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Anonymous User
Not applicable

NowTV Stick overheating - more than 110C?!!?!

Hello

 

I bought a NowTV stick a few months back and it's been used regularly with no problem.

 

I recently bought a second one and while my daughter was watching youtube, a warning kept coming up on the screen saying it was overheating.  I'd never even considered this might happen before.

 

I checked the stick and sure enough, it was red hot - like, barely touchable hot.  The exposed metal on the HDMI plug was burning hot - I could not physically keep my hand on it.

 

Thinking it was faulty I swapped it immediately for the other one, and checked the temperature less than half an hour later in the "secret screen".  There was no warning during this time but the temperature of the stick was a scorching 111°C. 

 

The NowTV stick isn't plugged direct into the TV - TV only has one HDMI so I'm using a 3-in-1 extender which is a good foot away from the TV.

 

I read somewhere to try powering it from the TV's USB port, but the NowTV stick then complains it isn't getting enough power.

 

I've read that these things have destroyed TVs - statements I'd normally take with a pinch of salt but something in direct contact with the inner electronics of a TV, running at over 100C?  This cannot possibly be safe.

 

Have I just dropped on two faulty ones?  Or is this normal?  If this is as good as it gets then I simply won't be using them as I'm sure the heat is going to cause damage in one form or another.

 

Ta!

 

 

21 REPLIES 21
RoyB
Legend

I’m clocking 101 degrees C with the Stick on, but just quietly idling.

 

I don’t know if it goes up if I start streaming; if it works like a PC , it would. I’m trying that next.

 

But the Stick is gently warm to the touch, not the boiling hot that the temperature reading above indicates.

 

And very comparable to what the back of the TV is at anyway, given the warmth rising from the vents.

 

This is on a 32in Samsung HD TV, wall mounted across a corner on a double extending arm, so running in free air.

 

The comparable downstairs TV with nothing plugged in to it feels the same, so it’s not the load from the Stick making the TV warm.

 

Further bulletins as events warrant.

 

 

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
RoyB
Legend

An hour of Big Little Lies, a suitably steamy drama, got it up to 102. The metal of the HDMI connector was uncomfortable, but not impossible, to hold, which would put it in the 50s.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

This is just ridiculous. I bought a NOW TV Stick to be able to watch the new F1 season in Full HD. First few weekends, fine. Watched some football last week and the warning suddenly appears, watch 30 minutes of practice today and it appears again.

 

How on earth is this product allowed on the market when it is so clearly unfit for purpose? I can understand overheating if it's been in use for HOURS, but not minutes.


It is clear that Now TV did not anticipate the demands of streaming Full HD content and so tried to retrofit older hardware with newer software.

 

It's 2020 for goodness sake and they can't stream 1080p without problems? Daylight robbery.


What a complete joke. I will not be purchasing any more passes because there is simply no way this experience will improve. Performance will only degrade as the product is no doubt damaged after every overheating cycle.

I will stick to sharing Sky Go with a family member, despite the quality being pathetically poor at 720p25. It will be a far better experience than this literal dumpster fire.


I had poor expectations even before I started with NOW TV. It's been apparent for a long time that Sky/NowTV lack any consumer-focus, and after only one month (!) they have reaffirmed my opinion. Superb.

 

Streaming sticks aren't exactly rocket science. This isn't some newfangled technology. Once again the archaic processes of this "premium service" are exposed for what they are - a blatant moneygrab with no regard for the customer.

 

Charging extortionate rates for access to pay TV, as if it is the apex of audiovisual luxury. ###### hell.

 

The most basic feature of NOW TV - watching television - and they can't even deliver that.

 

Ridiculous.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

hi today i have noticed the same problem. its a stick and it is not used regular however the hdmi port end has melted. i have never used one before and i have always needed to have the stick connected to the mains as it would not work otherwise. what actions are the makers doing as this is serious and could of been dangerous

Anonymous User
Not applicable

i think we are all missing the point. this is a potential fire hazard and lives could be lost. action needs to be taken regarding this. i will be reporting this to which and watchdog . its a danger to lives

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I’ve had the same problem past 2 nights, not doing nothing I wasn’t for the past few months, warning signs first night I unplugged right away, tonight I didn’t right away as I was at other side of the room maybe left it 10/15 seconds and the warning flashed up again, it’s cooling very fast I’d say 5 mins; I’m leaving it the full 15 suggested, never had this before on any of my now tv devices in the past, I never checked temperature on the secret screen however it was burning too hot to handle for any length of time.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi,

 

I saw this for the first time recently, when my family and I were using the stick heavily but also after I put it on the 5GHz WiFi band channel 36.

 

It might just have pushed the temperature too high.

 

I didn't know about the secret menus at the time so didn't record what the temperature was.

 

The stick was very warm/ hot to the touch, so I turned it off.

 

It was plugged into an HDMI port of a 32 inch wall-mounted flat screen TV (a Sony Bravia) so was probably not in free air.

 

I have bought a could of short HDMI extenders through Amazon and now the stick is working well and hanging below the TV, so more in free air.

 

The platform secret menu now says that it is idling at 90C.

 

Is it a fire hazard?

      - maybe, maybe not 

           - maybe not, because you get a warning about overheating.

           - maybe not, because a software update could be deployed to turn it off before it catches fire.

           - maybe, if it does not turn off automatically or give prominent warnings or have a workaround provided by the manufacturer.

 

Kind regards Tony

Anonymous User
Not applicable

My Roku 2XS streaming box is running much cooler and is idling at 50C.

 

But it is physically a bit larger.

 

Kind regards Tony

Anonymous User
Not applicable

It's now one year on from my earlier reply in this post. The stick is still working. I receive similar temperature estimates from the hidden menus. Other than what I suspect were app or device software bugs as mentioned before forcing me to reset. I have only had to reset a couple of times in one year, so this was not a problem. This may be because I do not add-delete channels often (which may create glitches) and am using the basic version 3801UK stick, so I am not running anything at a super high resolution which could increase temperature. I am not running video constantly for more than 2-3 hours at a time. I have noticed a blurry image with the Sky content before, but this is rare and probably down to their own servers (too many viewers?) rather than the stick itself.

 

Yet I would expect all electronic devices used extensively to eventually wear , and too many updates could put more strain on the stick if eventually running an operating system that demanded more processing, and made it run slower and warmer, but so far everything has been ok. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable
It's not just the OP that has experienced this problem. My stick is overheating & after about 20 mins in use - the picture simply goes blank. It's as if the unit has just switched/powered off. If I touch it - it is too hot to hold for a extended period of time. I reset it - tried different hdmi ports & even tested it on two different TV's - same result. We've been using it extensively during the lockdown. I tired Chat - but only get the bot. Is there any way to get in touch with NowTV & have the stick swapped out - as it came directly from them? Zody