NOW TV to launch most advanced box yet

[dr_necessitor]

NOW TV to launch most advanced box yet

"Online TV streaming service, NOW TV, is to launch its most advanced TV box later this year. The brand new NOW TV Smart Box will bring together NOW TV’s wide range of pay TV content and over 60 live free-to-air channels.

Additionally customers with a NOW TV Box will see new a brand new interface (UI) roll out to their TVs from February. The new-look UI will include a number of great new features including a content-rich homepage offering editorial recommendations of what to watch across catch up TV apps and pay TV content from NOW TV. A new ‘Best of Catch Up’ section, curated by content partners, will also arrive showcasing all the best shows our customers may have missed in one place.

Gidon Katz, Director of NOW TV said: “The launch of our new homepage on the NOW TV Box will make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly find and watch their favourite shows. And when the new NOW TV Smart Box arrives later this year, it will be the perfect one-stop box to get a contract-free, flexible way of watching the best of pay TV and free-to-air content all in one place.”

NOW TV worked with Silicon Valley based Roku Inc. to develop the new NOW TV Smart Box which will sit alongside the existing NOW TV Box, with pricing details and further information to be made available later in the year."

[Anonymous User]

Just to add that I agree that the new Roku 4 based box MUST have 50Hz output at least as an option. When we've commented on the first two boxes being 60Hz only, Sky have said that 50HZ is something that may come in future.

Don't know about anyone else, but I've not been able to confirm that the Roku4 has a 50Hz option. Previously though, Roku have told me that all their boxes are 60Hz.

It's absolutely vital that Sky ensure that their upcoming UK NowTV box 3 has 50Hz output, even if that has to be custom build for Sky in the UK.

[SeeMoreDigital]

---

@Anonymous User wrote:

It's absolutely vital that Sky ensure that their upcoming UK NowTV box 3 has 50Hz output, even if that has to be custom build for Sky in the UK.

---

Very much agreed...

And even more so if this new device comes fitted with an DVB-T/T2 tuner. The thought of such a tuner outputting a 60Hz signal would be totally unacceptable!

[dr_necessitor]

@Anonymous User ditto from me on that comment by @Anonymous User great job for a first effort!

[DarylM]

Trying out @Anonymous User's TVPlayer and TVCatchup apps on Roku.  They work very well.

I find it a little confusing that some shows will be restricted on the iPlayer's live channels (e.g. American Dad) but - at the same time - they're available via the live stream on TVPlayer and TVCatchup.  It seems strange that the BBC can't stream some content on their own broadcast channels via IPTV due to legal restrictions, while a third party can.

[caseyb1993]

@Anonymous User Thank you, great app.

I put it on both, black and white boxes. A bit slow on the white box but is it because it's an older device?

Ever since my aerial snapped during a storm I haven't had freeview but this is brilliant. 😄

[Anonymous User]

I am eagerly anticipating this new box from Now TV. Looking at what Roku have said themselves, this will be a hybrid box so we are going to get access to Freeview via an aerial. This will of course put the box into direct competition with Freeview Play and Youview set top boxes.

I am a Youview user but I bought the box myself and have no desire to join TalkTalk or BT as Now TV offers all we need as a household from a premium TV platform. That being the case, I have found it incredibly frustrating to not have a fully featured Now TV app on the Youview platform. I want a single box for all of my viewing and I am hoping this box will be the answer but I fear it will fall short.

Looking at the Roku TV offering in the US, they will no doubt be drawing on the lessons learned from that venture. I expect a UI similar to the recently updated Now TV box interface with the addition of an 'app' icon for Freeview. Where they need to improve on their US offering is by providing a fully featured TV guide and I fully expect Sky to deliver this.

Whilst I fully expect Sky to deliver an EPG, I am merely hopeful that we will get a backwards EPG ala Youview with direct links to catch up services for the programs we have missed. I am also not particular hopeful that the box will support recording / series linking which would be the icing on the cake because:

a) Not all programs are available on catch up

b) Not all on demand players offer a favourites function to track the programs that you are watching

c) None of the on demand players on Roku allow you to sync favouites across devices.

If there is no record function then as a minimum I would be looking for a backwards EPG and access to UKTV Play and Quest OD to make me consider such a device.

As for video quality, the take up of faster Broadband and Now TVs experience have come a long way over the last few years and so I fully expect this box to offer HD streams of live channels for the first time.

As a household, we only occasionally subscribe to Netflix or Amazon and whilst for obvious reasons, both have been absent on the Now TV boxes to date, I am hopeful this could change with the new box. The main reason is that now that Roku partners such as Sky can have more control over the interface, it is much easier for them to push their content front and centre much like Amazon do with their Fire TV box. That said, if they do allow this then I fully expect the box to be made available at a significantly increased cost. Sky are not after all going to want to subsidise a Netflix / Amazon video capable box.

I find a Now TV box such as that I have described to be an appealing proposition. Sky have the muscle and the need to ensure we have and retain access to all the main TV broadcasters catch up services. My only reservation is that without a record function, my search for the one box solution will likely go on.

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User

Universal ondemand will never exsist Channel 4 and ITV will kill it every time... Its there way or your device does not get their app or their content....

Freeviewplay was another attempt by BBC to get channel 4 on board but yet again they did not agree... and you have 3 differeny catch up apps doing every thing different...  

UKplay is even more broken... 

Amazon UK and SkyUK Dish did a deal So Amazon are selling tablets at discounted prices that run SkyGO...

NowTV remains a stand alone service so was not included in the deal...

So this is not official still... but heres the top 9 apps...

 

[Anonymous User]

What are you on about? I am not asking for universal on demand, I am looking for a device that supports all services? I am certainly not looking for a tablet for my families living room viewing. 

I wish there was away to keep you away from me. Your inability to understand what people say and condesending tone is boring me. Contrary to your own apparent belief, you are not cleverer than everyone else on the internet and no one cares what devices you run.

[Anonymous User]

You asked for a device that ran all of my Viewing 

This is your line of text  = I want a single box for all of my viewing and I am hoping this box will be the answer but I fear it will fall short.

I am merely hopeful that we will get a backwards EPG ala Youview with direct links to catch up services for the programs we have missed.

You typed that did you not... Universal TV guide linked to all Catch up apps Not going to happen Channel4 and ITV want it done there way and UKTV play are NOT agreeing to it any way and they run a lot of the freeview channnels... 

You also typed...

we only occasionally subscribe to Netflix or Amazon and whilst for obvious reasons, both have been absent on the Now TV boxes to date,  

Not any more, their big brother skyUK is best friends now with Amazon... they reached a deal to swap each other apps on other devices... NowTVs stance on No Amazon support is even more silly but Tom-R has nothing to add about the coninued lack of Amazon deal for NowTV... 

[Anonymous User]

You have misinterpreted my comments. 

I have a Youview box in my living room right now where I can scroll back through the EPG and directly link to All 4, BBC, Demand 5, ITV, Quest AND UKTV programmes availavle on demand without needing to first launch their app and find the programme. It even has universal search across all services including Sky Store etc, 

And whilst the stance referred to may not be as you expect "any more". My comments state "to date" not going forwards.