Cutting the cord for pay-TV subscribers, the Foxtel iQ5 giveth and taketh away.
Way back, before the rise of Netflix and catch up services, Personal Video Recorders were the best way to watch video “on-demand”. With a built-in hard drive, PVRs let you automatically record your favourite shows and even record multiple live channels at once – so you can watch things when it suits you.
PVRs can also perform time-bending tricks such as pausing and rewinding live broadcasts. Plus, there’s “chasing playback”, letting you watch the start of a movie while you’re still recording the end.
The demise of TiVo and Telstra’s TBox left the Foxtel iQ and Fetch TV Mighty as Australia’s two best PVRs – each capable of recording a mix of pay and free-to-air channels. The big difference was that the Fetch TV Mighty streams pay-TV over the internet. Meanwhile, the Foxtel iQ relied on a satellite or cable connection – putting it out of reach for some homes.
That all changes with the new Foxtel iQ5. It offers the choice of receiving Foxtel channels – even the 4K channels – via a satellite dish on your roof or streamed over the internet. Unfortunately, it asks for a few sacrifices in return, which won’t suit some lounge rooms.
For now, the Foxtel iQ5 is only available to “select Foxtel subscribers” from early September 2021. It will become more widely available later this year.
Review: Foxtel iQ5
Australian website | here |
Price | $199 RRP ($99 without the hard drive next year) plus a Foxtel package monthly subscription from $49 to $139 |
Warranty | 2 years |
Other | You can read other GadgetGuy Foxtel news and reviews here. |
First impressions
If you’re familiar with the Foxtel iQ4 or Foxtel Now streaming box, then you’ll feel right at home with the iQ5. They all share a similar user interface. Of course, the underwhelming $99 Foxtel Now box can only stream but not record. The Foxtel iQ5 is what the Foxtel Now box really should have been.
Setting up the Foxtel iQ5, you’re offered a choice of satellite or internet connection. It doesn’t support cable connections. The pay-TV giant is migrating customers away from the HFC cable network, which once belonged to Telstra but is now owned by the NBN.
Just to clarify, right now Foxtel customers receive Foxtel as a TV signal, over satellite or HFC cable. Foxtel is going to stop sending TV signals over HFC, because the HFC cable now belongs to NBN. With the iQ5, Foxtel will now let you watch Foxtel as an internet streaming signal. That will work over HFC or any other broadband connection.
Connecting via the internet is self-install, with the option to plug an Ethernet cable in the back or connect to your home Wi-Fi network. Download speeds of 25 Mbps should be enough to watch a 4K channel. Still, faster speeds are advisable, considering the box can record two internet channels and one free-to-air channel simultaneously while watching a fourth. Plus, you obviously need some bandwidth left over for all the other gadgets in your home.
If you can’t get a Foxtel satellite dish installed on your roof, the iQ5’s broadband connection is the only way to watch Foxtel’s 4K channels. They’re not available via cable or Foxtel’s streaming services Foxtel Now, Binge and Kayo.
The installation also brings you to one of the Foxtel iQ5’s greatest shortcomings. If you connect via satellite, Foxtel also sends you most of the free-to-air channels. This is handy if you have poor free-to-air reception at home. Unfortunately, Foxtel doesn’t stream any of the free-to-air channels over the internet.
So if you want to watch and record free-to-air, you need to connect the Foxtel iQ5 to your aerial wall socket. That might be a hassle, considering dwellings like apartments that can’t get a satellite dish probably also have little control over the quality of their aerial.
Foxtel iQ5 Specs
Resolution | 4K |
Recording | 2 pay channels and 1 FTA simultaneously |
Storage | 1 TB (detachable) |
Access | Satellite or broadband |
Connectivity | Ethernet, WiFi |
A/V connectors | HDMI, SPDIF optical digital |
Features
The detachable 1 TB hard drive on the Foxtel iQ5 should be good for 345 hours of SD recordings, 172 hours of HD or only 45 hours of Ultra HD. So the possibility of upgrading to a larger drive in the future is encouraging. It remains to be seen how much Ultra HD content we’ll get from Foxtel in the future and whether content giants like HBO will jump on the 4K bandwagon.
