Now TV Smart Box on LG Smart TV

[Anonymous User]

I would like to be able to watch Sky Sports in HD on my 4K LG Smart TV (LG 43UH661V).  If I sign on to the Now TV App  on the LG Smart TV it does not allow me to purchase a 'Boost', and Now TV Help states that LG Smart TVs with WebOS do not support HD.

Can I bypass the Now TV App in the WebOS 3.0, by linking a Now TV Smart Box to a spare HDMI on the LG Smart TV, signing on to my Now TV account via the Box, activating my 'Sky Sports pass' and purchasing a 'Boost' to playback Now TV in HD on the LG Smart TV via the HDMI?

Is there any reason why this won't work?  If so, I assume that the same principle applies to the Now TV Smart Stick?

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Another question are you signed up to any of the newer BT TV NowTV Bolt on packages or are you on one of the older BT TV legacy package ?

Like i said i am not familiar how the BT TV and NowTV integration works, but if you are on the older BT TV package (non NowTV Bolt on) and your NowTV account details haven't been transferred across to BT , then maybe you can still buy the Sports Pass and HD Boost from when signing in on the NowTV website.

Can you see the option to start a Boost Pass when logged in on here under My Account > Passes & Vouchers ?

Before going any further, maybe also post over on the BT TV Community Forum to see if somebody over there can help (unless a BT TV customer on the NowTV Forum knows what you needs to be done ?).

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Another question, you said that you have just started a 7 day free kids trial on your account.

When you go to My Account > Passes & Vouchers and Bills & Payments on here has the kids pass been added to your NowTV Account or your BT TV Account ?

[Anonymous User]

It's been added to the LG WebOS account because I currently access Now TV as an App in the LG WebOS operating system which is nothing to do with BT. Now TV bill me directly for passes via this account, however the account looks different to the Windows PC version with options such as 'Boost' missing.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

So when you log into the NowTV website with the NowTV account you are charged directly from by NowTV (under the Passes & Vouchers section) you can't see the option to start a Boost Pass, but it shows the 7 day Kids trial you started on your TV ?

[Anonymous User]

The option for a Boost pass appears on the Now TV website, but not in the Now TV App embedded into the LG Smart TV operating system. The Boost pass doesn't make any difference to the output if it's streamed to the LG TV via the embedded App. This is a known issue which I'm attempting to circumvent without changing my BT package so that it supports Now TV pass add-ins.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Next question have you already started the Boost Pass on the NowTV website on your account ?

If so, have you gone into your LG TV NowTV App and sign out of the App, then log back into the App ?

[schnapps · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Also, have you tried a fresh NowTV App download of your LG TV and after installing the new NowTV App switch the TV off on the mains plug for a minute ?

If after doing a logout and log back in on the NowTV App on your television and there is no sign of the Boost Pass then i am baffled because the NowTV Help articles say LG Web OS smart TV's support Boost apart from the 50fps playback.

The help articles don't mention any LG Web OS model numbers that i could see that doesn't support a Boost Pass.

If it was me i would look at an external NowTV box or Stick anyway with the HD Boost Pass purely on the HD 50fps playback alone and based on the information you have given me i would have thought the NowTV Box or Stick would work on your NowTV account with Boost.

If the NowTV Stick or Box doesn't work send it back for a refund.

[Anonymous User]

I haven't started the Boost pass on the web account because I have to pay for it and it won't show or work on the LG TV account. There's an issue with LG Smart TV frame rates for Now TV which is documented on the Now TV and LG websites (which has remained unresolved for years), and it's also mentioned numerous times by LG customers on the web.
In the past I've only been able to watch Now TV on my LG TV App in SD and it hasn't provided me with the option of purchasing a Boost. Some LG customers have also complained that they purchased a Boost on their web Now TV accounts and it hasn't made any difference to the quality of the picture displayed on the LG Smart TV.
I'm assuming that a Box or Stick will work as an alternative to the App on WebOS, and to be honest if I can purchase the stick for the same price as a monthly Sports pass, then I have nothing to lose.
Thanks for your help.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Buy the Stick with the bundled Sports pass if you can find a good deal.

Where you should then see Sports in 1080p HD and 50fps (on six Sky Sports channels) which makes a massive difference compared to the remaining five sports channels that are 1080p 25fps..

I am still baffled why you can't see the HD Boost Pass buy button on your LG Web OS TV (because the NowTV Help articles says either buy the Boost Pass directly off your supported Boost Smart TV or directly from the NowTV website).

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the replies.

I've already spoken to BT and I would need to change my existing heavily discounted BT bundle which includes all of their offerings.  I would need to take out a new 24 month contract for a Flexi bundle which then enables me to purchase Now TV passes (including their equivalent of Boost) as one-offs, however the new Flexi bundle is almost £20 pm more than my existing package (including a discount) and no new content.

I only want a single Now TV account which will enable me to watch Sky Sports in HD on request on my LG Smart TV.  Therefore, if I'm able to do this through a connected Now TV Device, then this would satisfy my requirement. 

I can currently purchase the latest Now TV HD Stick with a one month Sports pass included for virtually the same price as a Now TV Sports pass, and if I'm able to purchase the 'Boost pass', and view this on my LG Smart TV then this is all I need.  I can purchase additional passes on a needs basis via the account on the stick.  If I went down this route, then I assume that I can remove the PC and LG WebOS App accounts.