cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Why is the picture quality on some channels so bad?

The picture quality on the following channels is awful.

MTV
Discovery
SYFY
Comedy Central
Gold

Low resolution and/or low bitrate with visiable artifacts especially in scenes with lots of motion, this has nothing to do with my connection speed as other channels have great quality (Sky Atlantic/Fox/Sky One/Movie Channels)

I understand that certain programs were filmed in standard definition therfore have no HD transfer but others that should be in HD look awful.

I mean the difference between Star Trek TNG on SYFY on NowTV and Star Trek TNG on NetFlix is miles apart (both tranfers are 720p) The same goe for Friends on both platforms. Friends is even advertised as 'Updated to HD' on comedy central.

Whats going on? You are supposed to streaming in HD 720p (and 1080p in the future)

Thanks

4 REPLIES 4
Tony-D
NOW Team Member
NOW Team Member


@Anonymous User wrote:

The picture quality on the following channels is awful.

MTV
Discovery
SYFY
Comedy Central
Gold

Low resolution and/or low bitrate with visiable artifacts especially in scenes with lots of motion, this has nothing to do with my connection speed as other channels have great quality (Sky Atlantic/Fox/Sky One/Movie Channels)

I understand that certain programs were filmed in standard definition therfore have no HD transfer but others that should be in HD look awful.

I mean the difference between Star Trek TNG on SYFY on NowTV and Star Trek TNG on NetFlix is miles apart (both tranfers are 720p) The same goe for Friends on both platforms. Friends is even advertised as 'Updated to HD' on comedy central.

Whats going on? You are supposed to streaming in HD 720p (and 1080p in the future)

Thanks

 

Hi @Anonymous User You can try forcing a higher bitrate by doing this:

 

  • Press these buttons on your remote control:

Home x5
Rewind x3
Fast Forward x2

You'll see a screen with various bitrate options. Just select the highest option and try watching your programme again.


 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

the bitrate on a nowtv smart box is auto for bit rate nowtv have control of the bitrate. its been known for many years on other networks that provide live sports coverage like BT etc they up the bitrate so you dont get blur on live football etc.with respect nowtv is behind the times when once most watched on small tv now many have large screen 4k smart tv. so no longer will nowtv get away with such a low bitrate. the other livestream providers offer there customers quality pristine picture quality,and many now tv customers will migrate to those services. unfortunatly nowtv is shooting an own goal with such low bitrate. there basicly getting a bad reputaion and  i have started to see people saying stay away from nowtv poor picture.quality.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Does this set the playback bitrate permanently to the manual setting you pick?

I was able to slect 12mbps as the highest bitrate. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Have to agree with Sunray1.   720p is the best with Nowtv And you'll only get stereo sound.

Nowtv really have to up their game with the service they provide, given how much we are charged it's really poor quality compared to other providers.

I'll only buy a pass when I'm really desperate for a particular event.

  I for one REALLY want the the whole HD ( and 4k) plus 5:1 surround experience.