There’s also talk that Foxtel might sell the iQ5 streaming box for $99 without the storage drive (Foxtel has confirmed this option is coming “in the new year”). This might make it handy for the bedroom, although you’d obviously lose all the recording and PVR features.
You could argue that PVRs are irrelevant now that practically everything is on-demand. That said, catch up usually isn’t available until long after a program has finished. With the iQ5, if you turn on a movie or TV show halfway through, you can press the red button to jump back to the start.
Building on changes with the iQ4, the iQ5 also improves its personalisation and recommendation features. Plus, you can use the remote to browse and search using voice commands.
This is all particularly handy when – alongside Foxtel and free-to-air channels – the iQ5 also features Netflix, ABC iView, SBS on Demand and YouTube. Others on the roadmap include Vevo, Amazon Prime Video and the other major free-to-air catch-up services. You’re still missing some of the big guns like Disney+, Apple TV+ and Stan.
Quality
One of the big disappointments is that while the Foxtel iQ5 can support High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Dolby Vision, it’s not yet enabled. These reveal greater details in the brightest highlights and deepest shadows, assuming your television supports them.
This means that for now, on a Dolby Vision-capable 4K smart TV like my LG OLED, Netflix Originals like Lost in Space look much better using the TV’s built-in Netflix app than coming from the iQ5. It damages the iQ5’s credentials as a one-stop entertainment shop.
When it comes to Foxtel’s own channels, they look just as good via the internet as via satellite. In the long run, streaming should be good news for Foxtel viewers – potentially supporting not just 4K resolution and high dynamic range but also higher bitrates to deliver a clearer picture.
Hopefully, that means we won’t see a repeat of the Game of Thrones debacle, where the epic 80-minute nighttime Battle of Winterfell was so dark and blurry it was almost unwatchable. HBO and Foxtel tried to blame people’s televisions, but the real fault lay with the show’s makers. They shot incredibly dark scenes without allowing for the fact that the networks compress video and don’t deliver a high enough bitrate to ensure a clear picture. There’s no excuse for that when streaming.
GadgetGuy’s take
The Foxtel iQ5 is a welcome addition to the line-up, bringing Foxtel’s 4K content over the internet to those who can’t get access to satellite. The PVR features will seem redundant to some people in the streaming age, so the possibility of just paying $99 and forgoing and the hard drive is handy. Needing to plug in an aerial to watch free-to-air will be a deal-breaker for some.
Of course, whether or not you think it’s worth subscribing to Foxtel these days is a completely different story. The viewing landscape is more fragmented than ever. Exclusive live sport and HBO are Foxtel’s two big draw cards, at least for now.
Would I buy it?
Yes, if I thought my household would get value from a Foxtel subscription.
Can the IQ5 play recorded content at 1.5x or 2x speed like many PVRs can?
Adam Turner comments: Yes 2x, 6, 12, 30, 60
Not talking about fast forward and rewind speeds, rather playback speed like you can set on YouTube/Podcasts
in an apartment block where everyone, bar me, gets tv from a splitter from NBN cable from wall socket.
i previously connected IQ boxes to a splitter from NBN cable.
Foxtel says IQ5 can’t get FTA channels through connection to splitter.
Is that right?
Would a different splitter work?
Would connecting IQ5 to an indoor TV antenna work?
I understand that IQ5 needs either a TV aerial to get FTA TV (iView, 7Plus, Nine, etc) or a Satellite connection. It may get some digital TV catch up channels with an internet connection.
