Sky reception types: These are the options you have to watch the Sky packages of your choice

SKY Q

July 7, 2024 at 09:00

You can receive Sky’s programs in different ways. We’ll tell you which connections you need and which options you have.

1. Watch Sky via satellite

2. Watch Sky via cable

3. Watch Sky over the Internet

Would you like to subscribe to a Sky package or several? Then you can choose between three different reception options: cable, satellite or internet. Depending on what you choose, you will need a receiver or a streaming box.

Watch Sky via satellite

If you have a satellite system on your roof, you can also use it to receive Sky programs. The Sky channels should even appear in your program list, but they are encrypted. You can unlock them with the Sky Q receiver and the smart card. We have summarized how the unlocking works with a smart card in a separate article.

The Sky Q receiver is equipped with two reception parts (twin tuners). This means you can watch TV and record at the same time. For this to work, you need a multiple LNB (for example twin or quad LNB) or a SatCR LNB.

You can find out more about reception and installation in our “Receiving Sky via satellite” guide.

Watch Sky via cable

If you want to watch Sky via your cable connection, you can do so either using the Sky Q receiver that is included free of charge or using an existing receiver that you also use to watch cable TV, such as the GigaTV Home Box from Vodafone. However, you can only get all of the Sky functions with the Sky Q cable receiver.

For example, you can save recordings directly to the device’s hard drive. Just like the satellite receiver, you have to activate the Sky Q cable receiver with your smart card.

You can find out more about reception and installation in our “Receiving Sky via cable” guide.

Watch Sky over the Internet

You no longer need a cable connection or satellite system to watch Sky’s programs. Sky offers the Sky Q IPTV Box, a streaming box with which you can stream all Sky packages over the Internet.

Similar to a Fire TV Stick, you simply connect the Sky Q IPTV Box to your TV via an HDMI cable. However, from late summer 2024, the Sky Q IPTV Box is expected to be replaced by the Sky Stream Box.

You can find out more about reception via the Internet in our review of the Sky Q IPTV Box.

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