Sky Stream review: The easiest way to get Sky on your TV

As a seasoned TV enthusiast with years of binge-watching under my belt, I must say, the Sky Stream has truly captured my heart (and eyes!). The crystal-clear UHD 4K visuals and rich Dolby Atmos Audio transport me to another world, making every episode feel like a cinematic experience right in the comfort of my living room.

The compact gadget known as Sky Stream grants you entry to roughly 150 live television channels, plus countless on-demand series and films. It doesn’t require a satellite dish; all you need is a reliable broadband internet connection.

With this handy device, you can effortlessly navigate Sky’s extensive collection of TV series and films, ranging from gripping dramas such as “The Last of Us”, heartwarming family entertainment like “Trolls Band Together”, to spine-tingling horrors like “Meg 2: The Trench”. Not only that, but it also provides access to popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

Since it connects to the internet, the device consistently receives software updates and new features, ensuring its user experience keeps getting better and more advanced over time.

As an enthusiast, here’s how I would put it:

For around a month now, I’ve found Sky Stream to be an incredibly convenient method for enjoying Sky TV at home, without any unnecessary complications.

Sky Stream review: Cost

Sky Stream deals regularly pop up on the Sky website.

As a long-time fan of both Sky Entertainment and Netflix, I have to say that their latest offer is quite enticing. Personally, I’ve always found myself juggling between subscriptions for these two platforms, each month feeling like a struggle to keep up with the bills.

Extra charges apply when you choose to upgrade your plan. For example, Netflix Standard is priced at £6 monthly, while Netflix Premium will increase your bill by £11 monthly. If you opt for Sky Sports, it’ll set you back an additional £20 per month on the 24-month contract or £27 per month with the 31-day flexible plan.

Sky Cinema charges an additional £13 monthly for a 24-month contract or £16 monthly for a 31-day contract. Additional options include Sky Kids, Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos streaming, as well as TNT Sports.

Sky Stream review: Design and setup

The Sky Stream Puck is a compact and unobtrusive streaming gadget. Its design is flat and square, smaller than a CD case and slightly thicker. It measures 10.8 x 10.8 x 1.8 centimeters, and it’s only available in black. You can position it near your TV, behind the TV, on a shelf or within your TV cabinet – it won’t draw attention wherever you put it in the room.

The puck sports a discreet Sky logo at its peak, an LED light beneath it indicating when it’s activated, and a tiny power button next to it. At the rear, you’ll find three openings – one for power, another for HDMI, and a third for ethernet connection.

As a tech enthusiast who has spent countless hours setting up various devices over the years, I can confidently say that this device is incredibly user-friendly and straightforward to set up. With just a power cord and HDMI cable, you’re good to go! However, if your internet connection is weak, you might want to consider using an Ethernet cable for a more stable connection.

Inside the box, you’ll find a Sky voice remote for your puck, which is identical to the one included with the Sky Glass TV. This remote has a textured rubber-like surface that prevents it from slipping out of your hand or getting scratched easily. Moreover, certain buttons illuminate when you pick up the remote, ensuring you can identify and press them even in low light conditions.

The arrangement of buttons is quite straightforward and intuitive, featuring a complete numerical keypad, play/pause controls, volume adjusters, an on/off switch, a navigation dial, and additional features. In its center, you’ll find a voice command button that triggers the microphone for voice queries. This voice search button is designed with a raised border to enhance accessibility.

For the majority of times, the remote functioned effectively. However, there were instances when it failed to register my presses due to objects blocking the path to the puck.

Installing a Sky Stream is incredibly straightforward. Upon arrival at your doorstep courtesy of Sky, simply unbox it, connect it to your television via an HDMI cable, position it at the back of your TV screen, and follow the on-screen prompts to link it with your WiFi network. Once connected, your account will be instantly accessible on the device.

In the process of getting things started, I opted for the convenience of the provided remote to manage my television. This nifty device allows me to effortlessly turn off the TV and adjust its volume. Amazingly, it swiftly identified the brand of my TV, and in a jiffy, this feature was active and ready to go!

Sky Stream review: Apps and software

As a devoted enthusiast, I can confidently say that Sky Stream is an exceptional device, equipped with the user-friendly Sky Entertainment OS. This intuitive operating system swiftly assists me in locating engaging content to enjoy.

With more than 150 live channels at your disposal, you also get access to Sky’s vast collection of on-demand TV series and films. Plus, you can enjoy an array of popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV+, discovery+, BBC iPlayer, Paramount+, and YouTube. And for a bit of fun, there are some games thrown in too!

On the primary display screen, you’ll find a rotating wheel, or carousel, that serves as a guide to help you move through different sections such as Playlists, Television, Movies, Sports, Children’s content, and News, among others.

The Display Screen provides numerous suggestions, ranging from the most popular picks of the week to customized options spanning over 30 categories according to your viewing preferences. At the moment, your Display Screen features a section named ‘Since you enjoyed Fancy Dance’.

There are also themed recommendations – at the moment, these include a South Asian Heritage Month-themed collection and ‘Sky Presents… Summer’. Plus, you’ll be able to pick up where you left off on any TV show or movie from the Continue Watching rail.

Instead of merely offering Sky TV content, you’ll also get recommendations from various other platforms such as Disney+ and Paramount+. This means you won’t have to switch between apps to find something interesting to watch. However, it’s important to note that this feature may occasionally suggest content from services for which you don’t have a subscription, which can be somewhat frustrating.

