What is Sky Q and how much does it really cost?

You can't have missed all of the TV and billboard adverts for Sky Q, with the broadcaster going all-out to push its new TV platform. Even with all of this publicity, the two most common questions we get about the service are, what is it and is it really expensive? While my full Sky Q review goes into lots of detail, here's everything you need to know about the system and how much it costs in a quicker, easier to digest form.

What is Sky Q?

Sky Q is the successor to Sky+ HD, complete with a choice of main box, the Sky Q Silver or the regular Sky Q. From this point of view, there's not really a lot different from the existing system: you can record TV shows, download on-demand programmes and pause live TV. However, the hardware has been dramatically upgraded and the Sky Q Silver box can record four channels at once and still let you watch another, and it will bring 4K TV later in the year; the Sky Q box can record three channels simultaneously and let you watch a fourth live channel, although it supports 1080p HD video only.
As good as improved hardware is, Sky Q's real purpose is to let you watch your content where you want how you want, with an improved multi-room experience.

Multi-room and multi-screen

With Sky+ you could add multi-room to your package, although this required having a second box installed, complete with all of the satellite cables required. Even so, you couldn't share recordings between your boxes, which is a bit of a let-down.

With Sky Q, you can watch in other rooms via Sky Q Mini boxes or on your tablet using the Sky Q app. All of the content is streamed directly from your main Sky Q box: Sky Q Mini boxes use a robust 5GHz wireless mesh network; tablets connect via your wireless network. See, how to fix Sky Q connectivity problems if you're having any issues.

The advantage of the Sky Q system is that, as everything is streamed from the main box, you can share all of your recordings and on-demand programmes, plus watch any of your TV channels, too: the Sky Q Silver box has four dedicated tuners for this (two Mini boxes and two tablets); the Sky Q box has two dedicated tuners (one Mini box and one tablet). Tablets can also download recordings and on-demand programmes (except for BBC content, due to licensing issues), so you can watch online. Sharing content is where Sky's Fluid Viewing comes in.

What is Fluid Viewing?

Fluid Viewing is all about being able to start and stop watching content where and when you like. For example, you can start watching a recording downstairs in your living room and then continue watching in the kitchen. Think of this as Sky's version of Netflix, making the TV package a lot more flexible. All content for you to continue watching appears in the new My Q menu: it appears on the main box, tablets and on the Mini boxes.

Better networking

If you take Sky broadband with Sky Q, you get the new Sky Q Hub. As well as being a better router than anything Sky has made previously, the Q Hub also works with any Mini boxes you have, connecting them via its mesh network and turning them into Wi-Fi hotspots, so you get better wireless coverage around your home. If you don't have Sky broadband, you lose this feature, but Sky Q still works perfectly well.

Mobile streaming

With Sky Q you can watch Sky shows live or on-demand via the app (phone users have to use the older Sky Go app, as there's not yet a mobile Sky Q app). You can have up to four devices connected to your account, and each tablet running the Sky Q app can also download on-demand shows for watching offline. With Sky+ you could only stream shows, with downloading limited to Sky Go Extra customers (£5 a month or free with a Multiscreen subscription for £12 a month).

How much does Sky Q cost?

The feat with a new system like this is that it's going to be expensive. But, that's not really true with Sky Q and it works out to be pretty good value, provided you want the features it has. In other words, Sky+ HD has cheaper entry-level packages; if you want more HD channels, multi-room, and mobile viewing and downloading, Sky Q starts to make a lot more sense. As such, it makes more sense to compare packages like-for-like. If you buy Sky+ HD with Sports and Movies, and the main entertainment package with all of the HD channels, you pay £74 a month (£38 for the main package plus £36 for Movies and Sports). However, you have to pay an additional £6 a month for Sports and Movies in HD and £12 a month for multiroom, which also lets you download shows using Sky Go. This costs £92 a month in total.
With Sky Q the HD pack and tablet downloads are included as standard. Opting for the regular Sky Q box and loading up Movies and Sports costs £80 a month (£44 for the main package plus £36 for Sports and Movies), and you can watch your TV via one tablet as well.

With Sky Q Silver you pay £90 a month (£56 for the main package plus £36 for Sports and Movies), but get one Mini box included and you can watch on two tablets as well. A second Mini box has a one-off charge of £99. In all cases, installation is currently £10.

Far from being expensive, then, Sky Q can actually work out cheaper than Sky+ HD, particularly if you want all of the options. Some readers have pointed out that existing customers can often get a discount on Sky+ HD by phoning Sky (usually, saying you're about to cancel your subscription will work wonders), whereas you're unlikely to get a discount on Sky Q, as it's new. However, the choice still comes down to what you want and Sky Q is by far the better and more flexible system and, on paper, better value than Sky+ HD if you want all of its features.

Sky Q pricing compared