Can I replace my Sky Q box with an older HD plus (HD+) box ?

[Peter.rob]

Cancelled Sky Q subscriptiom and wondering whether I can I replace my Sky Q box with an older HD plus (HD+) box

[Annie+UK]

No not if you want to use it with a sky subscription, Sky Plus is now obsolete

You could use a sky plus box for freesat but you'd need the LNB replacing with a compatible one

[ZyloKai]

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@Peter.rob wrote:

Cancelled Sky Q [subscription] and wondering whether I can I replace my Sky Q box with an older HD plus (HD+) box

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@Annie+UK It's the Sky+ (SD) and Sky Digiboxes that are now obsolete as they don't support DVB-S2. Sky+HD boxes are still functional. 

@Peter.rob You will need to get an engineer out to downgrade your satellite dish as Sky Q uses a Wideband LNB and Sky+HD uses a Universal LNB. Neither are compatible with the other. However, you could get a Hybrid LNB instead that allows both so if you ever wanted to use Sky Q again.

So, yes, you can use your Sky+HD box provided you downgrade you satellite dish to a Universal LNB or get a Hybrid LNB installed. Either way, you will need an engineer to come out.

As you've cancelled your Sky Q subscription, you will only be able to watch free-to-air channels. On-demand and streaming content will be unavailable . You also will not be able to pause or rewind live TV, set recordings, etc.

Freesat:

An option for you could be getting a Freesat Recordable 4K box as Annie suggested, however, you will still need to downgrade/change your satellite dish LNB as outlined above.

According to Freesat: "8. Record up to 4 things at once: Record up to 4 shows at the same time if your satellite dish has a wideband LNB..."

So the Freesat Recordable 4K box is compatible with the current Wideband LNB you currently have as well as a Universal LNB. 

[Annie+UK]

@ZyloKai Sky+HD boxes, and earlier, are obsolete as Sky no longer support them for repairs etc... they will work until sometihing break where you are then on your own to find support from someone else other than Sky

[xenon81]

It's also no longer possible to pair cards with Sky+HD boxes so if you buy one from eBay or whatever they can only be used for free channels.

[ZyloKai]

@Annie+UK wrote:
@ZyloKaiSky+HD boxes, and earlier, are obsolete as Sky no longer support them for repairs etc... they will work until sometihing break where you are then on your own to find support from someone else other than Sky

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@xenon81 wrote:

It's also no longer possible to pair cards with Sky+HD boxes so if you buy one from eBay or whatever they can only be used for free channels.

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@Annie+UK @xenon81 
@Peter.rob asked if they could use their Sky+HD box after cancelling their Sky Q only and the answer is yes. But they need to downgrade their LNB on their satellite dish if they are deadset on using Sky+HD.  The likes or repairs or viewing cards is outside the scope of the original question.

Sky+ and Sky Digiboxes would be without many free-to-air channels that use DVB-S2 as SD boxes do not support this. One can still use a Sky+HD box to receive free-to-air channels that are using DVB-S and DVB-S2 as both are supported on Sky+HD, provided they downgrade to a Universal LNB (that Sky+HD uses) from a Wideband LNB (that Sky Q uses) and the Sky+HD would be without the functionality I outlined above. 

In my own opinion, Peter would be better off getting a Freesat Recordable 4K box as this supports a Wideband LNB which would mean Peter would not need an engineer to downgrade their satelitte's LNB. 

However, if Peter has more than one satellite box in their home or had the likes of Sky Multiroom in the past, they may already have a Hybrid LNB that supports Universal & Wideband LNB. When I upgraded to Sky Q in my living room, I was using a third party receiver in my kitchen and bedroom, which I informed the engineer, who installed a hybrid LNB.