Sky, a European broadcasting company owned by Comcast, will offer Sky Stream Puck, its proprietary set top box, as a standalone product for Sky TV customers. Viewers can use the device to access on-demand and live TV content without having to purchase Sky Glass, the company’s line of branded smart TVs.
Sky introduced the Sky Glass system in October, offering the Sky Stream Puck as an optional add-on device. Operating on Comcast’s X1 platform, Sky Glass lets viewers watch Sky TV channels via the internet rather than through a satellite connection. It is also compatible with Sky Q, Sky’s SVOD service.
Customers who don’t want to upgrade their existing TV to Sky Glass can use the Sky Stream Puck instead, as it has the same user interface as Sky Glass but can operate independently. The device, like Sky Glass, is 4K HDR capable and supports voice command input, Pocket Lint reports. The Sky Stream Puck offers the same streaming services that are on Sky Glass, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, ITV Hub and more.
The set top box isn’t an entire replacement for Sky Glass. Sky confirmed the Sky Stream Puck will not have Sky Glass’ 360⁰ Dolby Atmos surround sound or quantum dot display technology, according to Express. The device doesn't have a record feature for shows, the publication wrote, but viewers can use a playlist feature to save content desired to the cloud.
The standalone Sky Stream Puck will likely be out later this year, its exact pricing has yet to be disclosed. The device has a $65.34 (£50) upfront cost for Sky Glass customers. Sky Glass payment plans currently range from $16.99 (£13) per month to $33.98 (£26) per month.