When Sky launched its Sky Glass all-in-one TV, it additionally revealed the Sky Stream puck – a small set-top-box that allows multi-room viewing for Sky Glass prospects.
The gadget might be plugged right into a TV elsewhere within the dwelling, providing the total Sky Glass interface and streaming properties on the extra set.
Additionally it is obtainable as a standalone gadget and repair, nonetheless, designed for many who don’t need or can not have the satellite-powered Sky Q service but nonetheless need a full Sky TV expertise on an present tv.
That is all the things it’s essential learn about it, together with how a lot it prices, the way you get it and what it gives.
What’s Sky Stream?
- 4K HDR, Dolby Imaginative and prescient
- Dolby Atmos
- Sky TV, Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video
- BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All 4
The Sky Stream puck is a comparatively small, internet-connected field that you just plug into your TV by way of HDMI and can be utilized as an extension of Sky Glass – the TV bought by Sky itself – or as a standalone different to Glass and Sky Q. It might join by way of wired or Wi-Fi broadband to your router and stream as much as 4K HDR video (Dolby Imaginative and prescient) and Dolby Atmos audio.
Sky / Pocket-lint
When paired with Sky Glass or used solo, as much as six Sky Stream units might be energetic in the identical family. The gadget comes with its personal voice distant and the consumer interface is equivalent to that of Sky Glass. Meaning you’ll be able to watch stay and On Demand TV from Sky and lots of companions, together with Netflix, Apple TV+, Prime Video and Disney+. Content material from partnering streaming services is built-in into Sky’s personal programming on the homescreen and all through the menus.
Sky Stream launch date and availability
The Sky Stream gadget is offered for present and new Sky Glass prospects. Additionally it is obtainable as a standalone gadget.
You’ll be able to order it from Sky.com, in a Sky retail retailer, in addition to through Currys. The gadget is offered in 285 of the Currys shops nationwide within the UK and there are in-store demos if you wish to get a first-hand take a look at how the service works and appears before you purchase. Except for Sky itself, Currys is the one UK tech retailer to supply Sky Stream.
Sky Stream worth
When you have Sky Glass, Sky charges £50 for each Sky Stream puck you add to your setup. When taken by itself, the Sky Stream service is priced in another way. It’s obtainable on an 18-month contract or 31-day rolling plan, each of which embrace a puck, the voice distant, a Sky Final TV bundle and Netflix Fundamental.
The 18-month contract costs £26 per month with a £20 initial setup fee, although there’s at present a one-month free trial for the service, with no setup price. The 31-day rolling plan begins at £29 per thirty days with a £39.95 setup price, although once more, there’s currently a one-month free trial and no setup fee.
You may as well add further channel packs and/or streaming companies for extra month-to-month charges, equivalent to Sky Sports activities, Sky Cinema, Sky Children, BT Sport, UHD & Dolby Atmos, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
There’s an Advert Skipping pack too, which lets you quick ahead by way of adverts positioned in On Demand content material, together with reveals on ITVX and All4 (which normally require particular person subscriptions for that function). This prices £5 per thirty days on prime of your present bundle.
Further Sky Stream units might be added to TVs across the dwelling – you’ll need to subscribe to a Entire Dwelling pack for £12 per thirty days which will get you a further puck at no further price. Subsequent units will probably be charged at £39.95 per puck. In contrast to some paid TV units, you personal the pucks as soon as bought.
Sky Stream measurements and connections
The Sky Stream gadget is pretty easy and designed to be simply arrange by the consumer, relatively than requiring a full set up. It’s despatched to prospects on a next-day supply foundation.
Listed here are its outputs:
- 1 x HDMI 2.1
- Ethernet port
- Wi-Fi
- 230V AC port
There’s additionally a DTT aerial port on the rear, however this has not been activated so far.
Sky Stream consumer interface
As defined above, Sky Stream has the identical consumer interface as Sky Glass. Meaning it differs from Sky Q in that it opens to a homescreen relatively than stay TV. Sky Q, for instance, opens to the homescreen however with a stay TV field within the prime left-hand nook – you do not get that on the Sky Stream puck.
It additionally differs from Sky Q because it can not file programmes on an inside drive. As a substitute, you get a Playlist bar on the homescreen to which you’ll pin present or future reveals and movies by hitting the Playlist button on the distant.
Reveals are then both recorded to storage within the cloud (that is assigned to your account), or are pulled from totally different companies, together with Sky’s, to view On Demand. You simply have to click on on the programming to start out it (or use your voice).
Voice management and search can be obtainable on the Sky Stream gadget. You will have the distant for this, because it would not function the built-in microphone you get with Sky Glass.
Sky Stream minimal broadband velocity
As Sky Stream requires an web connection to work, you’ll need to have a minimum of a 10Mb/s broadband connection.
For the very best connection – to observe 4K HDR motion pictures or sport, for instance – it’s recommended that you just want a minimal of 30Mb/s broadband.
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