a small minded insult which reflects no truth whatsoever in my actions or intentions and it doesn't even deserve to be answered.  I have no interest in getting into a disagreement on that level with someone who could see my previous posts in that way.

JPorch316 posted, "Users don't come on here and post how much they like their new equipment - why would they ?"  Thanks for that, it sums up my own argument on this aspect of the thread in a nutshell.  So why would they do so in someone else's thread where the OP is reporting a fault?  How does that help in any way?

Anyway, I'm going to bow out of this thread now, hopefully gracefully.  There is no sense in it any more and I am only contributing to increasing bad feeling and wasting more of people's time which could be used better searching for the solutions to the faults and not gloating about how you don't see what all the fuss is about.