I don’t have access to an outside aerial and currently use IQ2 via cable simply to access and record the ABC news and 7.30. I have been offered a free upgrade to IQ5 but without an aerial (unless I use “rabbits ears”) I will lose that ability to record the ABC. Ts the same problem with the Fetch Mighty. I do have NBN. Are there any other options? S there a fantastic new mini aerial on the market that I don’t know about?
We did not mention rabbit ears as the performance is so variable. If you can get decent reception then its an option. Jaycar has various amplified indoor aerials that may work. Satellite dish is also an option.
Hi Ray – firstly thank you for the invaluable service you provide. Similar to the writer of this question I like to record ABC News and 7.30. Iview takes too long to make these programs available. You mentioned that with an aerial connection to the IQ5 I could record the ABC. But I don’t see how that is possible? There is no ABC app on the IQ5 to record from. The only way I can see it working is if the IQ5 can record from various inputs?
From Adam Turner, The iQ5 can record from various inputs. It can record from the Foxtel streaming channels and from the free-to-air broadcast channels (if you plug in an aerial).
My family has 3 set top boxes in the house – can all of these be replaced and people able to view different programs?
Foxtel charges for each IQ box (I seem to recall there were discount subscriptions for extra boxes) so three IQ5s may not be economic. Fetch does have a system where you can connect one 4K box and slave two more from it – that may suit. Sorry we need more information.
Does that mean I have to connect the box to an outside aerial, and not the tv ?
Hi Steve
We don’t provide tech support especially as we don’t know your specific circumstances. Try Foxtel Support 13 19 99
Hi. The iQ5 box has 2 UHD channels. Just 2. One movie channel, showing old movies upscaled in 4K which look terrible and a sports channel which very rarely shows live sports. Even the HD looks terrible. It’s not my internet, I have 5g and speeds of up to 200mbps. The iQ5 box is pretty poor.
One bad aspect is that they don’t allow you to mix delivery methods.
So if you have satellite you cannot get internet you have to disconnect satellite and use 2 IQ5
Question
If you connect the IQ5 via the internet and connect an antenna to the box can you watch and record the free to air channels through the IQ5 box with the hard drive ?
Yes
Hi Ray, I have found that you can only record one FTA channel at the same time, is this correct?
Michael
20 year plus Foxtel customer here and have had iq1, 2 and 3. They won’t give me the iq4 because my unit block is on the HFC. And now, if I am understanding correctly, even though I get a sustained 105mbps connection though HFC and the NBN , I am not going to be able to get the iQ5? If so this seems to me to some sort of unfair trading. I don’t have the option of a satellite (and don’t want one anyway as I rent) but I have blazingly fast 99.9% reliable internet…. but Foxtel is not going to let me connect because I’m using their old HFC network.
Or have I completely misunderstood your article?
From Adam. Right now they receiving Foxtel over HFC as a TV signal. Foxtel is going to stop sending TV signals over HFC, because the HFC cable now belongs to NBN. With the iQ5, Foxtel will now let you watch Foxtel as an internet streaming signal. That will work over HFC or any other broadband connection.
Hi Ray
In the review, it lists the RRP as $199. Does this mean that the box can be bought outright
Hi Renato – no the box is tied to Foxtel subscription so its a ‘set-up’ fee.
Sorry Ray, another question. The iQ3 has the slowest, clunckiest user interface ever which drives me mad – is it any better on the iQ5 or does it still take 3-5 seconds to select the simplest thing like the library or TV guide? And is it the same interface or a whole new one?
Very similar interface, but more responsive.
My IQ2 can currently record 2 FTA channels and watch a 3rd or pre-recorded content. Am I reading correctly that the IQ5 with aerial connection is limited to recording only 1 FTA channel? Only one DTV tuner?
Adam Turner checked – Yes, I just double-checked. Won’t let me record two FTA channels at once. I agree, it’s poor form on Foxtel’s part.
Thanks. Yes, it is almost a deal breaker for us.