Whenever you select a category, such as Movies, you’ll find additional suggestions waiting for you. For example, you can scroll through a carousel that showcases movies starring various actors. On my Sky Stream, I have the ability to narrow down films by specific actors like Margot Robbie, Cillian Murphy, and Emma Stone, to mention a few. The content is frequently updated, so there’s always fresh content to explore.

While browsing for a weekend movie, Sky Stream provides you with a summary and Rotten Tomatoes rating as you navigate through, simplifying your choice-making process. Additionally, when enjoying any Ultra HD content on Sky, you now have the ability to turn on subtitles – an update included in the latest system overhaul.

If you stumble upon a live show that piques your interest but have already missed its start, you won’t have to wait for it to become available on demand. Instead, simply press the middle button and choose ‘Watch from Start’, or look for the ‘Watch from Start’ option at the top of the TV guide.

A standout feature I frequently utilize is creating playlists for my favorite TV series and films to revisit at leisure. You can effortlessly include items in your collection by navigating through the library and pressing the ‘+’ button on the remote, or simply by verbally commanding it.

Every family member gets to create their own labeled playlist with a chosen avatar – there’s a variety of icons from well-known series to select, such as SpongeBob, Scooby Doo, and characters from Paw Patrol, plus many others. You can have as many as five individual playlists active on the device simultaneously.

As a gamer, I find the playlist neatly organized into different segments. For fresh content that recently aired, I can easily spot it on the “Most Recent” section. There are also designated areas labeled as “Movies” and “TV Shows,” making it super convenient for me to browse and pick my next watch or game.

Currently, I’m excited about an ongoing update that allows me to personally keep tabs on my favorite actors, directors, and even my beloved sports teams! Now, I can easily monitor their updates in the ‘People You Follow’ section. Football enthusiasts like myself will especially appreciate this feature, as we can now stay updated on our team’s latest news!

An advantageous aspect of Sky Stream is its voice control feature, which activates when you press a button on the remote. A bar appears at the top of the screen indicating that Sky is listening. This function enables you to search for particular shows and also control playback such as pausing, playing, rewinding or fast-forwarding using just your voice. Furthermore, voice commands can be used to search within apps like Prime Video, YouTube, and Amazon Music too.

Looking for a bit of excitement? Here are some amusing voice commands to experiment with. For instance, after the release of House of the Dragon, try saying “Join Team Black”, “Travel to Westeros” or “Find House Green” to access the collection. And during last year’s holiday season, you could engage Santa with festive queries such as “Santa, when are you arriving?” or “Santa, how many mince pies have you consumed?”

Sky Stream review: Performance

With Sky Stream, you can enjoy UHD 4K television with Dolby Atmos sound if your device is compatible. If not, you’ll experience high-definition streaming at 1080p. In either case, the quality of Sky content is remarkable, boasting crystal-clear images that are bright and vibrant, as well as detailed and immersive audio.

I noticed that the Sky Stream device was quick and user-friendly, with performance comparable to leading devices in its category, even though it didn’t quite match the speed of the Apple TV 4K. There were times when I had to pause briefly before moving on to the next page, but this delay wasn’t significant enough to impact my overall enjoyment.

In simple terms, the main challenge when comparing Sky Stream and Sky Q lies in their reliance on a consistent internet connection. Without it, you can’t access any live channels, on-demand shows, or movies because they all stream online. Moreover, since your playlist content is stored in the cloud instead of the device itself, maintaining a stable internet link is crucial for watching those saved items too.

One potential issue is a minor lag compared to satellite viewing, which might be annoying in situations requiring real-time response, such as live sports broadcasts. Primarily, this could affect events like Formula 1 races, tennis tournaments such as the US Open, and Premier League football matches.

The main event is now being broadcasted approximately 20 seconds faster than before on our channel, providing a quicker viewing experience compared to other streamers. However, this acceleration has not been expanded to cover all sports channels as of now.

Sky Stream review: Verdict

Sky Stream offers the most straightforward method to bring Sky TV into your household. The installation process is incredibly hassle-free – even if you’re not tech-savvy, you can easily set it up as everything is clearly explained.

Bursting with useful functions, Sky Stream simplifies the process of finding something to watch, offering quick and hassle-free selection. Although the abundance of content might seem overwhelming, the comprehensive suggestion system effectively narrows down your options.

Advantages? To be honest, there are quite a few: If your home WiFi connection isn’t strong, however, it may not suit you due to frequent loading screens. For sports enthusiasts, the slight lag between real-time and streaming might be annoying. Additionally, Sky Stream tends to be quite pricey, particularly when additional packages are included. In simpler terms, it’s a great choice for most, but if your WiFi isn’t robust or you’re on a budget, you might want to consider other options.

Sky Stream review: Also consider

As a game enthusiast, if you’re thinking about getting a fresh 4K TV to complement your Sky TV setup, I’d like to suggest giving Sky Glass a thought. It’s available in three varying sizes and five vibrant colors, with an integrated soundbar for enhanced audio. What sets it apart is that Sky’s Entertainment OS is already embedded within the device, meaning no additional gizmos are needed to start streaming your favorite content. Check out the top deals on Sky Glass to learn more about this fantastic option.

If you’re not fond of spending a lot on Sky subscription, perhaps a more cost-effective alternative would be investing in a Fire TV Cube, a 4K streamer. This device grants you access to a multitude of streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+. It also offers an added advantage with Alexa, enabling you to search for shows and movies, ask questions, and control your smart home devices like lights using just voice commands.

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2024-08-09 14:50