Why am I paying dollars a month for movies that look an acid freak's pixellated nightmare?

[Anonymous User]

i pay my subscription. try and watch movies and tv programmes,  and regularly get picture quality that I wouldn't have forgiven twenty years ago on dial-up. 

What is going on? 

I had an example picture of the quality i have got whan attempting to watch "The Martian" tonight, but I am unable to show it as your "insert/edit image" protocol on this forum is BS.

So please, just take it from me, the picture is so bad I've given up trying to watch it.

Frankly, I've had migraines with better resolution. 

What am I paying for exactly?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hi and welcome to the forum @Anonymous User,

In order to help you, can you please provide the following information: -

• When did you start having issues?
• What's the make and model number of the device(s) you're using to access and play NOW TV content?
  [ie: a NOW TV 'black' box, a NOW TV 'white' box or a NOW TV 'Smart' box. Or a 'Games Console' of some type, a 'Set Top Box' of some type, a 'Smartphone' of some type, a 'Tablet' of some type, a 'Windows PC', a 'Mac' computer or another type of device]
• How is your NOW TV playback device connected to the internet. Is it via a wired or wireless (WiFi) ethernet connection?

Sufficed to say, the more detailed information you are able to provide, the easier it will be for us NOW TV forum members and/or a NOW TV Team member to work out a solution for you!

Cheers

[Anonymous User]

Hi, first of all, yes, dollars was a figure of speech.

I'm using the Nowtv black box on my tv and it is connected to the internet via wifi though an Orange/EE livebox broadband connection.

EDIT: results from speedtest.net : Ping 26ms, d/load 10.61 mbps, u/load 0.92

TV programmes sometimes start low res but usually settle down after a minute or so, movies sometimes never settle down. 

I was trying to watch The Martian on 26/11/16 and I couldn't see what was happening at all.

I attach an example picture.

Thanks

Dave

[Anonymous User]

Can I add my apologies for the tone of my initial post, and my thanks for responding!

[caseyb1993]

No worries @Anonymous User 😉

[Anonymous User]

Hi, I had the same problem with watching NowTV, I called my isp and explained the problem and within seconds they had rectified the problem at their end and the picture quality improved, to be 100% perfect quality it took a couple of days, I too thought there was a problem with my NowTV box, but it was in fact the internet speed on my line. 

Hope this helps, it may be worth giving them a call. 

[ukbobboy]

@Anonymous User @Anonymous User @caseyb1993 @Anonymous User @4268

Hi Guys (especially Raven and possibly Dave)

You know Raven, it seems that you caught your ISP practicing something called "Broadband Shaping" which is basically rationing how fast your Internet connection can send and receive data, this used to be extensively practiced in the '90s and, unfortunately for some customers like yourself, still practiced today, it's justified by your ISP's (so called) "Fair Usage Policy" (FUP).

BBS is performed secretly when some ISPs finds that they do not have the capacity to service their customers demands and, IMHO, is a nasty little secret way ISPs enforce their FUP, hiding their own shortcomings, while never admitting that they use this practice for fear of losing their customer base.

Therefore, ISP that practice "Broadband Shaping" will not tell you that you are a victim of this process, they prefer to lower your connection speed until you complain because if you don't they will think you are happy with, or didn't notice, your diminishing service.

Personally, if I found out my ISPs was using BBS, without cutting my monthly fee (and they never do), I'd dump them for another ISP asap.

Finally, remember that no ISP will ever admit that they practice "Broadband Shaping" or that you are a customer they are practicing on.

UK Bob

[4268]

@Anonymous User I am puzzled as to how you are paying dollars....

[ukbobboy]

@4268 @SeeMoreDigital @Anonymous User

Hi 4268

You know, your "dollar" question hit me the first time I set eyes on @Anonymous User's post, since he has not been back, I guess he now realise that he was posting in the wrong place.

UK Bob

[caseyb1993]

@ukbobboy @4268 Maybe a figure of speech? As surely dollars aren't an accepted legal tender on here?