Is there a PVR you can recommend that can record multiple FTA and has as slick an interface as the Foxtel boxes? Especially with respect to series link.
Adam Turner says Fetch Mightly is the go (no Foxtel app) and Pansonic has a dual-tuner stand-alone PVR.
I’m interested to know the experience when channel surfing. Given it’s IPTV, does it take longer to start streaming each channel than an older satellite box would take tuning into each channel?
Adam Turner replies – No, the time taken for a new channel to start playing on the iQ5 over the internet is exactly the same as an iQ4 on satellite, for both Foxtel and FTA channels.
Similar to others I’ve also had Foxtel (cable) for many years. We are in a small block of apartment’s that had Satellite but all free to air channels were standard definition. Foxtel claimed this was a capacity issue which was and is absolute bs. After much discussion with other owners we paid $5000 to have cable installed so we could get HD free to air. Now 7 years later Foxtel are back at it, to change to IQ5 but with reduced functionality. I am considering the change but reduced recording capability is an issue. Also I asked Foxtel if their guide included the free to air channels if the IQ5 is connect to an external aerial, can you confirm this?
May thnaks and agreat review that is really helpful.
Yes, the onscreen guide includes the FTA channels if you plug in an external aerial.
I assume the IQ5 doesn’t have any Dolby Atmos sound capability? It’s a real shame Foxtel don’t support this, particularly when it’s available on Netflix. I guess it’s similar to how Foxtel don’t support HDR?
From Adam Turner: It does support Dolby Atmos, and this is enabled now. It also supports Dolby Vision, but this won’t be enabled until a future update (and content on Foxtel).
From Ray Shaw: This assumes you have a Dolby Vision and Atmos capableTV with HDMI 2.1 eARC (or HDMI 2.0 eARC for compressed 4K@30fps) that can pass through the Dolby Metadata to a Dolby Atmos soundbar (at least 5.1.2). If the TV does nout support it all you will get is TV 1.0 or 2.0 sound.
Thanks – is there any Atmos content on Foxtel or is it limited to Netflix?
I doubt that there is much Atmos content as Foxtel has yet to implement Dobly Vision. It is Netflix and Blueray for now.
I’ve had to send mine back, as I could not receive free to air channels via my perfectly good digital Aerial socket. This was a selling point for me, as I am on iQ2 currently and I can record and watch FTA, so it’s a deal breaker if this doesn’t work, which it didn’t. I tried 3 cables and the aerial works just fine straight through the telly. They claim I need to pay an “aerial expert” to “Change my Aerial Settings”(Their words), whatever that means. Then they said I need to get a satellite on my roof. No thanks. Then they just got to the end of their page of fixes and said that’s it, send it back, Bye. Pathetic customer service Foxtel. Has anyone else had FTA channel scanning problems? Their tech guy said it was a glitch, then decided it was my aerial! Great Tech Support, NOT! Probably a blessing really, as it’s becoming a rip off anyway, especially $10 for bloody HD! That whole experience to get back to where I started, was 4 frustrating hours.
I have just had the same experience. Got a free upgrade from the IQ4 where my aerial connection worked just fine. After 3 hours on the phone to foxtel, same response that i need to get my aerial upgraded. Suspect the free offer was a test and learn exercise because when do u ever get something for free. They cycled through a whole lot of reasons that i counteracted with facts, which then resulted in the advice that it was my aerial and i needed to fix it. F
Great service from a company losing money and market share.
Hi, just wanted to know can you still series record on the IQ5…..do you have to be home with tv on streaming to record or just like the IQ3 it records as long as the power is on….
