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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Now TV Smart box - do you get 50i or 50p for Freeview and/or bundles or only 25p?

I have read on the forums that the latest Now TV Smart Box outputs at 50Hz, which is great as that finally matches with the UK and Europe's broadcast systems, however, I cannot find any answers on whether the device can display broadcasts at 1080i/50. I normally use the web browser-based service for Sky Sports and only receive 720p/25. With many web players such as YouTube and BBC iPlayer now supporting things like 1080p/50-60 and 720p/50-60, I would like to know if I could get at least a 720p/50 stream for Sky Sports as watching sparts at 25 progressive frames is just... wrong. Technical limitations made this the norm for the recent years of internet video streaming but now we can watch things on the internet just like we do on TV (1080i/50 signals converted to 720p/50 signals).

 

Does the Now TV Smart box play at 50i/50p for:

 

a) Freview and Freeview HD content (antenna)

 

...and...

 

b) Sky bundles (itnernet stream)

 

or is it locked to 25p?

 

 

Thank you for reading. I am considering buying a box before the Australian Grand Prix this coming weekend. 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Ok, so I used the box over the weekend after receiving it. I found the Freeview HD receiver does behave like it should giving:
-1080i/50
-1080i/50 (25 PSF)
-1080p/25
-576i/50
-576i/50 (25 PSF)

That was essential.

As for Now TV I was disappointed that it used 720p/25. It makes sports cinematic which is just wrong for sports. It would be nice to see 1080i/50 stuff conveted to 720p/50 just like BBC iPlayer does now. It would only increase the bitrate requirement up to 5 or 6Mbps but at least sports and newd would look like it does when broadcasted on TV: smooth and fluid, not cinematic or like a "last match/race/game video edit during the pre-show or post-show.

Fingers crossed for the future.

View solution in original post

9 REPLIES 9
Anonymous User
Not applicable

You're out of luck for the NOW TV streams. Depending on each channel, resolution is 720p25 (Sky1/Atlantic/Living/Arts, ITV Encore, Fox, Nat Geo Wild, Sky Sports, Sky Cinema) or 480i25 (GOLD, Comedy Central, Discovery).

Freeview SD channels - all render at 50i, but resolution is dependent. BBC channels for example, render at 720x576, but some channels have a reduced resolution at 544x576.

HD Channels - 1080i50, dynamically switching to 1080p25.

Hope this helps.
lockmatt
Expert 2

@Anonymous User i thought it was only the smart box that outputs at 50hz,now it seems since the update last week the now tv black box also outputs at 50hz now?

commanda6
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi guys and girls

 

Just so that people are aware, an increasing number of Freeview HD broadcasts are actually 1080p 25FPS. 1080i is still used for sports, and news and quiz shows though.

 

In fact, if your TV is capable of 1080p you will get 1080p when watching most programs


I do not work for Now . I am simply a Now customer trying to help I am a Community Contributor This means that I know a lot about the service. But just like you I am still a customer. This means I cannot help you with issues that would involve looking into your account directly. A member of the now TV forum team or live chat will need to assist you with these issues.
lockmatt
Expert 2

@commanda6 my issue was if the black now tv box now outputs as 50hz now as i thought it was only smartbox. as black box was 60hz before update,so what is true then as black box dont have the freeview,only interested for watching sports channels once the picture quality improves

SeeMoreDigital
Legend 5
Legend 5

@lockmatt,

 

The 'black' box has received a software update that now makes it output video at 50Hz, just like the 'smart' box...

lockmatt
Expert 2

@SeeMoreDigital so it should act the same as smart box now regarding watching sports

SeeMoreDigital
Legend 5
Legend 5

@lockmatt wrote:

@SeeMoreDigital so it should act the same as smart box now regarding watching sports


Yes... 

 

And the UK TV catch-up services are also 'rendered' correctly now, ie: at 50Hz

commanda6
Legend 5
Legend 5

@lockmatt wrote:

@commanda6 my issue was if the black now tv box now outputs as 50hz now as i thought it was only smartbox. as black box was 60hz before update,so what is true then as black box dont have the freeview,only interested for watching sports channels once the picture quality improves


@lockmatt my comments above related to preview HD broadcasts.

 

NowTV's live channels have a maximum resolution of 720p at a frame rate of 25 FPs and all of NowTV's content is shown at 50 Hz frequency. So now that the black box supports 50 Hz. You should see a marked improvement in overall picture quality, especially when watching sports. Prior to the update. The box would convert 50 Hz content to 60 Hz. Which is why people sometimes suffered with a fuzzy picture on the sports channels. 


I do not work for Now . I am simply a Now customer trying to help I am a Community Contributor This means that I know a lot about the service. But just like you I am still a customer. This means I cannot help you with issues that would involve looking into your account directly. A member of the now TV forum team or live chat will need to assist you with these issues.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Ok, so I used the box over the weekend after receiving it. I found the Freeview HD receiver does behave like it should giving:
-1080i/50
-1080i/50 (25 PSF)
-1080p/25
-576i/50
-576i/50 (25 PSF)

That was essential.

As for Now TV I was disappointed that it used 720p/25. It makes sports cinematic which is just wrong for sports. It would be nice to see 1080i/50 stuff conveted to 720p/50 just like BBC iPlayer does now. It would only increase the bitrate requirement up to 5 or 6Mbps but at least sports and newd would look like it does when broadcasted on TV: smooth and fluid, not cinematic or like a "last match/race/game video edit during the pre-show or post-show.

Fingers crossed for the future.