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]

5.1 is not part of the new app as others have said this will hopefully be rolled out in future updates who knows. Yesterday I was amazed this new app had arrived but my thoughts are not great. I deleted the old green app and installed the new one. I had gone into test flight to press stop testing to. I have the boost option but that’s just for 50fps picture quality as I can’t get 5.1. 

[rilyas]

This is a copy of what’s on nowtv website regarding boast

What devices support NOW TV Boost?

You’ll need any of these devices to enjoy all the features of NOW TV Boost:

• NOW TV Smart Stick
• Any NOW TV Box
• Roku Express or Roku Streaming Stick
• A supported Samsung TV
• Sony TV (most models from 2016)
• PS4
• PS5
• Apple TV HD (gen 4) or 4K (Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound not supported on Apple TV)
• YouView (including TalkTalk & BT boxes)
• LG Web OS TV (50fps not currently available)
• Xbox One (50fps not currently available)
• Xbox Series X & S (50fps not currently available)
• Chromecast Ultra or 3rd generation (note that 1st and 2nd generation Chromecast devices are not supported. See the image below if you're not sure what generation your Chromecast is.)

Help tipIf you're using Chromecast with iOS, you'll need to have the latest version of the NOW TV app (10.12.0) to enjoy Boost.

[teague]

The new Apple TV app has launched and is now available in the App Store to download.

[Anonymous User]

Finally.

now that’s all the UK streaming services on the box 

[Anonymous User]

Installed, loaded up Sky Sports, no issues

[Anonymous User]

>>

now that’s all the UK streaming services on the box 

>>

Rakuten is still missing in the UK...I only use it as I get a monthly free stream through my bank

[dr_necessitor]

Pleased to see that, finally, the new app has been released (albeit with Boost still lacking 5.1 sound as it did during the trial).

At > 2 years, I think this has been the longest (& at times the most frustrating) beta trial I’ve ever taken part in.

[Clem_Dye]

So, all this wait and hype and we’re offered a half-baked solution, but not a half-price charge for the Boost pass. Typical greedy, pathetic Sky. How many more years are we going to have to wait to get 5.1 audio, something that pretty much every other major streaming service supports nowadays?

I’m stuck either having to use the app. on my LG TV, but with only 25fs, or a flaky NowTV/Roku box which works when it feels like it, to get 50fs.

This is Apple’s loss too, not that they’ll notice, because without the full Boost feature set I won’t be buying a 4K ATV box. Had the app. been updated I could have used the 4K ATV box for all my streaming needs. As for Sky/NowTV, their loss too because I won’t consider things like a Movie Pass, not unless I can get a consistent, universal playback experience across all of the devices that I have/want to buy that support NowTV.

It’s gone very quiet on getting the NowTV app. working on the new Humax Aura PVR too. Great job Sky, thanks for the terrific customer support.

[nst]

Im still mad at this!

I mean, why on earth has it taken this long, and for them not to support 5.1.

This is surely a trading standards issue now.  Im not being over dramatic but im just astonished they can put in writing that boost is supported on AppleTV (but not 5.1 sound... soz).

Therefore AppleTV should not support boost at all.  Why implement it like this... even if its just a short term thing (not as if they havent had enough time to get this working) - and what exactly is the issue on AppleTV seeing as everyone else with streaming apps seems to manage 5.1.

Its the fact that they are happy to take £3 a month from boost subscribes on the platform yet not offer them the full feature set. 

Its like selling someone a car and for the same price just exclude the wheels and expect people to just pay it.

I would have much preferred boost to stay off the app altogether until ready.. rather than this frankly bizarre implementation.

At the moment I just feel I wasted a lot of time in 2020 helping out with the trial given that they knew VERY clearly the feedback we gave them back in March about missing boost.. and the fact they assured us that boost would be included at launch.  This is NOT boost.  I cannot use the new app.  I have to stick with the LG WEBOS version at least whilst I remain a boost customer.

It is beyond cheeky to expect AppleTV users to subscribe to boost.  At least give it to them free or half price or something until 5.1 is fixed.

[Hooba]

The thing is, the app is already ready. And 5.1 isn't broken, so doesn't need fixing. NowTV has decided not to support 5.1. It was probably more hassle to remove 5.1 than it was to provide it. But as things stand, it looks like NowTV has decided not to support 5.1 on AppleTV. That decision might change. It might not. 

[nst]

Then... they should remove the '5.1' badge on content accessed via the app.

Movies and TV shows are badged "HD" and "5.1"... and when you play them... the 5.1 is actually 2.0... so trades description problem there.

