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.

[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.

[Anonymous User]

I started using the new app last night. Firstly it’s annoying it’s counted as a new device! Luckily I had space to change. Secondly the app responds really slowly to the Apple TV remote and thirdly it was very sloooow to load content once selected. On the plus side the picture quality is so much better it’s almost worth the pain of the user interface.

[jetbootjack]

apsymb said - "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 did as you suggested and the live TV no longer exhibits the issue, however I cannot help but feel that the output settings on the ATV should be accommodated by the app and forcing a user to alter system-wide settings (that work fine across other apps) to accommodate specific issues in this app is not what should happen...

sTeVE