Device Recommendations for NOWTV

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

We've really enjoyed the NOWTV stick (which we were sent for free), but are finding that over time the remote refuses to connect more and more often, and the WiFi increasingly fails to connect until we reboot either the stick or our router or both.

We would really like to upgrade to a more substantial device. Can anyone recommend a set-top-box which is a really decent, reliable piece of kit? We are happy to drop some cash since 100% of our TV is streamed now. Ideally, we would like it to take a wired connection, be an actual box rather than a stick, with a good old reliable infrared remote. Does anyone make anything like that?

Failing that, what is a good, reliable upgrade to the NOWTV stick? We're looking for something which is reliable and will last more than a few months before developing faults. All the stick things we've tried by any manufacturer seem to get unreliable over time.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

If money was no object and NowTV pulled their fingers out of their backside and sorted out the NowTV App on the Apple TV boxes then the device i would plump for myself would be an Apple TV box (4K version if you have a 4K TV or the generation 4 1080p box if you are not looking to upgrade your television to 4K).

Another device i would consider is the BT TV Youview Box (where i believe the Retail version offers the full NowTV App) perhaps somebody who owns the Retail version can confirm accordingly ?

I use a BT TV Youview 4K box and since the full NowTV App upgrade its been great (for me the Youview boxes doesn't have that many Apps like Roku where the main one missing for me is YouTube though it does have Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, The four main terrestrial catchup Apps).

Would have given a shout out to the NowTV 4K box but the remote eats through batteries and now & again in my case i loses connection between the remote and the box and need to remove or replace the batteries even if the batteries still have about 50% power left on them 😡).

If you are after something cheap and second hand then there is nothing wrong with the generation 2 nowtv black boxes or the nowtv Freeview Smart box from my experience using them.

Where both boxes have Ethernet and the remotes work over infra red.

[Anonymous User]

Thank you that's really helpful. I had forgotten about the Apple TV boxes.

Perhaps my Google-Fu is fading but I can't for the life of me find a list of services which the Apple TV box supports. Do you know where I could find one? Basically we want NOWTV, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, or it's no deal for that price! 😊

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

You can disregard the Youview box if you are after Disney+ and YouTube 😡.

Apple TV would be my choice where i believe they support the Apps you mention (maybe double check the Apple TV UK website).

The only drawback with the ATV box at the moment is the shocking NowTV App old interface and doesn't support NowTV Boost for full HD and 5.1 surround sound (though i would assume this will be eventually put right which is speculation only on my part).

Or you could take a gamble on something like a Roku Premier which covers all the Apps you are interested in watching.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

I only have a ATV 3 box (can't afford the prices on the generation 4 or 4K box though i would love to own one 😊) so i don't know the full list of Apps and couldn't find doing a quick look on the Apple UK website.

Though through my web search i found this useful link below written at the end of January 2020 so DIsney+ might be missing on the list but i know it's available on the ATV 4 and above boxes.

https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/apple/best-apple-tv-apps-3612633/ 

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Forgot to mention that with the current crop of Youview boxes there is no wifi and you need to use Ethernet on the box.

Also i might be wrong but the Roku Express and Roku Premier which are miniature streaming boxes and not sticks, where my understanding these remote controller works over infra red though line of sight.

The only drawback with the newest Roku Players is that they all stream over wifi and none of them have Ethernet 😡.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks loads for your help. So I've done a little research, but I have a couple of questions I can't seem to Google-Fu my way out of:

1. What exactly is wrong with the Now TV app on Apple TV?

2. The best overall streaming device seems to be the NVidia Shield. But am I right in thinking that Now TV is not available on that?

3. I'm starting to get a picture of where things stand. Now TV are quite protectionist about their services, and offer limited support on high-end devices. That's their business and I'm not going to grouch about it. But if I end up having to have two devices, one for Now TV and one for everything else, what is the absolute best device to watch Now TV on? Is it the stick? Is it normal for them to have the problems mine is having, or is mine genuinely broken?

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

To see how woefully bad the current NowTV App is on Apple TV for UK customers then maybe have a look at this YouTube video which should give you a general feel of the UI current layout.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+nowtv+apple+tv&docid=607991528522714391&mid=B89041CBC9ABBE0D35FEB89041CBC9ABBE0D35FE&view=detail&FORM=VIRE 

Yep my understanding is that the Nvidia Shield doesn't support a native NowTV App officially supported by NowTV 😡.

The NowTV Stick does seem to get more wifi and remote controller related problems from what i can tell reading the posts on the forum compared to the NowTV boxes.

Perhaps either wait until the NowTV App on Apple TV boxes in the UK have received the public update (where the App is in beta trial testing for the second time at the moment).

Or save some dosh and purchase a Roku Premier which will have all the Apps you require and the remote controller runs off infra red plus i have seen the Roku Premier sell for £30 in the sales (SSP is usually £39.99).

[caseyb1993]

@schnapps Wow that app for AppleTV looks older than The Flintstones era. 😮