Sky Q

[AlexHawkes]

Hello - I have two Sky + HD boxes and for a while I got messages from Sky to say that they are no longer supported and that I should upgrade them to Sky Q - which I understand.

I rang Sky to ask how i could watch the existing recordings that I have and the gent informed me that they cannot be tranferred to the new units.

We then got cut off and I have heard nothing since.

My question is therefore, what have others done to make this work please?

Thank you,

Alex

[TimmyBGood]

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@AlexHawkes wrote:

My question is therefore, what have others done to make this work please?

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Mostly they haven't: transfer of recordings to more recent Sky hardware isn't either a right or a feature.

If you have (or can source) an antique recording device* which can accept input from the Sky+ hardware over analogue output then that's the only approved technique: HDCP encryption over HDMI is specifically designed to block output to a recording device.

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/copying-programmes-to-dvd 

*HDDR or DVDR with SCART, RF, component or composite input.

[Mark39]

@AlexHawkes the adviser was right - you can't transfer recordings. Unfortunately you can't watch them on your Sky+HD boxes either once you subscribe to Sky Q. They're lost, I'm afraid.

[AlexHawkes]

Ok thank you very much - makes me wonder why I would change in that case.

Thanks again.

[nigea99]

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@AlexHawkes wrote:

Ok thank you very much - makes me wonder why I would change in that case.

Thanks again.

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hi @AlexHawkes 

If your SKY HD is working, then currently there is no need to change, although SKY would prefer everyone to move off the old SKY HD system.

The lack of software updates is not an issue - I am not sure when the last one was (I have had Q for many years) - although others here may be able to advise

You will not be able to pair your card with another box should your box fail.

You may, also, wish to read some notes I have made for people considering switching from SKY +/HD to SKY Q

SKY +/HD to SKY Q 

[Mark39]

@AlexHawkes there's no immediate need to change, all the while your Sky box continues to work ok.

Sky+ however, is increasingly unsupported so if any fault develops with the box or your dish/cabling, Sky won't fix it. At that point, you would have to change either to Sky Q or Stream to continue viewing.

[AlexHawkes]

This is most helpful and balanced to - which I appreciate 🙂

It does lead me to further questions though.... at the moment I have two boxes and therefore two subscriptions. So would I replace this with one main box and one mini? Is there the scope to add a further mini as part of the same package and perhaps save a few quid (seems unlikely)?

Lastly, I live in quite a remote area and have Fibre to the Mast Interent that is 50mbps - would this be  able to cope IYHO? I won't hold anyone to it, just thinking aloud.

Alex

[Daniel0210]

@AlexHawkes 
You can have a maximum of 4 mini boxes loaned to you by Sky. You can watch Sky content on two minis and the main box at the same time. You may be able to use a third mini box if the first one in use is being used for a streaming app ie: Netflix or DIsney+. It’s worth mentioning that UHD content can’t be viewed on a mini box.

Be aware the original 1TB (non-UHD) Sky Q box only allows one mini to be in use. All 2TBs and the UHD/HDR 1TB permit two mini boxes. Each mini box which is loaned to you may be subject to a one off upfront charge but you only need one Sky Q monthly Multiscreen subscription.

[TimmyBGood]

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@AlexHawkes wrote:

Lastly, I live in quite a remote area and have Fibre to the Mast Interent that is 50mbps - would this be  able to cope IYHO? 

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Yes, as long as the ISP doesn't have any service restrictions.  Q actually only needs a few Mbps of broadband to spool on-demand content to disk before viewing: we had ours running on average ADSL back in 2016, and just left UHD downloading overnight.

[Mark39]

@AlexHawkes just a further thought, in case it affects your decision-making - all satellite broadcasting services are expected to cease at around the end of the decade, so a switch to Sky Q would be relatively temporary.