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.

[ssliv]

Watching Dexter live on Sky Atlantic and the Apple TV HUD is showing 6 channels rather than the normal 2 for catch-up. 

[nst]

All.

Something very weird and very interesting is happening.

Given everyone else's experiences Ive just tried my own experiments, and although I don't have a sports pass... I do have a cinema pass.

I went to the live channels via the in-app TV guide, and tried to watch a movie.  I selected 'watch live' and sure enough my Sonos reported 5.1.  I then stopped playback and tried again this time choosing the watch from the beginning option and it was back to 2.0.  I can't vouch for whether this was true 5.1 as the content I watched wasn't very surround-y but I trust the Sonos app to tell me the audio format it is recieving.

So, looks like Live stuff including sports viewed via the TV guide is indeed 5.1 but 'streamed' stuff (yes I know they are both streamed but you know what I mean) is 2.0

I don't know how I feel about this.  On the one hand its positive isn't it... but on the other hand given the app is perfectly capable of the not-so-tricky feat of providing a 5.1 soundtrack... WHY isn't it for all content.

Back to my theory of this being an artificial issue and entirely of Now's making.  I think that they aren't able to apply the artificial sound downgrade if its the live stream.

Im going to tweet Now again along the lines of "CONGRATULATIONS on finally cracking the problem of providing a 5.1 soundtrack on the AppleTV - but WHY is this only working for "live" content and not the library??"

Lets see how they respond.

[nst]

... update for you.

Had a very fast response given that its Sunday night.  The response was a bit surprising as follows:

"this should be working on content via the On Demand section. However let us look into this further for you. Have you tested the exact same show that is on live and On Demand? Thank you"

to which I replied:

"I have indeed. Only live works for 5.1 on the appletv app. There’s been no announcement that 5.1 is finally fixed not a new version of the app so what’s the official situation with this?"

However I didn't get a reply to that.

So.... OK.  the Twitter thing is never accurate and they always say things that aren't true or without knowing what they are talking about... (sorry but that's the case!). BUT they seemed to be saying that it should be working for both.

Now.. as I said.... they don't often know what they are talking about so I'm sure that someone just read my tweet and assumed that the AppleTV app was the same as all the others and if you were getting 5.1 from live you should be getting it from on demand.

Doesn't hurt to prod them though and see what happens.

Id encourage others to do the same and see how they respond.

[nst]

one more update for you.

Not really news but just demonstrates the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

I followed up my un-replied tweet with:

"Hi Can I press you on a clarification to this. Certainly appletv is working with live but not on demand. No announcement made saying it’s finally fixed and your online help still says it doesn’t support 5.1 yet it clearly can right now. This is the APPLETV app I’m asking about"

To which they replied id have to ask the technical team.

When I tried that via live chat.. "rachel" told me that the app has been fixed for 5.1 SINCE MAY 2021 and suggested I reinstall it.

I asked if this was the case why is it still not working and why do Now's help pages still explicitly say that the AppleTV is 2.0 only..... she then 'hung up' on me and ended the chat.  Charming.

Anyway... seems this remains a mystery.  Nobody in Now can explain why "live" is 5.1 on an app that officially "doesn't" support 5.1 at all.

To me, this is still suspicious.  If the app is capable of 5.1 then its capable of 5.1 and all the content it offers should have no issue being in 5.1 instead of 2.0.

[Hooba]

5.1 isn't live on any content for me. Live or otherwise. I've still never seen (heard) 5.1 on any Now content through AppleTV.

[nst]

@Hooba 

The whole situation is just odd.

I was a bit sceptical until I tried myself yesterday and the Sonos app certainly reported a 5.1 soundtrack coming from the live channel and a 2.0 from the on demand version of the same content.

To be told its been fixed since may 2021 is just plain wrong and makes you take everything with a huge pinch of salt.

[Hooba]

I wonder if I'm not seeing (hearing) 5.1 as I'm using the latest (April 2021) AppleTV and something model dependant is going on. Clutching at straws really, but odd that many here have managed to get 5.1 through the Now app, but I haven't .. !

[Anonymous User]

@Hooba

I’m not hearing 5.1 and I’m using the April 2021 Apple TV also, strange if it was just older models that could get it, anyone hearing it on the newest Apple TV

[nst]

@Anonymous User @Hooba 

Me.  I have the new AppleTV so its "working" on that for sure.

Totally bizarre situation developing here.

I still think the restriction is an artificial one and the cracks are beginning to show.

[Hooba]

@nst Thanks - saves me breaking out the old one just to test !

[nst]

@Hooba 

No point whatsoever.

The only thing that might have some merit is the live chat's suggestion that the app would need re-installing.

For the record, I think this is complete rubbish as officially the app, according to the website, doesn't support 5.1.

[Anonymous User]

@nst

Couldnt agree more

[nfrend]

I watched The White Lotus yesterday on demand and 5.1 signal. 

[nst]

@nfrend 

Ive not seen it on anything but live yet.

This whole situation is utterly bizarre and I dont know how or why NOW are incapable of explaining whats going on when asked.

The support pages still explicitly state that 5.1 is not supported on the AppleTV.  I would expect that to change the moment they officially have "fixed" the problem.

Again.. goes to show there is nothing to "fix" and probably never has been.

[MrZippy]

Just a question, I seem to remember missing subtitles were an issue too before, I’ve never checked but I noticed the other day there were subtitles available on the programme I was watching. Did they resolve this quietly too?

[nst]

@MrZippy 

Thats the weird thing.  The 5.1 doesn't seem 'resolved' - theres been no app update to make this work... its just is working on live stuff.

Looking back on my replies earlier they said its been fixed since may but this is rubbish.

who knows whats going on.  when you ask them they dont know either.

[MrZippy]

Unless the app is specially disabling it you assume it’s just the stream that would need updating. But who knows, they don’t!

[nst]

My little tinfoil hat theory seems quite plausible.

The app is demonstrably capable of 5.1.  Were we supposed to not notice?

If its not capable its not capable.... but it is.

[anth16]

Been viewing this thread for a while. Today I tested cinema and entertainment both live and on demand. I have the new Apple TV box and Bose system with rear speakers and sub. To my surprise it’s definitely 5.1. Sub output and rear speakers definitely outputting 5.1. It wasn’t like this a few weeks ago. About to get rid of the now tv box now. Very strange why they have not announced this.

[Anonymous User]

Likewise, I've been following this thread for ages hoping to get rid of my NowTV stick given how much more performant the Apple TV app is, and it's upscaling beats my TVs.

Xcode reports Sky Sports The Hundred is ec-3, 6 channel, 48000Hz at 50fps.

[nst]

interesting to see a few reporting that on demand is also 5.1.

On my testing yesterday this wasn't the case.  it was Live only.

The same content via on demand was definitely 2.0 whereas live it was 5.1.

Are things changing rapidly here?

How come this isnt a new version of the app...?  When will they announce the change?