Sky Stream makes cable TV look old
With the Sky Stream streaming box, you get a convenient and high-quality technical option to watch TV channels in HD and use streaming services. Especially Sky customers will find what they're looking for. Those who are just looking for a cable TV replacement can find cheaper offers.
Since the so-called ancillary cost privilege was abolished on July 1, internet television has received a significant boost. Among others, Waipu.tv benefited from the end of cable TV obligation, as it had a successful stick in time. Sky comes to the market a bit late with its box, but it has its own unique streaming advantages.
With the new hardware, existing customers who already have the Sky Q IPTV box will not be left behind. They will receive a software update in the coming weeks that will allow them to use the new Sky Stream as well. Additionally, Sky Stream content can also be viewed without a box using the Sky Go app on smartphones and tablets.
Solid Technology
The new box is about the size of a hand and is plugged into an HDMI port on your TV, like other sticks. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR 10, and HLG for picture, and Dolby Atmos for sound. In practical testing, the internal hardware proved to be strong enough, with smooth operation and no significant delays when switching channels or apps.
Sky provides a relatively large remote control that is comfortable to hold. Its buttons light up when you pick it up, and important keys are additionally marked in color. You can set it up to control the volume on your TV as well. However, it is not possible to control Sky Stream with your TV's remote control.
Power consumption is low, with ntv.de measuring about 0.5 watts in standby and around 4 watts in use. In practical testing, the box was connected to the internet via WLAN, but it also has a LAN port. Setup is quick and easy if you have a Sky account. Without one, you can't use the box, so you'll need to choose a subscription.
A Subscription is Required
The cheapest Entertainment Plus package costs €15 per month in the first year, then €27.50. This includes the Sky Stream box at no additional cost, as well as numerous HD TV channels, including RTL. You also get Sky series, documentaries, and shows in streaming, and the basic Netflix package is included, which usually costs €5 extra. For 4K streams and Dolby Atmos, there's an extra €5 charge. Netflix in Full HD or 4K costs an additional €5 or €10.
If you want to use Sky's film offering, you'll pay at least €25 per month in the first year, then €41. The Bundesliga package starts at €30/€35.50, and the complete package starts at €40/€58.
Apps can be used with any subscription, including RTL, Amazon Prime, various media libraries, and YouTube. You can also access music streaming services like Spotify and some games. However, you can't install any applications, as there's no app store on the Sky Stream box.
User-friendly Interface, Picture and Sound are Great
The user interface is well-designed, making it easy to find your way around. Sky offers are prominently displayed, followed by recently used channels and apps. Below that, you can view offers by genre or your own playlist.
In theory, you can add content from all available sources to your playlist, but not all content is currently supported. This is expected to change over time. Currently, you can mainly add Sky offers and TV channels to your playlist.
Cross-searching is already working well. It's best to use voice search via the remote's microphone and stick to keywords instead of full sentences. For example, searching for "Leonardo DiCaprio" shows movies featuring the US actor from RTL+ to Apple TV. Unfortunately, you can't filter results by your subscribed services.
Whether it's an app or live TV, picture and sound quality is excellent, especially with 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos. This isn't limited to Sky; other providers also offer this. However, Sky Stream can't do this alone; the source and playback devices must support it, and the internet connection needs to be stable.
Making TV Fun
A standout feature is the TV Guide. Here, you can see all currently running shows side by side or view an overview of the entire day. You can also sort channels by genres. Choosing 'News' will quickly show you ntv, for instance.
Favorites are particularly useful, allowing you to customize the channel order to your preferences. Oddly, this can't be done directly in the TV Guide; you'll need to go to the settings and then 'presets'. Here, it's easy to change positions, remove, or add channels. While watching live TV, you can also select a channel using the remote's number buttons. It's also great that you can pause, rewind, or restart TV shows without having to record them first.
Conclusion
Despite some minor flaws, Sky Stream is an excellent solution for combining TV and streaming. However, to enjoy all its benefits, you'll need to spend a considerable amount of money. Therefore, it's particularly suitable for users who are already Sky customers or plan to become one. If you're mainly looking for a cable TV replacement, alternatives like Waipu.tv are much cheaper.
In addition to the Entertainment Plus package, Sky also offers the RTLplus app as an additional streaming service for its subscribers. This allows users to access a variety of RTL shows and content directly on their Sky Stream device.
Moreover, Sky Stream customers can enjoy RTL channels in HD quality, including RTL+, which is part of the Sky entertainment package. This means that users can watch their favorite RTL shows without missing out on the high-definition experience.