Someone who has just downloaded the app... finally subscribed to boost... does not know the ins and outs of whats just transpired.... then presses play on a movie clearly marked as "5.1"... would and should be very annoyed at NowTV for this.  They are NOT getting what they thought the had paid for.

[MrZippy]

Doesn’t the supported devices for boost state no 5.1 on Apple TV. Or can you buy elsewhere and not know this.

[Enapace]

@MrZippy 

It does but you could simply be a new NowTV User just brought a Apple 4K TV and it says 5.1 label on a title your watching it is a bit misleading.

[nst]

@Enapace 

Very misleading....

In fact id go so far as to say illegally so.

If they couldn't be bothered to get 5.1 working in time for the long delayed release of the new app, then they absolutely should not display the 5.1 symbol next to movies and TV shows in the app.  

If they have introduced this ridiculous 'semi boost' that's unfortunately unique to the appleTV, then they need to ensure that content is correctly labelled.

Im not sure why anyone with an AppleTV would be content to pay full price for boost and NOT get 5.1 audio....

I suspect this is going to change soon for better or worse as they simply cannot leave things as they are.

[nst]

A small update to those interested.

I tried Twitter again, and I asked the following:

"if 5.1 is not imminent then you might want to advise your developers to remove the 5.1 badge on all content accessible on the new AppleTV app.  Anyone with a boost pass is being shown content as having 5.1 when it does not.  This is a trades description issue"

I received the following two replies:

"we know that our customers value the option to be able to steam our content in HD and on multiple devices simultaneously.  We therefore wanted to offer this functionality to them as quickly as possible via our Boost Pass"

and:

"Unfortunately the new Apple app doesn't currently support the 5.1 surround sound element, however the teams are working hard on a fix and we hope to be able to offer this in the near future"

my response is:

"thank you for taking the time to reply.  I find your logic hard to follow in that boost provides 3 elements:  muti stream, HD, and 5.1 and that customers should be happy paying for 3 yet receiving only 2.  I hope this is resolved very quickly."

so lets hope the near future is indeed the near future and not NowTV's traditional meaning of near future which could be 5 years later.

I honestly feel that this could and should backfire massively on them.  To release boost-lite and expect people to pay for it and be happy that they are getting not all they are paying for is ludicrous.

[MrZippy]

I really don’t think they care.

I suspect it could be a very long time before this new, basically still substandard, app is updated.

This is based on the fact an Irish user says the app is rarely updated, unlike the iOS monthly ones.

[Anonymous User]

Only time will tell but already I’m getting problems with the pictures loading up on the home screen. Also I’ve noticed and this maybe me, but I’ve also got a nowtv 4k box. Obviously I prefer the Apple box but when watching a sports channel on the nowtv box after a couple of seconds the picture flashes to show true 1080p. This doesn’t happen on the Apple box. 

[jetbootjack]

Well - just downloaded the new app, using it on a 4K Apple TV and there is a full screen grey/green mottled effect on ALL live TV channels!

It’s the same effect you get when you exit a live channel or switch a live channel - a fake TV static image - but it is on all the time on ATV, but not on my Now TV box...

See attached shot of my TV.

Really well tested!!!

[apsymb]

Might be worth checking that you have set the video default output to 4k SDR not 4k HDR or 4k Dolby vision and then turn on match dynamic range.

I have the same unusual effect with black backgrounds running the updated NOW TV app with 1080p 50fps boost which was fixed by switching the default video output to 4K SDR. I’ve noticed that only certain apps, including the Apple TV app and I think Netflix, correctly show SDR content if you set the default video output to Dolby vision 4K. It's best to set the default video output to 4K SDR and then match dynamic range so that the Apple TV switches automatically to Dolby Vision or HDR for appropriate content.

[Ab76]

I really don’t understand how in addition to messing up the Dolby 5.1 sound NowTV’s new app doesn’t contain the voice search function that was present on the (five year) old app. It’s also pretty poor that you have to download the new app rather than update the old one and then have to do a device change in order to make the new app work even though there’s been no change of device. 

[Anonymous User]

That’s odd, I was just able to update my NOW TV app. However I have gone
back to the five-year-old app because it fully supports the Apple 4K TV
user interface and voice search like you mentioned. I can even hold down
the Siri button and ask it to skip back 10 or 15 seconds.

I can’t believe the contempt in which NowTV treat their customers.
Expecting all users to pay the same whether it’s on a device that is fully
supported or not. We just want parity with other devices.

Once Ive finished Raised by Wolves and Tin Star Liverpool I’ll be leaving
the service even though I am currently midway through an offer. I’m happy
to pay a fair price for good content but this isn’t the way to go about it.

Fortunately I have a very technically minded acquaintance who can get me
the last series of The Walking Dead so I will not need NOW TV hopefully.