Streaming Without A Dish: How Sky Glass Air Works

The TV works as regular screens do, with HDMI ports and access to streaming apps. But for full functionality, you would sign up to Sky’s TV subscriptions, which start from £15 ($20) a month. These are supplied through a broadband connection — unlike Sky’s satellite options, no dish is required.

Set-up takes not time at all: attach the legs to the TV base by twisting them into place, slide the screen on top and plug it into power. And you’re done.

Once you’ve signed up to the service, all your channels come through broadband, even terrestrial options like BBC One. This has the benefit that with any program you can start watching from the start with the touch of a button, no matter how long it’s been on.

Where it differs from Sky’s popular Sky Q box is there’s no hard drive to save programs here. Instead, you search and if it’s available, you can stream it. (It does mean that there’s no installation fee with Sky Glass Air as there can be with Sky Q.)

The TV comes with Sky’s voice-control system. This means that you can press a microphone button on the remote or say “Hello, Sky,” or “Hello, Glass” to control the TV with your voice.

The screen is 4K, though it lacks the local-dimming backlights of the more expensive Glass Gen 2 and while it lacks the other screen’s soundbar, the audio is produced by 15W stereo speakers which deliver room-filling sound and clear vocals.

Sky Glass Air has proved its value in the Sky range and is an affordable but strongly featured TV.

Pricing And Design: An Affordable Entry Into Sky

The prices are £309 ($420) for the 43-inch model, £509 ($692) for 55-inch and £649 ($881) for 65 inches. You can either pay in full or pay £20 ($) upfront followed by either 24 or 48 monthly payments. The most expensive model costs £13 ($17.60) a month over 48 months, for instance.