NEWS: Sky Q now offers HDR on Netflix

[Andy Bassett]

From today, Sky Q customers can now experience Netflix HDR enabled content through a compatible Sky box, with more HDR content coming.
Read the news.

 

[meagabyte]

I think they are still charging to upgrade to a hdr compatible box. Even if you already have their top tier sub.

 

[choddo]

Correct. If you have the v1 box you have to pay £50 though some people have managed to get the 1TB v3 box for £25.

 

[Will I Aint]

Still annoying although there's not much HDR content on sky and get a better experience currently using the app on my TV than the convenience of watching netflix on sky. It's not worth the upgrade cost to me.

I'd be interested to know from those lucky enough to have the compatible boxes how HDR content on sky/netflix compares to DV on netflix. I recall doing a comparison on Amazon Prime HDR on the shield TV app vs DV on the TV the difference was noticeable in favour of DV.

 

[antsims]

Now we just need Dolby Atmos on Disney + and Netflix.

 

[golden phoenix]

Correct. If you have the v1 box you have to pay £50 though some people have managed to get the 1TB v3 box for £25.

and some of us have managed to get the V3 box by telling sky to sod off and install for free or this long term customer is sodding off completely...paid through the nose as an early adopter, wasnt going to pay again!

 

[CaptainJames]

IMHO, Sky seem to have lost a bit of their innovative mojo. From being the first to provide HD broadcasts back in the day, their 4K launch was behind the curve and distinctly low key. HDR on Netflix now is welcome, but why has it taken so long? Also the Sky Q platform still feels "unfinished" and lacking a bit of polish, and there haven't been many updates recently.

 

[Tingo]

As an upgrader from sky+hd would I be guaranteed a v3 box or do I have to pay the extra £50 to get one. Also I would want the 2tb version as that's the size of drive I already have.

 

[Will I Aint]

IMHO, Sky seem to have lost a bit of their innovative mojo. From being the first to provide HD broadcasts back in the day, their 4K launch was behind the curve and distinctly low key. HDR on Netflix now is welcome, but why has it taken so long? Also the Sky Q platform still feels "unfinished" and lacking a bit of polish, and there haven't been many updates recently.

Agreed, they've gone from a Sat broadcaster and content provider to some sort of halfway house solution. If their intention is to become a shopfront to on demand services including their own as it appears then i would expect them to use hardware to support that third party content, at least DV and HDR if not HDR10+ so that end users have a one box solution. I imagine they will also roll out sky without satellite for consumers with a good enough connection at some point.

 

[SyStemDeMoN]

As an upgrader from sky+hd would I be guaranteed a v3 box or do I have to pay the extra £50 to get one. Also I would want the 2tb version as that's the size of drive I already have.

Just tell the bloke on the phone that you are only interested in upgrading if you get the HDR box.
When my box broke I just asked the installer when he came if I could have a V3 box and he said yes.
I already had a V2 which is HDR capable but I wanted the faster V3 box.
PQ on HD channels seems better with this box also.

 

[barry7767]

Some 4K HDR mini boxes would be nice to watch content on elsewhere. I can watch such content on Plex in multiple rooms and would be nice to have the option with Sky, but I've long given up hope of them innovating anymore. What happened to the BT style app they promised for casting to external devices? Really starting to question the point of it anymore, especially with VAR ruining football.

 

[antsims]

Not on my box yet. TBH its useless without Atmos to me, so I just use my LGC9 built in apps. Get Dolby vision and Atmos that way. Catch up Sky!

 

[StefanBFC]

I ended up paying for the v3 box, I'll tell you why... Because I'm a mug. Honestly though the HDR content is pretty amazing, it looks stunning. I'm not a fan of HDR on Netflix but DV on Netflix looks very very good. Its very hard to judge between Sky's HDR and Netflix's DV. Both are equally good. But there is hardly any content at all yet on Sky so I wouldn't bother IMO.

