Recently updated Now TV is slow

[Anonymous User]

Since NowTV has updated their streaming ap its now very slow to load and respond.

Should be known as 'Now Slow TV'.

Nothing wrong with our broadband or no. of devices. Happened the second the ap updated to its new look.

Very frustrating and will likely lead us to removing the ap and stopping all paid services next month. Same issue with our friends too who are also leaving.

[Saint1976]

@Anonymous User what device make and model are you using? What app version/number are you using?

[Anonymous User]

@Saint1976 Out of interest, are you NOT seeing the slowness of the new app?

I’m seeing this on my Roku and AppleTV.

One day the app worked adequately (lets be honest the app has never performed well but it was passable) the next day the new look app was pushed out and it’s slow - on both my platforms. It’s almost unusable.

[Saint1976]

@Anonymous User nope, everything works as it did. Like I said in the other thread you commented in, it takes a split second longer to load some thumbnail images but navigation of the app is the same.

There has been two incremental updates on March 31st and April 8th which ironed out some bugs evident on other devices I use and so far so good with those devices as well.

Not great quality I'm afraid due to file attachment limitations here, but see the gif below (when logged into the community) to see on my Roku Premiere I can move around the app quite quickly and shows load in a couple of seconds.

 

[Anonymous User]

On my AppleTV 4K it's slow because it doesnt allow Siri which is vastly annoying. Otherwise it's OK for speed. Functionally, I think I'll soon be persuaded to drop the very expensive NowTV.

(Search is at the BOTTOM?)

[Anonymous User]

hello. 

Wonder if you can help me. 

Just downloaded app via Now TV website onto my laptop but, as with others on here, everything I watch is out of sync. It's unbearable to watch. only just bought subscription with boost and now i want my money back because it's unwatchable. Would prefer to be able to watch it though so if you can help with that I'd be very happy. There's absolutely no customer service at all and I feel cheated.

thanks

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

No-one can help you regarding a refund because this is a customer forum. Speak directly to NOW via live chat, click “chat online”.

https://help.nowtv.com/article/how-to-submit-a-complaint

[ukbobboy]

@Anonymous User 

Yeah DC

Stuff got slow and clunky since the update.  You know,  you gotta ask why have they rolled out something that's so meh?  Gotta be that their rebranding is more important than retaining their existing customers.

Maybe, just maybe, their future updates will sharpen up on the apps response times, but they'll never tell us.

UK Bob

[Anonymous User]

I think you need to vote with your wallet. Stop purchasing passes, then see if they fix it.

I'm waiting till seals ends and if it isn't fixed, then I'm off to buying/renting content I want on Google play or iTunes. Seems as though it will work out about the same cost.

[Anonymous User]

Agree, mine is almost unusable. Another example of laziness, incompetence and disregard for customers. Who puts out an update without testing it on all platforms, clearly NOW do. I will certainly not be paying for the service until they fix it.

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

What device are you using for NOW? As I’ve not had many if any issues with my Sony Bravia Android TV

[Anonymous User]

Nowtv hdmi stick straight into tv. Worked fine but now takes 10 minutes to start a show.

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

Have you tried performing a factory reset? 

You tried unplugging your router for a few minutes? 

Do you have any more devices that support NOW?

[Anonymous User]

Done the factory reset and it did not change anything. Got it on phone and it works fine. The old sticks just dont support the new update....probably trying to do too much with older hardware but does this make all the nowtv sticks redundant?

[ukbobboy]

@Anonymous User 

Babbs

You said, "....but does this make all the nowtv sticks redundant?" 

Maybe, but I think most probably. 

The new owners of NOW have all but ditched all their old inherited hardware and any software updates that have been issued so far have done more harm than good. It seems logical that going forward the new owners will officially disown Now TV's hardware and not produce any other hardware of their own, possibly with the exception of badged routers.

Please note, the above is just speculation and I have no insider knowledge, i.e. I'm just a customer.

UK Bob

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

That being said, I haven't used my NOW stick since the rebrand. Having used my Amazon Fire stick with the new app I can safely say that it runs it like a charm. 

If you aren't too attached to the NOW stick, I would strongly recommend purchasing an Amazon Fire stick.

[Anonymous User]

Mine has gone slow, jumpy when I use the remote to move around the menu, and at times when I go onto non freeview channels ie entertainment it jumps out of it and goes back to freeview.  This has happened since the upgrade!!!

[Anonymous User]

Yes, were using a Roku nowtv box and it's also become almost unusable with nowtv, but works fine with the Netflix app so just poor programming from nowtv. We will be cancelling our subscription it's so bad!

[gavs82008]

@Anonymous User 

. Having used my Amazon Fire stick with the new app I can safely say that it runs it like a charm. 

If you aren't too attached to the NOW box, I would strongly recommend purchasing an Amazon Fire stick

[ukbobboy]

@gavs82008 

Hi Gavs

Just a quick question to pick your brains, it's obvious that NOW is ditching the old Now TV hardware, except for the Now TV/Sky router. However, as Now TV has always restricted the devices it's app can run on, especially android streaming boxes and other related equipment, do you think NOW will change this policy and open up it's app to hardware devices the former company wanted nothing to do with?

From a business and logical point of view this should be the way to go, i.e. allowing people with android kit, e.g. nVidia Shield, to run and subscribe to NOW.

But as you have some experience with NOW's American parent company, what do you think?

UK Bob

[gavs82008]

@ukbobboy 

Think it’s safe to say that since Comcast has taken over Sky and obviously NOW, there has been more of a push to get the app on more devices. 

Take the long awaited launch on Amazon fire sticks as an example, something that was never probably even considered before. Then just before that launch they sneakily launched it on Sony Bravia Android TVs!

Personally I’m glad they aren’t producing anymore hardware apart from like you mentioned for their internet side. Although there are still plenty of devices that are missing the app which you mentioned, then there is whole raft of other Android smart TVs. 

Many don’t like the rebranded look, but for me it’s very similar to Comcast’s US service Peacock. Which for me is far better as they already have profiles! And more importantly the NBC content to go with it, something and very annoyingly still missing from Sky/NOW. 

For PCs not to support boost for 1080p and 5.1 is a bit mental cause most people I know that use their laptop it’s always hooked up to the TV, so it’s not being used a “small screen” viewing. Although with the windows 11 launch soon, they are planning on using Amazon’s App Store, so that could fully open the door for PC users to use what could very well be the Amazon Fire build of NOW. Time will tell!