Here’s our lowdown on Sky Glass and Sky Stream to help you decide which is better for you.
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(Pocket-lint) — Sky now offers its standalone Sky Stream service, a way of getting the full Sky TV experience without needing a satellite dish or going whole hog on the Sky Glass all-in-one television.
In fact, it’s basically Sky Glass without the, er, glass, allowing you to get similiar internet-provided TV but on an existing set.
So which is the better option for you, and is there anything else you need to consider? Here we give you the lowdown on Sky Glass and Sky Stream to help you decide. Hardware
Sky Glass: All-in-one 4K HDR TV, Dolby Atmos sound system, Sky over broadband service
Sky Stream: Set-top-box that connects to an existing TV over HDMI, Sky over broadband service
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While they technically offer the same Sky TV experience, there’s a big difference between Sky Glass and Sky Stream when it comes to hardware. One is a set-top-box you plug into a TV and optional sound system, the other is a TV and sound system.
The Sky Stream device is small and unobtrusive. It can hide away in a cabinet or sit on a stand, and doesn’t take up much room. You connect it to a TV via HDMI.
Sky Glass, on the other hand, is an all-in-one entertainment system. It includes a 4K HDR TV and Dolby Atmos surround sound system, with multiple speakers built into the outside of set.
They are similar in that all of the TV channels and programming is delivered via the internet rather than a satellite or aerial, so you do need a decent broadband connection (10Mbps for HD, 30Mbps for 4K). Both can be connected to your router via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
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The remote control for each is the same, with a built-in microphone and voice control available when you press a dedicated button. Sky Glass also has far-field microphones and voice control built into the set itself though, whereas Sky Stream does not.
Sky Glass is available in 43-, 55-, and 65-inch screen sizes and multiple colours. Sky Stream comes in just the one small, black box. Picture and sound
Sky Glass: 4K HDR — HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos sound
Sky Stream: 4K HDR — HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos support
Both Sky Stream and Sky Glass are capable of displaying video in up to 4K HDR and audio as Dolby Atmos, but the way they deliver them is different.
Sky Glass displays HDR visuals (Dolby Vision too) on its own screen, while its multi-speaker setup can play Dolby Atmos soundtracks. That includes the format’s extra height channels which beam from the top of the TV’s case.
