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Anonymous User
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Update Now TV app for apple TV

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.

2,755 REPLIES 2,755
nst
Elite

Its all gone a bit quiet again hasn't it 🙂 

 

Just an interesting observation - again on my favourite pet subject of Boost...

I tired.. honestly, and compared the beta's non-boost directly to the NowTV box's boost 1080p - and again the difference is genuinely night and day.  To the point where i sat down to watch a show on the app, knowing that it would be a bit more 'mushy' than im used to - but I made it about 2 minutes in and it was, to my eyes, unbearably softer than 'normal' - switching to the 1080p version was a huge improvement.

 

Now, I have a very good hi-end OLED 4K TV - and it does a god job of upscaling - but even with this the non-boost output from the app is unwatchable to me.

I know that some peoples experience is that the app is significantly better than the old one - in comparing the old 720 to the new 720 - im not disputing that at all - but it still comes nowhere near the boost 1080 picture quality.

 

So, Im so hoping they get boost sorted.

@nst 

Just out of interest, have you tweaked settings/done any calibration on your tv?

 

Our observation of watching NOW TV Entertainment on our Sony Android XE90 (55”) via tv 4K is (1) definitely “sharper” than watching same via Roku Streaming Stick+ *without* Boost and (2) about the same via Roku Streaming Stick+ *with* Boost.

 

Boost obviously comes into its own for better quality sound, and of course (as I keep forgetting) for sport at 50fps.

 

Disclaimer: opinions about picture quality are very subjective and will vary from person to person - one person’s fantastic can be another person’s awful (and vice versa)... 😉

nst
Elite

@dr_necessitor 

 

Thats why I mention it - its really interesting to see other peoples opinions (on the subjective observations!)

 

No, I haven't tweaked anything on the TV - its pretty much still in its out of the box configuration.  Im the type who just picks from one of the pre-set modes and leaves it there for years.

 

I have experienced a lot of upscaled content, and most seems pretty good.  I spent a long time as a NowTV subscriber watching Movies - though I long since abandoned the current AppleTV app - I was using my smart TV's inbuilt NowTV app.  The quality was always perfectly good to me and I was quite happy with it.  Perhaps the inbuilt App was doing a good job and better upscaled - ive no idea.

At the time I even argued with someone that NowTV *must* have upped their quality as it looked great on my 55" 4K OLED screen from the built in LG WebOS app.

 

Of course, I was wrong - it was always 720 but looked reasonable upscaled.

 

What I am comparing here is the Beta app, vs the Released app on the NowTV 4K box.  It is night and day difference at the moment.

Why?  Ive no idea.  Even if they insist on releasing the new version on AppleTV without boost support (heaven forbid) the NowTV box is so much clearer and better with boost.

 

Many are commenting how 'good' they think the non-boosted beta picture is - though in my case I just cant see it.  The picture looks so 'soft' to my eyes.... but then I can switch in an instant to the same content on the NowTV box with boost - I suppose if you are comparing the beta app with the 5+ year old app on the AppleTV then there might well be a difference in picture quality - ive no idea as I haven't bothered to try that comparison.

 

 

@nst 

Just to clarify - in my previous post, my tv specific comments refer to viewing via the current beta app (not the current app store version which I have not used since the stone age...

nst
Elite

@dr_necessitor 

Absolutely - that makes sense.

 

I haven't even tried to use the stone age AppleTV NowTV app in years myself.  

 

I am of no doubt that the beta's picture quality is demonstrably better than the old app but certainly haven't checked.  I guess this is where a lot of people are coming from.

 

When I 'rejoined' NowTV late last year I only did so because Boost was a thing - and therefore could only use a device that supported it - hence my rather grudging purchase of the NowTV 4K box - though I knew (or hoped.... and its still a hope) that this would not be needed in the long term.  I really want a single box to do everything and the AppleTV is near perfect - just missing the updated NowTV app - but if it launches without boost then ill have to keep the NowTV box until they do.

Duncaw67
Scholar 3

Hi

I agree completely with @nst re:boost should be standard across all platforms,though I must say the picture I get through the beta now TV app on Apple is night and day compared to my old now TV stick which was very soft indeed and I will gladly pay extra when hopefully it is added to the new app on Apple TV, especially 50fps as I'm an avid sports fan.

nst
Elite

@Duncaw67 

Totally agree - boost is something that should have been launched (near) simultaneously on all supported platforms.

OK, appleTV needed an app update but boost is a no brainer.

 

All platforms that can support 1080p and 5.1 sound should have the option.  Surely in fact most platforms are technologically capable of what is basically 'full HD' which has been around for years.

 

We are being very forgiving here as for the last few years Amazon, Netflix, and latterly Disney+ are all streaming in 4K...... 1080p is way behind the curve and here we are licking the steam off the window waiting for a 10 year old picture quality to finally be made available.

 

From a pure business perspective, surely its been in NowTV's interests to get boost as an option on ALL platforms to encourage people to spend £3 more per month.  Its astonishing that they dont yet do so - they are losing out on so much extra potential revenue when they are restricting only a certain proportion of the user base to be able to pay the additional £3.

 

Im so surprised at the non-committal response to the beta in that it might be added.  might?  really?  on the appleTV 4K and HD boxes?  they might want to get another £3 per month from all the users? Blimey.  makes no sense whatsoever.

I can only assume that each platform has its own bespoke app - and that app does not easily allow for 1080p to be 'switched on' so each app needs a re-write to allow the boost pass to be added - and this will take them years to do.  As Ive said before - I think they should rationalise the number of platforms they support and make sure that all users have the SAME experience instead of the mess we have now.

Duncaw67
Scholar 3

Hi @nst 

I won't be paying for boost till it is added to the updated now tv app on Apple TV,it is a point of principle as I can access boost on my tv upstairs with my room 4k stick, and I used it when I I took the 7 day free trial for boost and the sound and picture for the football was indeed excellent but I use my Apple tv for everything I watch re: streaming because it is so good, so keeping fingers crossed for boost on the now tv app in the near future 😀 

nst
Elite

@Duncaw67 

 

Totally.  And principle it certainly is!

 

You'd want all your devices to give you the same level of service that you are paying for - and not have to play the device lottery game that they seem to think is acceptable nowadays!

 

I was genuinely gobsmacked when the first beta was released in March and it didnt have boost - I just couldn't believe that it wasnt there!... seeing as it had been released on other devices back in November 2019.... a new version of an app that runs on an HD and 4K box to not include this option is just madness.

 

I must admit that my faith is being eroded as we have crawled our way to beta 2 and still no sign.  I truly hope that the final version will include boost when released.

@Duncaw67 

Yeah I wouldn’t normally bother with Boost myself if it weren’t for the 5.1 sound & the 50fps on Sport (except that as we know the tv beta app doesn’t currently support it, and there’s not yet any Sport that interests me) because I find the tv beta app picture quality to be on par with the “boosted” PQ on the Roku Streaming Stick+