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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Smart box or Roku 4k stick+

I am aware of the benefits of a Roku over a Now TV box as regards all the extra channels/apps available on a Roku. What I'd really like to know, for sports viewing, would you guys recommend the Smart box or the new Roku Streaming Stick+?

One major factor would be getting the frame rate right to minimise/eliminate judder.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

 

I own a Roku Stick Plus and a NowTV Smart Box and comparing devices will always be subjective.

 

Now if you are not interested in all the other benefits of the Roku Stick Plus and only interested in NowTV watching via a Sports Pass, then i would say save yourself money and buy a NowTV Smart Box if you want the added feature on inbuilt Freeview (TV aerial required) and the option to use an Ethernet connection on the box.

 

Alternatively look at the new NowTV Smart Stick if you are going to use WiFi and don't want Freeview, where the smart stick is coming out end of this month where both NowTV devices natively playback at a 50hz refresh rate.

 

The Roku Stick Plus does offer Auto Refresh Rate adjustment on the fly by going into it's Advanced menu settings, where on my Panasonic 4K TV there is temporary black screen when the Auto Frame Refresh Rate takes place which is normal.

 

Out of curisoity what NowTV Playback device are you using at the moment for watching NowTV via a Sports Pass ?

 

What bugs me on the NowTV sports streaming service is that the frame rate is 25 fps and playback looks unnatural to my eyes when the camera pans (doesn't matter if my TV motion processing is turned on or off) and i wish NowTV would up the frame rate to 50fps.

 

Lets hope when NowTV offer 1080p later this year, that 50fps will be part of the specification and it would be nice also if 5.1 surround sound was added as well. 

 

 

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47 REPLIES 47
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

 

I have seen the nowtv smart box with either an included 3 month entertainment voucher pass or 2 month cinema voucher pass sell for around £20 (where the RRP is normally £49.99).

 

Here's a thread which I posted towards the end of last year to give you some idea.

 

https://community.nowtv.com/t5/NOW-TV-Smart-Box/QVC-NowTV-Smart-Box-Deal-with-3-month-Entertainment-Pass/m-p/448103#M4204

 

Unfortunately, the prices of the smart box at this moment in time have increased from most Retailers but the prices do seem to vary from month to month.

 

The best price I can find currently from an authorized Retailer on the internet is Asda Direct who are selling the smart box with a bundled 3 month entertainment pass for £25 (see link below).

 

https://direct.asda.com/george/home-garden/tvs/now-tv-smart-box-3-month-entertainment-pass-sky-store-voucher/050291901,default,pd.html

 

Maybe some further searching in the Google search engine may return some better deals Smiley Happy 

 

Good luck.

 

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thanks for that @schnapps. Much appreciated. I'll be doing some more tinkering/testing later. The wife says I'm too indecisive. She likes the Smart box for its simplicity and ease of use for herself. Smiley Happy

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Definitely looking like it's going to be the Smart box. I've had an email offer for Entertainment and Cinema for 12 months at an upfront payment of £99. It's certainly tempting. That leaves me now looking for a competitively priced box. I've noticed some on a well known online auction site for around the £20 mark minus the passes, they are from sellers who state they only opened the box to remove the vouchers. Decisions to be made @schnapps Smiley Very Happy

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

 

If it was me I would be inclined to get the NowTV smart box from Asda for £25 (unless you can find a better price from an Authorised Retailer) where you will have "peace of mind" that the box will come with a 12 month guarantee.

 

Should you go with the nowtv 12 month combined entertainment & cinema offer you may not be able to add the 3 month entertainment voucher that comes with the box after the 12 month offer expires on your account (in theory you could apply the 3 month entertainment voucher on month 11 of the offer, but this would be cutting it close where you have 12 months to apply a voucher code from date of purchase).

 

Suppose, it depends if you want to take a gamble (If the 3 month voucher code says invalid then you would need to speak to live chat which would be at their discretion, where I have read on the forums that live chat have given some customers a little lee way on the 12 month expiry date, where I have also read that other customers have said that live chat won't budge).