Sky customer for 17 yrs now and deeply upset with this PPV Premier League. If they change the original Schedule for the PPV times up for me. Infact I'm ringing them today to ask them to sort mine cheaper. All my deals have ended. I did the same package as I have now for a new customer it came in 17 quid cheaper

 

[CaptainJames]

I think the PPV is a PL initiative rather than than being driven by Sky. While I understand the PL might want to increase their revenue at this time, as others have pointed out, PL clubs have just spent 1.2 Billion quid during the transfer window, so asking fans to fork out 15 quid a match is pretty insensitive. I certainly will not be buying any matches.

 

[Toon Army]

Sky did not oppose PPV so long as it was through their platform. The additional games were costing them money to broadcast and diluting their sports package. Don't have any sympathy for any of the parties involved.

 

[ozzzy189]

sky, still mugging off loyal customers and giving new ones and folks ringing to cancel, the better deals.
you lot deserve all you get giving a company like that your cash !!

i hate everything they stand for.

 

[gatecrasher3]

and some of us have managed to get the V3 box by telling sky to sod off and install for free or this long term customer is sodding off completely...paid through the nose as an early adopter, wasnt going to pay again!

You did well there then. I've given notice on my TV subscription and it's due to end in a week or so. Called them up today to say that I would be interested in staying if they would be willing to upgrade my 32B064 box to a V3 one and was told that they aren't currently upgrading these boxes.

I could however register my interest and it may get upgraded at some point!

 

[CaptainJames]

They will probably be sending you pleading e mails and discount offers a few months after cancellation.

 

[rbecking13]

even though only had sky q 8 months I’ve got a v1 box so can’t get HDR. But not bothered at the moment as watch Netflix and Disney on tv app. If they started doing sky movies/sport and original content in HDR then that would make me want a new box.

 

[CaptainJames]

even though only had sky q 8 months I’ve got a v1 box so can’t get HDR. But not bothered at the moment as watch Netflix and Disney on tv app. If they started doing sky movies/sport and original content in HDR then that would make me want a new box.

Sounds a bit rough? I assume it must be a refurb then it it's a V1, if it was me I would be demanding a brand new V2 or V3. That's the problem with Sky owning these boxes, you have no control over what you get.

 

[Will I Aint]

Sounds a bit rough? I assume it must be a refurb then it it's a V1, if it was me I would be demanding a brand new V2 or V3. That's the problem with Sky owning these boxes, you have no control over what you get.

i can't see them bending over to give you a box that they can charge someone else £50 for. Annoying as it is.

 

[CaptainJames]

i can't see them bending over to give you a box that they can charge someone else £50 for. Annoying as it is.

No they won't bend over, but they can be pushed......I got Sky Q about 2 years ago and got a new V2 box at the time (way before HDR was on the horizon for Sky), so for someone getting Q only 8 months ago to be given a V1 box is taking the Michael, IMHO.

To me it sounds like Sky are penny pinching by dishing out refurbed old boxes instead of new ones. That in itself would be cheeky, but when then are now charging 50 quid to upgrade to V2/3 for HDR it's inexcusable.

 

[Will I Aint]

I agree which is why i'm sticking to the apps on the TV rather than using Sky Q as a hub. Unless there's a tangible improvement with the new box i'm failing to see why i should give them my money.

I tried to push for the HDR capable box but i'd already recently renegotiated the monthly bill so i'm in contract, those out might fare better.

 

[BigChopper]

I got a cheap deal getting Netflix through Sky tv and i never watch it through my sky box because it’s 2nd rate, i just did a comparison with the programme Narcos
Netflix through Sky tv i get HDR with 5.1 sound,
Netflix through the tv (Sony AG8 Oled) i get Dolby Vision with 5.1 sound,much better, the difference is huge
Come on Sky tv get on it, your lagging behind !!

 

[CaptainJames]

I would have to agree. The last film I watched on Netflix via the Sky box was showing a bit rate of 6.75Mbps, whereas Netflix via the TV app shows 15.25Mbps.