Stream quality

[Anonymous User]

Is the Chromecast the same as Android and IOS in that it's limited to SD or can it get the higher quality video we already get on the NowTV? Only I was about to test, but as I already have 4 registered devices and not prepared to remove any, I can't.

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User I'm wondering if the difference in quality is to do with Chromecast trying to upscale the video output as that can often make things worse if the source input is poor (as NOW TV tends to be) in my experience. 

[Anonymous User]

Chromecast doesn't upscale anything. Once initiated by the mobile device (remote), the stream comes direct from your broadband to the Chromecast. It's not upscaling a mobile image.

As for quality, Apple TV is the same, except for live channels which should have a slightly higher resolution image than other devices.

All of this is down to individual circumstances though, so some people may experience (or perceive) better quality on some devices than others.

Thanks,

Tom

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User Good idea, but I don't think that was what I was experiencing. The stream started at good quality (equal to the NowTV Box) before noticably stepping down a notch (Tested with both NowTV Box and Chromecast running the same content simultaneously and switching between TV inputs). Based on IPlayer / Netflix usage I was as confident as I can be about the bandwidth available to the Chromecast so at the time I took a semi-educated guess that either it gets the content via a slightly different route or that it had slightly different logic governing how it negotiated down to lower bandwidth modes.

I haven't given it a good workout since then but anecdotally the situation seemed better last time I watched something via Chromecast. I can't remember if there have been any Android app updates that claimed to address this but It's quite possible that the viewer app, i.e. the bit that runs on the the Chromecast rather than the Android control app has been updated in this time.

[Anonymous User]

Hi @Anonymous User I see what you mean.  The only time I get that is on the iPad when it's really pixelated at first, then it adapts to the available bandwidth.

[Anonymous User]

Having moved the ironing board from in front of the router I'm now getting the high quality version on my Chromecast.

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User that's good to hear! Maybe a little too "niche" for us to add as a troubleshooting step though 🙂

Oops, pressed post before I'd finished. I gave my Chromecast a good run out last night to finish the fourth series of Boardwalk Empire, and the quality matched that on my box and LG TV consistently. It works really well, and is probably going to be my favourite device for watching NOW TV, given how flexible it is.

Thanks,

Tom

[Anonymous User]

I've found the quality of Chromecast to be equal to that of the NOW TV box, I was hoping as it streams direct and doesn't rely on the NOW TV box it might be slightly better.   I tend to use the NOW TV box as it can be a pain relying on my phone as the remote.

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

Would anyone know whether there's a known difference when comparing a live stream to something through the library.

I have noticed that a live stream runs between 1770 and 2500 however watching the same film from the library runs at 3100.

I have conducted tests at the same time, used more than one system to run nowtv, have reset the router and even spoken to Sky whom telephone / broadband is provided through and know that its not a result of my broadband speed.

Watching something from the library is good however watching anything live is appalling at times particulary if the stream is running on the lower limit.

Any suggestions ?

[SeeMoreDigital]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

.... however watching anything live is appalling at times particulary if the stream is running on the lower limit.

Any suggestions ?

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Really!

I guess it depends what the content is. A couple of days ago I watched the 'live' stream of Penny Dreadful on Sky Atlantic via my LG television (@ 2500) and it looked great. I've just watched a few minutes of the 'live' stream of NCIS on Fox (@2500) and its looks great also.

What exactly were you watching?

Cheers

[BicBasher]

Some live streams are higher than others, I found Nick Jr. to stream at 3450 in comparison to the lower bit rates on some of the film channels!