Update Now TV app for apple TV

[Anonymous User]

Will the Now TV app for Apple TV ever get an update?

The current version is complete rubbish and makes me regret ever getting a Now TV pass.

Unless there is an update my Now TV experience will be very short indeed.

[Anonymous User]

I would be more than happy for this app to be released as it is, can’t bare the thought of going back to the old app.

[Anonymous User]

I agree. I find the beta app practically unusual as I can't easily skip
forward and backwards in 10-second increments. The beta is so cumbersome
that I've actually gone back to the old app and track what I'm watching via
the app on my phone.

[Hooba]

Watching Sky Sports Football it certainly looks like 50FPS. I'll download Xcode and keep an eye on resolution over next few days. Does look promising though. 5.1 next ... ?

[nst]

@BSMoxham 

It is undoubtedly better than the old app - but then..... (5 years old port from even older app from previous generation appletv box)

It looks fine for sure, however I have to say that it is still far behind the 1080p of the boost enhanced content.

Ive tried to watch a couple of things for testing purposes but every time I have to give up as the picture just looks way softer and lower res than im used to on the NowTV box with boost.

I know that 1080p is hardly the second coming... but when you compare the same content in 720 vs boost's 1080 there is a distinct difference and you generally wont want to go back. Your TV might well be a 4K upscaler, and the 720 might look better than you hope with some TV wizardry... but as I say the 1080p version is markedly better.

This is my main fear for the new app.  Without boost I wont be able to use it.

[BSMoxham]

@nst 

I’ve got a 65” OLED and this definitely isn’t a 720p image upscaled. If anything, the OLED would pick up issues like artefacts.

I took advantage of the Sports deals (£20pm for 3 months) and the boost (have an entertainment pass) for £6 for 3 months and as I’ve said, could be stuff under the hood that they’re playing about with. But I’m definitely seeing a marked improvement in the picture quality from previous times I’ve used the app (was on the previous beta).

[dr_necessitor]

@nst 

“I know that 1080p is hardly the second coming... but when you compare the same content in 720 vs boost's 1080 there is a distinct difference and you generally wont want to go back. Your TV might well be a 4K upscaler, and the 720 might look better than you hope with some TV wizardry... but as I say the 1080p version is markedly better.”

Yup, and particularly noticeable when watching Live Sport (when there was some...)

Also “Boost” is required to get better 5.1 sound (where that’s available)

[Enapace]

@dr_necessitor 

To be honest with sport it's likely more the 50FPS which is a bigger improvement then the 1080p versus 720p.

[dr_necessitor]

@Enapace 

“To be honest with sport it's likely more the 50FPS which is a bigger improvement then the 1080p versus 720p.”

yes that’s true, thanks for mentioning it, keep forgetting that 50fps is *another* feature of “Boost”!

certainly see (and hear) the difference that “Boost” gives when watching on a Roku Streaming Stick+

but obvs “Boost” isn’t supported on the tv beta trial (although the PQ certainly does look far superior via the tv 4k, which might be partly due to the 4k telly doing a bit of  upscaling, however the audio quality sounds inferior due being to stereo only and not 5.1)

[Anonymous User]

IF it IS the case that 'everything is controlled by Apple' and NowTV are just providing the content, then surely the solution would be to integrate directly with Apple's forthcoming TV app in the UK (like Amazon will be).  As far as I can see this is the only way AppleTV users may possibly get a half decent experience as it's pretty obvious a decent native app is not coming 😞  Last time I give my money to a Murdoch company.

[Anonymous User]

Don't set your expectations too high for Apple's TV app.  It doesn't replace the apps for other streaming services.  It merely collects the shows you watch or thinks you should watch.  If you select a show you want to watch from the TV app (and the NowTV app has been designed to integrate with TV), it will pop up a screen that asks you if you want to purchase the show or open it in the NowTV app.  The only advantage is that it should take you directly to the show you selected, rather than having to hunt for it after you have been bounced to the NowTV app.  That's how it integrates with HBO, Hulu, etal, anyway.  The key is, the NowTV app has to be redeveloped to integrate with TV.