Community

Anonymous User · ‎10-06-2022

Does anyone know if Now plan on integrating into the native Apple TV software for video playback like pretty much every other app out there instead of using their own?

The current way that videos are played on the Now app uses their own software which is extremely clunky and doesn't work anywhere near like how every other app works on Apple TV, even Netflix's works like it's native and them and Apple are known for their arguments! Not to mention when you press play/pause the info on the screen takes up practically half the screen which is completely unnecessary (and goes over the subtitles, which considering I routinely have Deaf visitors is far from appreciated). Integrating the search the same way would be helpful as well, having to use that dodgy on-screen keyboard is like going back to the dark ages when everything else allows me the options to either use Siri dictation or type my search on my iPhone.

May be typing this in frustration after accidentally pressing to restart a two-hour movie for the umpteenth time when I was only trying to rewind 10 seconds by using the gesture controls that work on every other app on my Apple TV except Now..

Anonymous User · ‎11-06-2022

Oh the search function is awful and I also managed to restart an episode of The Midwich Cuckoos last night by mistake 😂

Using the native software would make life much easier for their developers but I think they are trying to stick to some kind of unified experience across devices hence the clunky, roku like design.

I mostly use Now for the F1 and I'm still holding out hope of one day getting watch from start and faster on demand availability. Improvements are slow, very slow, taking years kind of slow, but they do come eventually 🙂

nst · ‎11-06-2022

The easiest answer is "no".

nobody 'knows' NOW's plans.

However, bitter experience tells us that NOW don't really care or listen to their customers at all. The AppleTV app was neglected for years and finally we got this version released. Inexplicably its missing dolby 5.1 for boost members and still hasn't fixed that seemingly basic omission 18 months later.

They steadfastly refuse to use the native playback available to them on the Apple platform and instead we get the awful clunky interface that simply does not translate well to the appleTV remote.

Do they seem to care? No. We get nothing from them.

They promised 5.1 before launch yet went ahead and launched it without and were then promising it would be fixed "soon". 18 months later no sign of it. They tell us nothing but live streams ARE in 5.1 so there's a technical capability there for sure. Plus... 5.1 ? really?? come on - all the other apps on the AppleTV have been providing 5.1 for years and nowadays have jumped over that to 4K and Atmos sound.

So, long winded way of saying nobody knows... but don't hold your breath.

Anonymous User · ‎13-06-2022

You can use the Apple TV native search function using SIRI if its available on NOW it will come up and you navigate episodes that way I find this much easier

redchiz1 · ‎14-06-2022

@Anonymous User and others, you may care (or not!) to view the existing long-running Apple TV thread.

nst · ‎14-06-2022

@redchiz1 um, thanks - speaking for myself as a contributor for a few years on that very useful thread...

I didnt start this new one... but.... you should notice that the new forum layout has made that old AppleTV thread impossible to use now.

If you can work out how to jump to the newest comment in that thread.. you are a better man than me!

If they can't fix the issue with old, long standing threads like the AppleTV one, then perhaps its time to retire it and start a new one.

One thing is for sure... and im sure NOW don't really listen.. but that AppleTV thread is testament to how many NOW customers desperately want the app fixed....

redchiz1 · ‎14-06-2022

I share your angst at the forum layout changes, I am struggling like the rest of us!

To be fair though, I think it is testament to Apple TV device users, rather than NOW customers generally.

CraigMcC11 · ‎21-07-2022

Had to use the notifications to find the post I made and work from there. Total mess.

RoyB · ‎02-08-2022

@Anonymous User @CraigMcC11 @redchiz1 @nst

Having given the new layout of the Community a fair crack of the whip, the new layout, where you can reply to the thread generally or to an individual posting in it, seems like it ought to be better.

But it isn’t, and the old pure chronological layout is the better one.

We could politely ask Now to put things back how they were; or, if you agree with me, we could discipline ourselves to use the Thread Reply and never the Posting Reply, and that will keep the Community how we want it.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it.
Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now.
That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.

nst · ‎02-08-2022

its not for us to fix.

the annoying thing is the one thread I was most interested in is now well and truly broken and impossible to use.

A shame that NOW didnt realise the consequences of the new software with regards to old longstanding threads.

My solution would be to retire the old AppleTV thread and start a new one.... at least then it wouldn't be a mess.

until then, I cant contribute much anymore.