Whether you like it not the future of TV is heading towards streaming rather than older satellite or aerial technology. The team behind Freeview has recently launch its new broadband-powered Freely and Sky has offered Sky Glass and Stream for sometime with both using the web to beam content to the screen.
This way of watching telly has its advantages as there is no fussy installation and you don’t need any extra equipment drilled into the walls of your home.
Simply plug in, type in your Wi-Fi password and you’re are good to go. With live and on-demand content available it’s hard to fault but, as you can read in our Sky Glass review, there is one glaring issue that particularly annoying if you love watching sport.
Streaming is always around 30-40 seconds behind standard over-the-air signals which means when a Premier League goal is scored or an F1 crash takes place those with broadband-powered services will find out much later than those viewing using a standard TV or a Sky Q box.
It can be hugely frustrating but Sky is slowly sorting this problem. Early this year, the firm promised it would speed up its streams and it seems the company is being true to its word.
Those with a Sky streaming device can now tune into a new low latency sports channel which cuts the lag down by a whopping 22 seconds.
That should mean it’s now almost as good as watching via a dish or aerial.
This update is starting with the Sky Sports Main Event but expect more channels to follow in the future.
Fancy giving it a go?
To view the low latency channel, you can either:
• Opt in on the Live Sync button on Sky Sports Main Event
• Tune into the dedicated channel on the TV Guide – 921 for HD customers and 922 for UHD customers
• You can also voice search by saying ” Sky Sports Main Event Low Latency” or “Sky Sports Main Event Live Sync”