new nowtv box / full hd

[Anonymous User]

hi, will the new nowtv box support full hd streaming for sky packages? vlo

[Anonymous User]

Looks like my initial question was overlooked: "Is there any chance that the Sky signal will be available in HD someday"/soon? I mean, we are in the year 2015 with 4k streaming (at least HDTV streaming) almost around the corner and there will be a new NOW TV box, whose picture quality is the same as in the current box? I am very disappointed about that fact as I was convinced to buy the new box (actually I couldn't wait for the release), but now I don't see a reason buying one?

[Anonymous User]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Looks like my initial question was overlooked: "Is there any chance that the Sky signal will be available in HD someday"/soon? I mean, we are in the year 2015 with 4k streaming (at least HDTV streaming) almost around the corner and there will be a new NOW TV box, whose picture quality is the same as in the current box?

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AFAIK there are no public plans to provide HD streaming (beyond 720p).  I would think if it comes then it'll be at an additional cost, you only have to look at Sky's satellite service to surmise that!

FWIW I think the quality on the Now TV box is superb even though it's SD.

[Anonymous User]

Yes, the picture quality is ok, but not great I think. But thanks for your reply!

[commanda6]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Looks like my initial question was overlooked: "Is there any chance that the Sky signal will be available in HD someday"/soon? I mean, we are in the year 2015 with 4k streaming (at least HDTV streaming) almost around the corner and there will be a new NOW TV box, whose picture quality is the same as in the current box?

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AFAIK there are no public plans to provide HD streaming (beyond 720p).  I would think if it comes then it'll be at an additional cost, you only have to look at Sky's satellite service to surmise that!

FWIW I think the quality on the Now TV box is superb even though it's SD.

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Hi @Anonymous User and @Anonymous User

To be specific now TV offers 720p HD for OnDemand/catch up content and and SD for live TV (With the exception of the Apple TV which is 720p across the board)

720p is the minimum level of her HD I grant you that it is HD nonetheless. It is what you get on iPlayer when you watch programmes in HD

On the subject of live TV over IP. It is not the same as streaming on demand content streaming.

live TV requires more bandwidth than on demand content does. HD live TV streaming would take more bandwidth than HD on demand streaming because content which is currently being aired on TV channels cannot go through anywhere near as much optimisation as on demand content can. This is the reason that we don't have parity between the on demand and live TV streams

Other services which provide 1080p and 4K mainly netflix and Amazon do not provide live TV. No UK-based streaming services to my knowledge provide 1080p. Netflix and Amazon are of course not UK based

Also remember, if you were paying for full sky TV, you would have to pay more than £32 a month to get HD. As HD and box sets requires the family bundle. You would also be tied to a 12 month contract. Now TV prices start at £6.99PM and there is no cotract

[4268]

It's wrong to say now TV prices start at £6.99 you can buy vouchers which work out at £5 a month. £6.99 is highest price I have seen for a month, though you then only have a month's commitment.

[commanda6]

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@4268 wrote:
It's wrong to say now TV prices start at £6.99 you can buy vouchers which work out at £5 a month. £6.99 is highest price I have seen for a month, though you then only have a month's commitment.

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Hi @4268

6.99 Is the lowest monthly price. You can only get a price that works out lower than that per month if you receive an offer from now TV or you use a voucher which you get from buying the box packs or buying the vouchers from stores.  The offers/vouchers act like prepaid credit.

6.99 is the lowest someone would pay if they were doing things on a standard monthly subscription . That was my point. But to be fair, I didn't make that entirely clear. My apologies

I do take your point though

And I think I know the voucher you're thinking of

I believe that would be this one

[Anonymous User]

Picture quality isn't all about resolution.  Personally I think it's more important in terms of picture quality that the bitrate is appropriate for the resolution and the the encoding is sound. 

[Anonymous User]

The top of my list for desired picture quality improvements is for the box to output the source picture rate, ie not convert 50 Hz material to 60.

[Anonymous User]

@commanda6

Thank you so much for your detailed answer. Now I know that I have to differ between live streaming and on-demand streaming. Makes sense somehow. So you are saying that I'll have the best picture quality using the AppleTV, right? It is even better than the upcoming NOW TV Box? Is there a big difference? Just want to make sure that buying an AppleTV only for that reason makes sense (I'd wait for the new AppleTV, that shall be released this fall).

Thanks for all your help, guys!

[commanda6]

Hi @Anonymous User

The Following help article told you what device gets what in terms of video quality. As you can see the Apple TV gets 720p for both on demand and live TV.

Hope that helps