According to Pocket-Lint, Sky Q is not just a service but a device as well, a family of devices to be exact.
The technology works through different Sky Q hardware whose functions are intertwined with one another to give consumers a premium home entertainment system.
Primarily, users will be needing a main Sky Q box which either can be the Sky Q or the Sky Q Silver set-top-box. The main difference between these two is that the former is cheaper but will lesser features while the latter offers superb features at a higher cost. The succeeding hardware devices will mostly focus on connectivity to these main boxes.
Sky Q Silver offers 2 TB worth of content or 350 hrs of HD viewing with 12 TV tuners which can simultaneously record four channels while playing a fifth one. Once launched, it will run on a 1080p resolution but will soon be upgraded to an ultra-high definition of 2160p during the latter part of 2016.
It can accommodate two tablets and two Sky Q mini boxes all simultaneously running while viewing different contents.
On the other hand, Sky Q has 1 TB worth of content equivalent to 150 hrs of HD viewing with eight TV tuners. It will run on 1080p resolution but won't be upgraded to a higher one. It can support one tablet and one Sky Q mini box.
Other devices which main purpose is for connectivity are the Sky Q Mini Box, Sky Q Touch Remote and Sky Q Hub.
Sky Q Mini Box enables the multiple content-viewing for different rooms inside a home via a connection in the main Sky Q box. It ensures stable connection between boxes in case of Wi-Fi connection interruption and also serves as Wi-Fi extender by providing other areas of Wi-Fi hotspot.
To switch between channels with ease, Sky Q Touch remote is a bluetooth touch remote equipped with a built-in microphone for future voice search function.
Since Sky Q service will require a very reliable connection, Sky Q hub will incorporate powerline networking of devices by offering 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ac connectivity.