Why upgrade from Sky HD+ to Sky Q?

[Jon5]

I've recently bought a new Sky HD Plus box after several issues with my elderly Sky HD Plus box which must be about 12 years old.  But I did pause to think about whether it was time to ask for a Sky Q box. There is obviously one disadvantage in doing so. What are the advantages?  I don't think I ever need to record from more than 2 channels at once.

[Annie+UK · Accepted solution]

Sky Q gives you more features and content at the same subscription cost of Sky+

Sky are phasing out Sky+ so you'll get less and less for your money

[Jon5]

I doubt if I have any need for the additional features and content, given that I have a modern smart TV with Netflix, Amazon Prime and lots of other apps.

The big disadvantage of Sky Q is that you can't copy (archive) your recordings from the Sky box onto a DVD recorder or, if your tech is more primitive, onto a VCR.  And then maybe lend the recording to friends or family.

[Annie+UK]

Eventually Sky will drop Sky+ completely and it will get harder to replace faulty boxes as they stopped manufacturing them over 8 years ago

Content will move more and more to apps that Sky+ cannot access so value for money will drop over time

We will stick with Sky+ to the bitter end as my 78 yo mum would find it rather hard to transfer to Sky Q, she finds it hard to control Sky+ these days even after using it daily for many many years  😞

[Jon5]

If Sky prevent me from using my Sky HD box by blocking the transmissions, then I think I'd have a good cause for complaint and maybe I could organise a class action lawsuit. But that would be in the future. There seem to be plenty of reconditioned or even new Sky HD Plus boxes to be had.

I still can't see what I'd gain from Sky Q that I don't already have.

[Annie+UK]

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@Jon5 wrote:

If Sky prevent me from using my Sky HD box by blocking the transmissions, then I think I'd have a good cause for complaint and maybe I could organise a class action lawsuit. But that would be in the future. There seem to be plenty of reconditioned or even new Sky HD Plus boxes to be had.

I still can't see what I'd gain from Sky Q that I don't already have.

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I think Sky have that covered in your contract

There may be plenty around ATM by the boxes will fail more thus the supply will dwindle exponentially and the price will eventually sky rocket (supply and demand) 😞

Sky could change the broadcast standard like they are doing with SD channels thus crippling older boxes

Things are never static and will evolve whether we want it or not 😞

[nigea99]

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@Jon5 wrote:

I've recently bought a new Sky HD Plus box after several issues with my elderly Sky HD Plus box which must be about 12 years old.  But I did pause to think about whether it was time to ask for a Sky Q box. There is obviously one disadvantage in doing so. What are the advantages?  I don't think I ever need to record from more than 2 channels at once.

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@Jon5 

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

SKY +/HD to SKY Q

As you may tell the tone of those notes are possibly more of a warnng to SKy HD customers rather than a big Sell of Q -  I did that because I have seen far too many posts from customers swtitching to only find out the hard way that SKY Q may not be for them

For some, if not many, SKY Q does not have much to offer them over the reliable, simplistic - it just works - SKY HD boxes

As mentioned in my notes I am glad I switched over 6 years ago but I watch UHD/HDR content with Atmos sound - although I don't watch football or Cricket the dedicated fans do often find the UHD with Atmos enhances their enjoyment.

I do, however,  watch F1 which looks fantastic in UHD/ HDR (which was probably the reason I switched initially) but I also watch films & other Series in UHD and my biggest plus is when they have Atmos Sound - but I know many, many customers do not have the set up I have & are happy with HD (or even SD content)

HD & 5.1 sound from my mini is a big plus for me over the old RF mono  signal from my previous SKY HD box in my bedroom   - but it comes with the cost of a mutiscreen subscription

The bluetooth remote for me is a big plus as my box is out of sight & the IR repeaters were not 100% reliable. As mentioned in my notes voice control can be quite useful but I know for many it is a nice to have rather than a big advantage

Like you I didn't think the extra ability to record more than 2 would be useful but I have to admit at times it has been 

I think there may be other pluses that SKY Q that I now take for granted  - I am certainly not a salesman trying to list  & push advantages.

Certainly not a big function to sway people but one feature I personally like is a live mini preview of another channel you can get  (only on the main box) when watching either a live channel or recording (great if you like catching up on something for a few minutes when adverts are on - being able to see when they finish and the programme returns)   

The big plus, of course,  now for SKY Satellite viewers is that SKYQ is supported by SKY & as the kit is loaned replaced / fixed when faulty whereas SKY no longer support SKY HD . 

I guess at some point rather than block signals to SKKY HD they may just not renew subcriptions on SKY HD cards

To sumup there are some features of Q that are worth upgrading for - but they are not worth it for every customer

[TimmyBGood]

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@Jon5 wrote:

The big disadvantage of Sky Q is that you can't copy (archive) your recordings from the Sky box onto a DVD recorder or, if your tech is more primitive, onto a VCR.  And then maybe lend the recording to friends or family.

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Which is distinctly questionable, borderline illegal and totally against the interest of Sky and the content producers / rights-owners.  And you wonder why Sky might want to get people off a platform which permits it?

[TimmyBGood]

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@Jon5 wrote:

If Sky prevent me from using my Sky HD box by blocking the transmissions, then I think I'd have a good cause for complaint and maybe I could organise a class action lawsuit. 

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On what possible grounds?  Sky has no obligation to continue to support an obsolete platform, particularly when it is specifically faciliting migration to a current product to provide, for example, continuing access to BBC channels after the SD broadcast switch-off.

It's possible, however, that Sky is planning to continue to operate both Plus and Q until the end of the satellite television era, which will probably be towards the end of this decade.

[Jon5]

I know, I know. It's only through the kindness and generosity of lovely Rupert Murdoch that we are graciously permitted to avail ourselves of the splendid array of Sky programmes that brighten all our lives, and permitted to pay an ever-escalating subscription for that privilege. 

If Sky chooses to withdraw the service from the Sky boxes that we have paid for, we should accept it as needful and necessary.  Let it be as thou wilt, not as I wish, o Sky.

If you want to know on what legal grounds I might mount a class action lawsuit, pay for your own legal advice.

[Jon5]

Wow, your loyalty to the Sky empire seems to know no bounds. I shall continue to archive programmes from my Sky box and not care tuppence about whether it affects the commercial interests of Sky (who designed the box to make it possible) or any content producers.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Jon5 wrote:

It's only through the kindness and generosity of lovely Rupert Murdoch that we are graciously permitted to avail ourselves of the splendid array of Sky programmes that brighten all our lives, and permitted to pay an ever-escalating subscription for that privilege. 

Not since 2018

And Disney now owns what was 21st Century Fox anyway...

[Oliver+Burnouf]

Hi,

It may be a silly question but what prevents us from recording a programme on a DVD (or VHS for that matter?) from skyQ? 

I do record quite a lot.

Regards

[Mark39]

In short - HDCP copy protection.

You can't record from an HDMI output.

[Oliver+Burnouf]

even with an HDMI to SCART converter?