Sky announces new SkyQ 4K-enabled box & Virgin 4K unveiled (pg8)

Trusted Reviews wrote:Sky Q might be the ‘next generation’ of television, but Now TV isn’t coming along for the ride.

The Sky-owned streaming service won’t be available on Sky Q, nor will the platforms merge, TrustedReviews has learned.

The company has ruled out making the app available on the new system, confirming that the two platforms won’t be condensed into a single standalone product.

“Now TV is a completely different platform that sits within the overall Sky portfolio, but it is a brand and a product for people that don’t choose Sky,” Sky Executive Kathryn Lacey told us.

She continued: “So those two things won’t work together, they’re very different things that satisfy different types of consumer.”

Now TV is not currently available to view via Sky’s digital satellite television service, or through the Sky Go online streaming service.

When asked if a new 4K-ready Now TV box was in the works, Lacey declined to comment.

A new Now TV box was unveiled earlier this year, although it only offers 720p streaming – that’s significantly lower quality than the 4K/UHD footage supported by the new Sky Q Silver box.

Peter Crisp wrote:After cancelling sky last year and then switching to now TV and getting codes during sales so it's even cheaper I don't think sky can lure me back whatever they show.

Now TV (stylised as NOW TV) is an internet television service owned by Sky plc.

Moggy wrote:

Peter Crisp wrote:After cancelling sky last year and then switching to now TV and getting codes during sales so it's even cheaper I don't think sky can lure me back whatever they show.

Now TV (stylised as NOW TV) is an internet television service owned by Sky plc.

I think they did lure you back....

Photek wrote:Surely this will be a free upgrade for existing customers?

PES Fan wrote:Just seen the prices start from £42 with just the basic package and I suspect they'd be higher when 4K launches. The issues I have also that I have two multi rooms also and not sure Sky Q is suitable for me yet.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/136585- ... ne-off-fee

Prices for those interested.

Sky has officially confirmed the pricing details for its all-new Sky Q system. It has also revealed that it will go on sale from Tuesday, 9 February.

The Sky Q packages will start at £42 a month, although there will also be set-up costs for the system. For existing customers, Sky Q packages will cost around £12 extra a month in comparison to their Sky+HD subscriptions. The hardware set-up costs are dependent on the package. All customers will need to pay initial fees to have the equipment installed.

If taken with Sky Broadband, Sky Movies or Sky Sports, and the £42 a month Sky Q TV package, a Sky Q box will cost from £99, with the Sky Q Silver box available from £149.

A Sky Q Silver bundle, which also includes a Sky Q Mini box, is also available from £99. The latter bundle costs £54 a month in favour of £42. Sky Movies will cost an additional £17 a month, Sky Sports an extra £25.50. If both are taken, it will cost an extra £34.50 a month.

Without taking Sky Broadband, Movies or Sports, the boxes cost £249 and £299 respectively. The Sky Q Silver bundle costs £299. Extra Sky Q Mini boxes will cost £99 each.
There will also be a one-off installation fee of £50 for existing customers.

Those taking Sky Broadband with Sky Q, or are already with Sky Broadband when taking the new system, will also get a Sky Q Hub on installation. The Sky Q system also features the ability to watch recorded programmes around the house, even download them to an iPad or Android tablet for offline viewing when you are on the move.

Sky wrote:

Online TV streaming service, NOW TV, is to launch its most advanced TV box later this year. The brand new NOW TV Smart Box will bring together NOW TV’s wide range of pay TV content and over 60 live free-to-air channels.

Additionally customers with a NOW TV Box will see a brand new interface (UI) roll out to their TVs from February. The new-look UI will include a number of great new features including a content-rich homepage offering editorial recommendations of what to watch across catch up TV apps and pay TV content from NOW TV. A new ‘Best of Catch Up’ section, curated by content partners, will also arrive showcasing all the best shows our customers may have missed in one place.

Gidon Katz, Director of NOW TV said: “The launch of our new homepage on the NOW TV Box will make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly find and watch their favourite shows. And when the new NOW TV Smart Box arrives later this year, it will be the perfect one-stop box to get a contract-free, flexible way of watching the best of pay TV and free-to-air content all in one place.”

NOW TV worked with Silicon Valley based Roku Inc. to develop the new NOW TV Smart Box which will sit alongside the existing NOW TV Box, with pricing details and further information to be made available later in the year.

Roku Inc. today announced that it is developing a hybrid set-top box that will be available for production by Roku Powered partners later this year. The new Roku Powered hybrid set-top box will enable operators to offer linear and streaming services through a single device to consumers. Sky will be the first Roku Powered operator to deploy the new hybrid set-top box later this year as part of its popular NOW TV service in the UK.

Sky to TechRadar wrote:The Sky Q Silver box hardware supports up to HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2. At launch the Sky Q Silver is limited in software for up to 1080p output conforming to the HDMI 1.4b standard – this configuration will be updated to enable 2160p UHD output utilising HDMI 2.0 and HDCP2.2 when Sky makes Ultra HD services available later in 2016.