Smart Box Review - July 2016

[Anonymous User]

Been using my new Smart Box for just over a week so here are my initial thoughts.

I am running the box via ethernet on a fibre line so bandwidth is not a problem

As per both previous versions, of which I have had, the set up of the box is very simple - basically plug and play. Logging into you NOW account is simple and brings in your account passes etc with very easily.

My initial impressions of the picture quality is very good - better than the 2015 (black) box which ran on the same ethernet line. Sound is very clear. So far so good!

I have watched movies (I have the Cinema pass) and the picture is crystal clear with no buffering - as good as my now redundant Virgin box.

I was hoping for a more logical interface - it seems ridiculous to me there is not a dedicated button on the remote to bring up the "My Apps" page, which for me is one of the most popular pages. I understand that Sky wish to push their services but putting a dedicated "Sky Store" button seems a bit much.

The Freeview section needs work very quickly. Getting Freeview on this was one of the reasons I upgraded as I wanted the cushion of not relying just on the internet (Virgin internet is pretty reliable though to be fair). It really is a bit of a mess. On the Home page, you have a window showing the last live channel but this does not work if the Live channel was via the Entertainment pass only via Freeview. The EPG is poor and has room for improvement as does the reliability of channel availability as I have had 60 channels and then 29 channels in the space of 5 minutes. 

Lastly, I have found the box to be unstable with having to reset 3 times in a week to get anything to work including Freeview (I have has to rescan for channels every day) and Sky News.

I am hoping the next system update will get the box stabilised and more reliable and then over the next few months address the other issues I have mentioned above.

All in all its nearly there but needs some urgent work to get it where is should be. If you are new to NOW boxes I would wait a couple of months or purchase the 2015 version.

Another positive the NOW live chat team are awesome!

[4268]

Hi @Anonymous User what type of aerial do you have. You don't seem to be getting many channels. I have had 140 plus during the trial. I find that my last watched shows the last Freeview channel even if I did watch Now last. I too have Virgin, though my box is connected by Wifi. I have Now in addition to Virgin, Sky Cinema is cheaper on it for starters. Also cheaper to have Now for second TV than a second TiVo box. Though of course do miss out on some channels. Not enough though to be worth paying that much extra.

[Anonymous User]

Hi @4268 - thanks for the reply. It is an indoor aerial I just purchased from Amazon which had great reviews. I know that an indoor would not be as good as one on my chimney but nonetheless, I am still disappointed with both the number of channels and more importantly the stability of the box itself.

My live channel preview in the Home page does work but doesn't flip over to a NOW live channel - just seems illogical that it only shows the last Freeview channel!

I use the NOW boxes (2015 version is now in our bedroom) exclusively as was fed up with the high costs and catch up/sky passes is working great. I think the smart box will be very good - it just isn't there yet and I hope Sky invest the time to develop it further and listen to the issues us users have.

I have logged the stability issues with my box with the awesome NOW live chat team so will see if this issue can be resolved!

[Andy]

@Anonymous User

That 'last live channel' window is actually the Freeview 'app' running, when you click it it opens the 'app' full screen, which is why it only shows Freeview channels.

I don't know why they didn't just label it 'Freeview' instead of last live channel, as l've always thought 'last live channel' is a strange label to use  - as the channel is still playing l'd refer to it as the current live channel! 😉

Agree with you completely about the remote though, the old white boxes used to have a My Apps button, much missed!

[Anonymous User]

thanks @Andy - you are right a change in label would make it clearer or perhaps a software change in the future might bring the NOW live stream in as well as the Freeview?

[Andy]

@Anonymous User

Yeah, I'd hope they'd try to integrate things as much as possible moving forward, the aim should really be to make it feel ultimately like a Sky TV box in the sense that you have seemless access to 'all these channels’ available to you. At the moment it is very compartmentalised with Freeview here, iPlayer/ITV Hub etc catch-up content there and NOW TV stuff 'over there'. 

I'm sure they must be working hard to get direct access to NOW TV channels from the TV Guide section working (at the moment clicking one of the NOW TV live channels takes you to the right part of the NOW TV app but doesn't start the actual live channel for you). Once they've got that cracked hopefully they will move forward from there.

[Anonymous User]

yes @Andy great way of describing the current set up - compartmentalised - is exactly right. I guess I'm a little disappointed that it the interface is not a  little better but first adopters such as us hopefully can contribute to fulfilling the potential!

and was must give kudos to Sky in bringing this platform to market in the first place!

[4268]

@Anonymous User I use an internal aerial, sat on top of a wardrobe on a inside wall of downstairs flat, am 15 miles from transmitter and get 142 channels. Needs a bit of trial and error to get it picking up channels.

[Anonymous User]

I have mine @4268 on the top of a ground floor window behind the TV. Its strange at first i received 60 channels then the next day just 29 then 20 when i tried adjusting the aerial pushing it further up.

I  thought being in London might be a problem with the signal - will keep looking for a better site for the aerial! 

[BicBasher]

@Anonymous User I don't even bother watching Sky News via Freeview as the picture quality is so poor.   However, the YouTube app streams Sky News commercial free at 1080p HD.   Just search for Sky News Live.