NowTV Black Box Restarts several times during an episode

[Anonymous User]

We never encountered any issues before but our NOWTV keeps restarting during a TV episode, and the quality of the video goes quite low even though when we look at our connection it says it's got "excellent" strength and all our software is up to date. Help?

[Anonymous User]

I have had the same problem for the last week. I been using nowtv for few years never had a problem, last week all adverts at start are in 720p but secound the tv stream starts it changes to low resolution that's almost unwatchable.

I have run loads of bandwidth tests I get over 100mb, I can stream Iplayer in HD fine. I can also stream rival brand in 4K fine. Just nowtv programs.

I have rebooted my router, tried other nowtv boxes, reset my lounge roku and replaced it, same.

The official support said it's my internet provider. It's not the problem is with nowtv most likely over subscribed and they can't support 720p streams since last week.

[Anonymous User]

Another night with nowtv been almost unwatchable as it's so low resolution.

Just done another bandwidth test 102mbps connected via Ethernet cable, streaming Netflix fine. Never had a problem with nowtv for years but since last Monday been nearly unwatchable.

Nowtv support has been dreadful, "have you rebooted your router" "have you performed bandwidth test" scripted suppprt. I told them all I have tested see my 1st comment and then I was asked to reboot my router again.

The problem is with sky inferstructure, didn't you release the new devices last week, and start streaming in 1080p is this what's affecting the old roku service?

[Anonymous User]

I always thought nowtv was great value but if I the resolution stays at what it seems to have been around 320x240 for the last week I have to tweet more ;0)

[Anonymous User]

We are having the same problem on both our black boxes. NOW TV have actually told me that my black boxes are the problem and that they don’t work anymore and to get new ones. They both miraculously stopped working on exactly the same day. Only the NOW TV app on them though as all other apps are perfectly watchable. Even watching live channels on now tv is fine. I am so frustrated that I am unable to watch my selected movies or shows because they are blurred and buffering all the time. I am at a loss to understand how NOW TV can tell me it’s my equipment and that’s it, nothing else to help me when clearly this problem affects many people so they must 100% know the problem is at their end!

They even admitted to me that there was technical issues affecting black boxes after a recent update but someone else told me it’s my equipment. They offered me free passes as compensation but I said what’s the point if I can’t watch them! 😡.

I as so disappointed at this as I enjoyed a great service up until 3 days ago.

[Anonymous User]

Having same issue works fine for several hours then will have a mad moment of restarting it's self. Sometimes straight after its come bk on it's goes off again. Pretty annoying when you are watching a movie or just TV . 

So now TV didn't offer a replacement or the NOW TV stick?

[Anonymous User]

Yes this will be an update issue, from what I'm reading nowtv since last week has changed the streams from 720p to 1080p resolution to suppprt the new nowtv stick.

From last week I have no longer been able to stream and seems others are affected also.

The point is how ever many customers nowtv have the largest proportion will have the black box model 2 roku, so they have to fix the problem.

Possible causes of this.

1. Nowtv increasing the broadcast resolution resulted in the back end service not been able to support the increased overhead.

2. Update which introduced a bug, common problem as you can't test for all potential environments.

3. This is long shot and 99% unlikely, some crazy idea to restrict the viewing quality of the majority of there customers in an attempt to force they buy the new device.

(Admittedly this is the prefured aproch by some venders as proven recently with apple been found to on purposely hinder old devices under the pretence of reducing load on the battery)

Any way as I suspect this blog will be read by a nowtv employee on Monday at some point I will suggest some possible resolutions that they may wish to apply.

1. Receiew the recent update pushed to the black roku devices to see if the changes made to support the new stick model have affected the box model.

2. If the box model is no longer supported replace at nowtv cost all users of such model with the new supported model.

3. Ignore and potentially risk losing the majority of there users as they will be using the box model roku.


I suspect come midweek next week there be an update pushed resulting in a resolve of this problem.

Which means we will not be able to watch this weeks walking dead unhinderd.

If it's not resolved I would recommend tweeting your concerns as this kind of approach tends to get PR departments involved.

[ukbobboy]

@Anonymous User @Anonymous User @Anonymous User

Hi TV

Reading through this thread and, hopefully, trying to apply a common sense approach to this problem I would suggest the following:-

If your assumption is true, i.e. Now TV have upgraded their standard resolution from 720p to 1080p, which in turn is causing black box users to now get an unacceptable 240p, then it's obvious that Sky/Now TV does not have the capacity to sustain 1080p viewing for everyone capable of receiving it.

If the above is true then the answer is simple, Now TV should roll back the upgrade so that everyone can receive 720p again, including the new stick owners, until they have increased their servers capacity to handle the new 1080p overhead load they are now expected to deliver.

UK Bob

[Anonymous User]

Makes perfect sense to me too, to go back to pre upgrade but the would mean NOW TV would have to recognise they have an issue and address it which in my experience they clearly do not want to do.   

Perhaps if i upgrade to the new TV sticks it would resolve the problem but why should I, NOW TV should be able to provide the service on all equipment.  I did not subscribe  on the proiviso that my black box would be out of date once NOW TV upgraded thier software.  It's so out of order. 

[Anonymous User]

What have NOW TV said to you is the reason for the problem?   I am in the same boat and theyve told me it's my equipment but i know it's not.