Foxtel iq what is it

More 4K channels are undoubtedly on the way — Foxtel has left space on their satellite for at least two more. Satellite is an ideal delivery method for 4K, freed from the constraints of free-to-air broadcast TV when it comes to available bandwidth. The only real limit is how much capacity Foxtel has on the satellite. But the iQ4 is more than capable of doing it, with support for the H. That support also means, of course, that Netflix can stream in full 4K on the iQ4.

Despite being a completely different set top box internally, compared to the previous iQ box, the iQ4 box has quite a bit in common with its older sibling. And so once again we have ten tuners eight satellite and two terrestrial , a GB hard drive for about hours of HD recording, and a Bluetooth Foxtel remote control.

Aside from the major internal upgrades, the iQ4 also boasts fast dual-band Wi-Fi for a more reliable connection to your home network we still recommend using an Ethernet cable, though and the aforementioned HDMI 2. New customers who get the iQ4 delivered will get the latest, upgraded Foxtel iQ4 remote control, which also works with infra-red, making it more reliable and responsive, and offers direct-access buttons for content categories as well as voice search.

That new voice remote is also available to existing users for a small fee. The box does its usual iQ start-up procedure — but multiple times faster than the old set top box did — and then will automatically install the latest software and reboot. The difference in responsiveness and performance compared to the old set top box is night and day. This is undoubtedly the sort of hardware the designers of the iQ software were expecting their system to run on, and set free from its underpowered older sibling, it becomes a much more usable, pleasant and fun experience.

The completely redesigned user interface streamlines everything from the Home screen with program highlights and your in-progress titles to the genre-based on-demand streaming sections for movies, TV shows and sports, and of course your library of recorded and downloaded programs. Foxtel spent a huge amount of time with actual users testing out design improvements to see what worked best, and the result is brilliant — finally, the iQ4 feels like a true multi-faceted entertainment device, embracing both broadcast TV and on-demand streaming within the same seamless interface.

The new Foxtel iQ4 remote control is now backlit, and equipped with buttons to directly access on-demand movies, TV shows, sports… and Netflix! The new Home screen on the iQ4 highlights key shows and movies that you might be interested in based on what you watch — and these highlights include titles from Netflix as well, which you can directly access from the Home screen.

Make no mistake — the new software for the iQ4 makes this device easily the one with most features and user-friendly digital recorder you can get. The iQ4 also boasts full support for Netflix, with an app built in to the iQ4 and available at a touch of the dedicated Netflix button on the iQ4 remote. You can use your existing Netflix account on the app, or you can add a Netflix subscription to your Foxtel plan. Platinum Plus bundle customers get their Netflix subscription included at no extra cost, too — a fantastic deal.

With many of these offers, the iQ4 is either heavily discounted or supplied at no cost, as part of your overall subscription package. Since the iQ3, the Foxtel set top box has been pretty much the same for many years — but that has just changed.

Recently, Foxtel released the iQ5, a next-generation Foxtel set top box that takes their use of streaming to a new level. The goal with the iQ5 is to let customers choose how they want to watch their Foxtel — via satellite, or via internet streaming. The iQ5 is capable of delivering the full Foxtel experience without needing any installation at all, which will be perfect for people in apartment buildings where getting a dish installed is impossible. The iQ5 also allows you to stream all live Foxtel channels — including the 4K Ultra HD channels directly via its internet connection.

Satellite customers, on the other hand, can sign up for the iQ5 in the new year. If you need to get in touch with Foxtel customer service with any questions about your iQ4, you can ring for the price of a local call. Technical support is available from 8am to 10pm , seven days a week, while for package changes, call between 8am and 8pm weekdays. New customer? Try between 8am and 8pm , Monday to Sunday.

Alternatively, you can visit the Foxtel website for online support. Highly recommended. Right now the latest iQ box offering is the sleek, plug and play set top box that ditches cable or satellite installation — the iQ5 box. Yes, absolutely — existing Foxtel customers can upgrade from the iQ2 or iQ3 simply by calling Foxtel.

One of the key features of the iQ4 box is its full support for 4K video. The iQ2 also no longer offers on-demand streaming. There are 13 dedicated sports channels on the new iQ5 and the quality of the content and the streamed sports such as US NFL is excellent via the iQ5 especially as most sport is today shot in 4H ultra high definition or high definition and this box delivers this quality content as good as any premium TV.

By David Richards 8 Sep Latest News. Also coming soon is access to Amazon Prime Video and a vast array of new content. Rating 9. The technology under the bonnet is among the best available for a set top box and the combination of Foxtel content and the capability that the iQ5 delivers is well worth the move to Internet or satellite streaming.

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