08-08-2015 15:40
Heard about the new box on several internet sites and mentioning new USB features, went to Now TV yesterday and they have spec listing as follows so thought I'd upgrade my white box
USB media formats: | Video: MP4 (H.264), MKV (H.264) Audio: AAC, MP3 Image: JPG, PNG |
Remote: | Infra Red Compatible with various universal remotes |
Ports: | HDMI (cable included), Ethernet, microSD card slot, USB |
NOWHERE does it say that that this hardware is disabled unless you scroll through the help section which given the simplicity of set-up owning one already I saw no reason to do:
Micro SD & USB
You’re currently unable to connect the NOW TV Box to a Micro SD card, or other expandable media storage devices.
It might be subsidised pricewise expected that given it's closed channel list compared to a standard Roku but the lack of openess regarding this is pretty poor!
04-01-2016 17:20
@Anonymous User
1) the latest zip is this one http://sourceforge.net/projects/rokusdkexamples/files/usbplayer.zip/download
2) no need for an SD card, enough space on the box for the one dev app
3) keep the file zipped, and you'll need to upload it via the developer mode webpage (search for sideload plex nowtv for examples if you don't know how)
4) there are reports of someone using a 4TB western digital hard drive in NTFS compressed working on a Roku 3 (which the NOW TV black box is identical in terms of this hardware)
5) both seem to be supported
25-02-2016 12:36
Can you guys please point me to a site/tutorial on how the movies /files need to be stored on the USB stick and or an HDD for playback through the mediaplayer app?
if the Movie files were 5.1 sound would this be output as I've read onlt 2ch stero output, but also 5.1/7.1 Dolby passthough as well??
I know the Nowtv media isn't 5.1 but would my media still be restricted to Stero as well?
also would the files still be able to be in the same format for playback through PLEX? or does Plex(or Rarflix) use the network connection to a dedicated server only? i.e. my microserver ?
I am potentially after two solutions , hence the double question as I want to use KISS for use by a non techy parent, ideally I would place movie content on an hdd that can be just plugged in and chosen. Is this possible with a NOWTV box solution?
Personally I would like to try a PLEX solution as I would be prepared to play but the parent unt needs to be plug in and forget.
I appologise for the slightly scatterbrain multi-question approach to the questions but I have been unable to find the answers within the forum I've thought best suited? so rather than general google I'd like to get a known solution from people that do actually KNOW.
Many thanks, Nick
26-02-2016 6:10
@Anonymous User the usb app is pretty basic, it scans the device for matching files and you just open the different directories. 5.1 will work (it's only NOW TV media which is limited to stereo) but files need to be mp4 or mkv.
Plex is a better experience as it gets all the artwork and descriptions, but requires a Plex server running in the house to be on at the same time. If a file format is unsupported on the box the Plex server should transcode on the fly.
26-02-2016 7:42
@Anonymous User
Hi Artesea
As I'm a Plex user, I just want to clear up a small point.
Plex will transcode , i.e. convert on the fly, non-playable files into playable ones but in order to perform this function the server itself must have a reasonably powerful CPU. However, the transcoding process will cause the loss of some picture quality.
Consequently, for those like myself who own servers that do not have powerful CPUs, Plex will direct play MP4 files which require no transcoding and do not loose picture quality when playing.
Hope this helps.
UK Bob
27-02-2016 16:00
12-01-2017 17:26
HI. I'm struggling to download a valid file to enable the USB slot on my black now tv box. I have enabled developer mode etc, just need a valid link to a zip file that will let me install roku media player or similar to watch movies via usb stick. Can anybody help?
12-01-2017 19:21
@Anonymous User
Hi Matt
I was wondering, how are you are going to get the media player and usb software on the black box, it's only has one slot/space not two.
UK Bob
12-01-2017 20:21
@ukbobboy the media player app does the USB reading, they are "one app".
12-01-2017 21:35
@Anonymous User
Hi Art
Yes, I can see now that the Roku Media Player will enable the USB port and play media files, however some of the tech stuff has me slightly confused. For example, the article I read said, "
The following media file formats are supported: Video — H.264/AVC (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV), on Roku 4 only: H.265/HEVC (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV); VP9 (.MKV)".
1) The NowTV black box is a Roku 3 clone and most of the MP4 files I've seen are H.264s, does this mean that if the RMP is installed on my black box will I be able to play my MP4 files? (I'm guessing probably not)
2) Is the RMP available for sideloading?
However, a much better option would be if NowTV made the RMP app available from the App Store.
UK Bob
12-12-2015 16:34
Oops i've just bought a new black box to upgarde from a white one, with the idear the usb and sd slots would work, as stated on the box.
i have been trying to get them to work and find out on here they are disabled.
Another unhappy bunny!
Very misleading selling.
@Anonymous User wrote:Heard about the new box on several internet sites and mentioning new USB features, went to Now TV yesterday and they have spec listing as follows so thought I'd upgrade my white box
USB media formats: Video: MP4 (H.264), MKV (H.264)
Audio: AAC, MP3
Image: JPG, PNG Remote: Infra Red
Compatible with various universal remotes Ports: HDMI (cable included), Ethernet, microSD card slot, USB
NOWHERE does it say that that this hardware is disabled unless you scroll through the help section which given the simplicity of set-up owning one already I saw no reason to do:
Micro SD & USB
You’re currently unable to connect the NOW TV Box to a Micro SD card, or other expandable media storage devices.
It might be subsidised pricewise expected that given it's closed channel list compared to a standard Roku but the lack of openess regarding this is pretty poor!