I’ve been upgraded to IQ5 GETTING IT TOMORROW…..hope it’s the same experience I’m used to and not only streaming, I like my recordings to watch when I get home from work
Thankyou
Your review lacks critical analysis of specific features that are lost on the previous generation of boxes that made Foxtel bearable. For instance, notice there is no “stop” button on the remote. Also, seeing as there is no technological limitation of running FTA over the internet. But Foxtel stream is not supporting it and I now have to spend hundreds perhaps over a thousand dollars, and may not achieve the same signal quality, to receive the same content I have been getting on my Foxtel box over cable for years. We used to be able to turn the box on and start watching it. Now I need to have additional hardware to receive the signal and then rely on Australia’s poor quality internet company (NBN) to stream it. The steady march of “innovation” has forgotten how the usability and convenience has been significantly sacrificed and has blinded many to notice how f*cked up this has become.
My friend has old large house with not so good antenna.
Has anyone developed an app that provides some FTA channels via the internet ?
I an hoping that such an app could then be ‘installed’ in the IQ5
Shirley that would be a welcome addition for many Aussies, that would love the IQ5 to accommodate FTA better
With the IQ2 I could record two FTA shows at the same time but now with the IQ5 I can only record 1 FTA. I go to add the extra recording and it says it is clashing with another, but it’s not.
There are many positives to the IQ5, including streaming previously aired programs. A big disappointment and arguably a step backwards is the recording ability. Only 1 FTA program can be recorded at one time. IF another FTA program is to be recoded there must be a 30 minute gap between programs. It is possible to record 3 Foxtel concurrently, it is also possible to record 1 FTA program concurrently with 2 Foxtel programs. Perhaps a solution is not to record any Foxtel programs and wait to stream the previously aired programs but it is uncertain if all aired programs are available to stream.
I am on my second replacement box and this one doesn’t work either. It refuses to record FTA even though I watch them very clearly. Live pause on FTA also doesn’t work. Foxtel help desk have tried all the tricks to get both the first and second going as promised but no it still doesn’t work as it should. Very disappointing as my cable service worked beautifully for 15 years or so. We shall see what fox comes up with next. if not they’ve lost a long standing customer.
Hi, today is the 24th of June 2022. I am being forced along with others to let go of my IQ2 and get IQ5. I am beyond disappointed. I want to know this, does the IQ5 have a ‘planner’ like the IQ2? Can I still set up my recordings for example, a series that is on every week, to automatically record as I can do now? Also, I understand from the replies above that I will be able to record two programmes and watch one but I am unclear about this 30 min wait with FTA, does this mean they can clash and not record if they are on FTA and Foxtel at the same time? I wish I could keep my IQ2. Two years ago when we got cable in the street, they made us get IQ3 which was so awful I made them give me my IQ2 back again 🙂 Gutted it has to go. Am putting off making the call to Foxtel. How long can I leave it before I get a blank screen – I think it is until the end of 2022 but not sure, do you know?
Many thanks for all this info. Cheers!
I recently changed over from my iQ2 box to iQ5 with a hard drive. So far I’m reasonably happy with it, although I noticed that the tv guide doesn’t have Showcase and BBC First SD channels which I record a lot, only HD. HD obviously takes up a lot more recording space and restricts the total number of programs that can be recorded. I have a new Sony 4K OLED tv which upscales the SD recordings on other channels. Just BTW, the lack of FTA without an antenna connection is not an issue with me because I can still record FTA programs on my DVD recorder, which can also record in HD.
Another issue which has arisen, is that in changing over from my iQ2 to iQ5 box, I can no longer play previous recordings on my iQ2 box, even though it’s connected separately by HDMI cable to the tv. The list of recordings still shows up when the planner button on the iQ2 remote is pressed, but they won’t play back. Does anyone know if there’s any way of getting around this?
Have had the iq5 for about three months now and have found it very good, but I used to able to watch a show and if I had to go out I would just push record and watch the rest of the show when I got home but now when I push record in the same situation it records the whole show and have to fast forward to where I left off, I can’t find anything in settings to fix this.
i was forced to move from iq3 to iq5 by Foxtel and honestly, I cant see any difference what so ever. Even the interface is exactly the same. The range of apps is a joke.