Are we ever going to get 4K/UHD?

[156sprinter]

It's mid 2023 and NOW still don't have the Sky Sports UHD Channel... You would expect paying for a sports membership then paying for boost on top of it to at least get 4k at the absolute minimum so why haven't we got it?

[RoyB]

@156sprinter 

Because Now is the bargain basement of Sky streaming. 

UHD is available on the ground floor, with Sky Streams or Sky Glass, and Sky want, indeed need, to maintain this differentiation if they are to pitch these more premium products.

As I have observed before, I suspect that Sky see the competition to Now as being Sky’s other products (and vice versa!), and not the rival streaming services that we see as Now’s competition 😢

[gavs82008]

@156sprinter 

As good as 4K would be. Having 1080p and 5.1 without boost is much more important in my opinion. 
Also I’d take profiles over 4K any day of the week with NOW.

[petecc]

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@gavs82008 wrote:

@156sprinter 

As good as 4K would be. Having 1080p and 5.1 without boost is much more important in my opinion. 
Also I’d take profiles over 4K any day of the week with NOW.

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Let's also not forget, that even if you buy boost, you don't get 1080p on Android, iOS mobile devices, PC, or Mac. On pretty much any device except dedicated streaming devices or smart TVs, you are limited to 720p regardless.

This information is (disgracefully) hidden away on the boost description page under the FAQ section drop down answer to "Can I get Full HD and Surround Sound on my mobile, tablet, PC, Mac or other device?"

I have complained multiple times about this, as I regard it as misselling of the boost product. There is obviously no technical reason why full HD cannot be implemented on these devices.

[schnapps]

1080p with 50fps playback on NOW Bonus Sports Streams and on their on Demand / catchup Sports service should be prioritised first in my opinion.

[redchiz1]

Sky Stream "offer" on a rolling monthly basis, including Sky Sports, you can't get it on its own. Plus UHD (£6), plus ad skipping (£5). £38 for the first month and then £67 thereafter. Erm, no thanks. 

[RoyB]

@redchiz1 

Just lined up Avatar: Way of Water in UHD/HDR/Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos, on a Disney+ subscription whose monthly cost is barely more than the extra for UHD on Sky Stream, or for Boost (at list price) on Now. Eat your hearts out, Sky and Now 💔

[redchiz1]

@RoyB 

I am a big fan of Disney+. Not so much their coverage of live sports.  😉

[commanda6]

@petecc 

With respect to PC playback I agree with you it should be 1080p if you have boost there is no excuse for it being 720p at the moment. However with respect to mobile devices there is one decent reason why it's limited to 720p and that is mobile data use I think now does it make sure that people don't accidentally rack up that data bills on their mobile plans.

The other thing you have to remember is that some cheap Android tablets are shockingly bad and would probably struggle to play back 1080p in some cases because you have to remember the content that now plays is protected content this requires far more horsepower than unprotected content. Unfortunately on Android tablets are an after port unless you spend 250 quid or more whereas with an Android phone you can get a device capable of 1080p protected video playback for 150 quid.

I'm sorry to say from a support point of view limiting phones and tablets and does make some sense.

[petecc]

@commanda6,

I get the point in general but this can easily handled in the app settings. Like other streaming apps, the NOW Android app already has a video quality setting, currently offering 'low' or 'standard'; all you'd need to do is add 'high' for 1080p. It also already has a 'Wi-Fi only' setting to avoid any accidental data usage. I forget what the defaults were because one of the first things I did after installing was to go to settings to change them, but you could keep them exactly the same as now and nobody who didn't deliberately choose to alter them would see no difference.

I don't remember exactly how much I spent on my (Samsung) tablet, but it was far the top of the range and it handles 1080p from other streaming apps just fine.

I still see no excuse for not offering me the option as I've paid the extra for boost.