 

Alternatively, you could sell on the the 3 month entertainment pass for say £5 and either use the Sky Store £5.49 voucher offer on a Sky Store rental or give it away as a gift to get to the price point of £20 for a brand new un used smart box on Fleabay.

 

If you would prefer a shorter deal of 6 months cinema & entertainment for £59 (which works out slightly more than the 12 month offer) then have a read of this link below which existing customers are eligible for.

 

https://help.nowtv.com/article/february-offer

 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions Smiley Very Happy

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thank you @schnapps for your advice and guidance in this thread. It has proven invaluable and is very much appreciated.

 

Ordered the box from Asda at £25 (great price with the pass and movie voucher thrown in). Just waiting for delivery to my local store.

 

I've opted for the 6 month offer from the link you provided. It still works out at a great price as I get to add a further 3 months entertainment free at the end of the offer period. At that point I can make a decision regarding further subs to the cinema channels. I had a look through the movies last night and there are plenty available at present to dip into.

 

So, decision made, box ordered, will get the 6 month offer sorted today, and it's onward and upward from here.

 

Smiley Very Happy

 

PS. One question if I may @schnapps. I've been checking out the Youtube HDR stuff on my TVs built in app but nothing I choose is actually being shown as HDR (only 'normal' 4k uhd and even some as only HD). I know my tv does hdr as I used to watch hdr shows on Netflix. Have you found one that is definitely hdr that I could check?

I know this isn't Now TV related but we did touch on Youtube hdr earlier in the thread Smiley Happy

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User

 

With regard to the HDR, you are likely to find that your TV doesnt support either the codec or the youtube app that allows HDR on your TV.

 

Is it a 2016 LG by any chance?

 

Ive had the same issue here, Netflix and Amazon HDR works fine, but youtube and iPlayer wont do HDR on my 2016 LG.  These apps work fine with HDR on my 2017 model LG however.   Its all down to the firmware on the respective models and LG not bothering to upgrade the firmware (and the built in apps like youtube) on the older models to accept the newer HDR formats.

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User

It's a 2016 Panasonic. I would guess your theory is spot on. HDR worked fine on Netflix when I had it and that was directly from the TVs built in Netflix app. If I'm correct the recent Blue Planet series on the iplayer was broadcast in hdr. I had an amazing picture on my set but it wasn't hdr (but definitely uhd allowing me to choose the Rec.2020 colour gamut). I do know my tv was to get (and I'm fairly certain did get) upgraded software for HLG. Of course there was never any indication they'd update the Youtube app etc to accept hdr.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Sorry, I dont have any panasonic devices, so can only assume its similar to the issues on the LG devices.   Its a ruse to get us all to buy new TV's. Smiley LOL

 

3d, 4k, HDR, OLED, QLED.  They are running out of ideas so are now just going down the old fashioned route of "doesnt work on that model mate".   Just like the new MS Office is apparently not going to work on anything other than Windows 10 and why Apple slowed down old phones to prevent damage...  pull the other one, its got bells on it.

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

 

My Panasonic 4K TV model CX680 (2015) is not HDR, where I jumped on the 4K bandwagon early before HDR was introduced Smiley Sad

 

It sounds to me your Panasonic 4K TV (2016) model uses the YouTube codec VP9 which is only compatible with 4K YouTube videos only Smiley Sad

 

To watch 4K HDR YouTube videos your TV needs the VP9 Profile 2 codec ( where I am not sure if Panasonic can update the YouTube VP9 Profile 2 video codec via a firmware update) Smiley Sad

 

PS ~ Glad you are sorted with a new smart box Smiley Happy

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User @schnapps

 

Not really too bothered to be honest. I'm quite happy with uhd where and when I can get it. 

My 2016 Panasonic is a DX750. I could have gone for a 2017 model but at the time the 750 was going for a steal with a Panny soundbar thrown in for good measure. HDR, although a worthwhile step up, isn't that much of a biggie to me. As for the wife, she couldn't tell the difference if it was still SD Smiley LOL

 

NOTE ON MY TV 

Taken from here https://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1464241293 "YouTube’s HDR streams will not be supported (VP9-Profile2 support missing)."

 

PS @schnapps. The box is being delivered to my local Asda tomorrow Smiley Very Happy