Sky +HD vs Sky Q

Strumms · 18-05-2023 9:42pm #1

Hi all,

just after some feedback if anyone has migrated from Sky +HD to Sky Q and what you thought were the positives and negatives of the actual Q TV experience….vs +HD

thanks in advance

icdg · 18-05-2023 10:50pm

Ive left now, but it’s mostly positives.

Multiroom is where it really shines - you can access your recordings on all your boxes, not just the main box, you can download them (subject to rights) to your iPad and watch offline. You have basically the same experience on the mini box than you do on the main box.

Sky Go on your LAN offers the full channel line up, not the reduced line up that applies out of home, and of course you can access your recordings on your devices while on your LAN.

The negatives are few. The main one is when you leave (if you leave). They will swap the LNB on your dish to a wideband one. This will stop you moving to a FTA setup (except Freesat 4K) without swapping it back - not as easy for the lay person as is made out.

The interface is superior except in one respect. The old numbered shortcuts for menu items are gone. This makes accessing Manual Tuning (the new name for what is called Other Channels on Sky+) even more awkward than it was already.

I’d still be with them if not for the pricing. Now TV is a fraction of the price for the pay channels I want (just sports really).

18-05-2023 10:58pm

I hate the Sky Q menu. I found the old Sky + one was much easier to read and navigate. The layout of the menu is also very awkward. Switched about two months ago, and still can't get used to it.

I need my glasses for the Sky Q menu, the font is tiny and there is no way to make it bigger.

galtee boy · 18-05-2023 11:25pm

In my opinion SkyQ is simply the best pay tv service on the market, but as icdg already said, it's pricey. Personally I really like the epg, menus, the fact that as well as Sky TV, you have all the apps like Netflix, Amazon, Paramount, Disney etc built in, plus all the players like RTE, Virgin, TG4, All4, there's even a cut down version of the BBC iplayer on it. It's a premium service at a premium price, but you can haggle with them. I have Q about 5 years and have never paid the full asking subscription yet, I haggle with them each year and threaten to leave and they will always drop the price to try and keep you as a subscriber.

Strumms · 18-05-2023 11:32pm

Thanks all. Food for thought amongst all the opinions, thanks and keep em coming.

apache · 18-05-2023 11:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120614758#Comment_120614758

I'm with them a long time. Might pull the plug soon though. I did ring them last year to see if I could haggle the price but no joy. He said he couldn't do anything for me. That's been my experience.

I do think Sky Q is very good.

18-05-2023 11:43pm

I got SkyQ installed for free.

I had just renewed my contract for 12 months @ €25 when my Sky +HD box clapped out. So they offered me Sky Q - and if I took Movies and Sports on at the same time (at half price for six months) they would install the Sky Q upgrade for free.

I only had to keep Movies and Sports for 1 month, and then could drop them again if I wanted to. Which I did. I'm currently back to paying €25 for the next 10 months, anyway.

-=al=- · 19-05-2023 12:12am

Much prefer the old Sky+ Layout and EPG, I still can't get used to the newer menus and manual tuning is an adventure.

Multiroom over wifi is pretty handy though. It's still a decent service albeit expensive. I think my preference would be sky+HD satellite + a firestick or something for the apps and what not

gipi · 19-05-2023 12:31am

As others have said, menu navigation is a bit of a pain (there is voice control, but it doesn't recognise "manual tuning" as a shortcut).

The other feature that's gone is the programme reminder, where the channel would change at the appropriate time. Sky Q will only record, not remind, and it defaults to series link too.

EdmondShiels3 · 22-05-2023 9:44am

I have sky + hd and will not be going to Q unless I have to. Don't see the benefit and don't like the layout of the menus and epg.

Neames · 27-05-2023 10:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120614814#Comment_120614814

How did you manage to swing that I.e. getting it for 25 a month and no installation charge for the sky q. Did you call them, what number did you use? Did you threaten to cancel?

Citizenpain · 27-05-2023 2:56pm

i like the bluetooth remote --- box is hidden away

Sugarlumps · 18-07-2023 10:55am

We had the old HD Sky boxes for years, never had any hassle. Changed to Sky Q. Power cut, all the mini boxes were out of action. No internet, nightmare getting an engineer out. Been with them over 20 years.

bigtimecharlie · 18-07-2023 12:03pm

I hate the Sky Q interface and while Sky Q does all the necessary thing, some of the nice features are gone.

manual recording is gone, I found this useful for live golf ( the only reason I have sky). Sky Q will sometimes not auto record and I've missed play-offs as a result. I'd rather watch the end of the recording than the start.
Following on from that, playback tell's you how long there's left in a recording so you get an idea towards the end of what happens.
Another thing that was useful, if you decide to watch a recording while the program was still on, sky HD would allow you rewind as if live paused rather than go and find the recorded program.

