Argos dishes out new Sky Q rival that offers TV for free, no wonder it's selling fast

It was announced last month, now UK homes can finally get their hands on a new Sky Q-style rival. The Manhattan S4-R is just like its premium competitor thanks to its ability to record shows, pause live TV and store hours of content right on the internal hard drive. The biggest difference between Sky Q and the S4-R is that the Manhattan box offers access to over 100 channels without the need for a subscription.

Yes, once the box has been purchased, there's nothing else to pay. That bonus is all thanks to its compatibility with Freesat, which uses existing dishes on walls to beam content to TVs.

Channels found on Freesat include BBC, Channel 4, ITV 1, E4, Legend, Sky Mix, TLC, U&Dave and That's TV 2

Manhattan is also promising a simple user interface, the ability to search for content and access to more than 60,000 hours of on-demand shows and movies from apps including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, 5 and more.

Of course, it can't match Sky Q when it comes to premium content such as sports and movies but Freesat is completley free.

Argos is now one of a number of UK stores that are officially stocking the 500GB (a 1TB version and 2TB model on are on their way). It's priced at £219.99, and it appears to be proving popular with Argos confirming that it is "in demand" and "selling fast".

YOU CAN SEE THE S4-R DEALS BELOW

Manhattan S4-R 500GB at Argos
NOW £219.99
SEE THE DEAL HERE

Manhattan S4-R 500GB at Amazon
NOW £219.99
SEE THE DEAL HERE

Speaking about the launch Alex Arbab-Zadeh, COO for Manhattan says: "We know how much people value the simple, subscription-free control and intuitive experience of our T4-R Freeview recorder. Our audience has been actively asking for that same experience on Freesat, and we’re thrilled to deliver the S4-R as the answer.

"It not only brings our proprietary user interface to satellite viewing, but it also drastically elevates the recording capability by supporting up to four simultaneous shows, compared to the previous two-channel limit.

"The S4-R is the perfect subscription TV replacement for Brits seeking more power, more choice, and an end to high monthly fees."

This isn't the box taking aim at Sky. The new Pleio puck was announced late last year and brings Freely access to any TV in homes. For those not aware, Freely beams over 50 live channels to TVs using the web rather than needing an aerial.

Pleio has had some stock issues since it was first uncovered, but it's now back at stores including Amazon and eBay.

It's priced at £99.99 and even comes with a gaming controller and access to over 200 online games.

Still want Sky?

Sky has just announced a 20 percent price cut ahead of the upcoming World Cup, with things now starting from just £4.50 per month. That low cost is for the Sky Glass Air telly which features a 4K HDR screen with Dolby Audio. Those wanting the improved Glass Gen 2 with a pixel-packed 4K Quantum Dot screen and in-built Dolby Atmos soundbar will need to pay £11 per month.