Think of Sky Q as a new car but with manual window's.

marclt · 19-07-2023 5:47pm

You have to tell them you’re leaving and be serious about it. Initiate the 30 day notice period. Hold firm.

By week two or three I’m sure they will contact you with an offer. You can always cancel the disconnection before the notice period is up if you’re happy to continue.

obi604 · 25-07-2023 12:06pm

Hi,

Does Sky Q allow you to view in Multi screen?

as in watch RTE1 on top half of screen and Watch BBC 1 on lower half

fman · 28-07-2023 1:41pm

Nope, there used to be a kind of inbuilt spilt screen for sports but it was buggy to the point of rarely working and was withdrawn.

You would need to have a TV with the split screen feature and use Sky/hdmi for 1 of the channels and say saorview for the other.

Would echo the comments on manual record, was perfect for golf and tennis but somehow not available in Q, given they are far from efficient at extending the EpG for over runs.

obi604 · 04-08-2023 1:53pm

Hi

With Eir or even Virgin TV, I could go to the TV guide and go back in time a few hours, find a show and play it.

e.g. Its 11pm and I want to go back and watch the 9pm RTE news, I would go to guide, RTE1, it will be at current time of 11pm, but I can left arrow to bring me back a few hours to 9pm and find the news and watch it.

Is this possible with the Sky Q interface?

fman · 04-08-2023 1:55pm

No, doesn't have that. And another weak part of sky, waiting for catch-up content to be uploaded. It's not always instant, especially with RTE.

obi604 · 04-08-2023 2:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120938954#Comment_120938954

Thanks for reply.

ah feck. right, basic enough !!

so what would be the best way for me to do the above with Sky Q

fman · 04-08-2023 2:14pm

For mentioned above for the news, either set the news to record or use the rte player which is now at least the full (or nearly full) version on Q. The catch-up may be there on Q itself when you want it, but no promises.

obi604 · 04-08-2023 2:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120939078#Comment_120939078

thanks

is all recording reliant on the local sky Q box being powered on etc or does it any way record to the 'cloud' in some way

fman · 04-08-2023 4:20pm

It's all on the main Q box. Think of it as the central home server for sky. The only thing sky q streams is through the apps or sometimes red button on sports etc.

obi604 · 04-08-2023 11:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120939078#Comment_120939078

I tried:

home>catch up tv>rte player>news>rte news:9 0 clock>watch

gives error: “to use this service , you need to upgrade your subscription “

I don’t see anything in below about RTE

home>on demand>channels

Am I in the right menu option?

fman · 05-08-2023 12:01am

It sounds like you are looking in the right place. There really shouldn't be any issue with anything in catch up for RTE.

I have seen issues like this mentioned in the sky help forum where people get "weird" messages trying to access on demand stuff that there shouldn't be any issue with.

For testing I would suggest trying to download something else from the same kind of area. If the problem persists, a reboot is always worth a try but otherwise it's looking like a call to sky to check everything is right.

obi604 · 07-08-2023 8:34pm

I have a sky q main box in sitting room and a sky q mini box in the bedroom.

tried to watch tv this morning in the bedroom and would not work, said it needed connectivity to the main sky q box. Worked when I powered on main sky q box.

does this mean I cannot watch the sky q mini unless the sky q main box is powered on or in standby?

fman · 07-08-2023 8:39pm

There's a whole area of eco mode that can have an effect. I believe it's still the default that idle boxes hibernate between 2.30am and 6am. There are other settings too but it's an area I'm unfamiliar with.

obi604 · 07-08-2023 9:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120950323#Comment_120950323

But does the sky q mini need the sky q main box in some way to work.

I thought the sky q mini would just work over WiFi.

07-08-2023 9:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120950517#Comment_120950517

The mini does not connect to your main wifi router. The mini connects via wifi to the main Sky Q box.

obi604 · 07-08-2023 11:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120950610#Comment_120950610

ah ok. Wasn’t aware of this.

so essentially, I have to leave the main sky q box powered on to watch the sky mini.

Clunky enough compared to eir and Apple TV etc

webpal · 09-08-2023 11:52pm

I’ve got a sky plus box that I use the rf outlet to watch on other TVs, I’ve been offered numerous free upgrades over the years but this has always been the best part. I got an on screen message the other day saying to continue viewing BBC contact Sky so the days could be numbered on this box.

Sky +HD vs Sky Q

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