Now TV/Roku

jon81uk

stupot101 wrote: »

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What way does the live tv/on demand part of NowTV work? For example, when The Walking Dead Season 6 premieres on 12 October, you can watch it live, and then on demand? How soon is it available to watch on demand?

Also, what benefit is there to buying a Now TV box versus using the app on my Samsung Smart TV? I'm assuming there's an app for my particular TV, haven't checked yet. The Netflix app on the TV seems to have problems playing certain shows. Orange is the New Black for one. So I'd like to avoid this problem if I'm getting NowTV. But I'm not keen on spending the extra to buy the box if it doesn't offer anything extra!

Usually the catch-up is available within an hour of broadcast (so if it airs 10pm - 11pm catch-up is available by midnight) but sometimes even quicker. Game of Thrones had catchup available at the same time as broadcast live as the system would crash with everyone watching live!

I can't see many advantages getting the older Now TV box over using your built-in app, but the new black Now TV box has a faster processor so may be better.

stupot101

Excellent, thanks for the replies. Some catch up services are awful. Eurosport player for one.

Turns out the app isn't available for my TV. It isn't in the Samsung apps store anyway.

So I bought one of the older boxes with the 3 months entertainment package. Not bad for £15.

stupot101

Well that was disappointing. The screen resolution is ridiculous, it's like watching VHS! I know it's only meant to be 720p, but there's no way it's even that.

Cycrow

It depends what your are watching and what you are watching it from

The live channels are only in SD (except for sports), but the on-demand content should be in 720p. However, certain devices only do SD for those too

stupot101

I was watching on demand content on my Samsung Smart TV. I can watch iPlayer on it in HD mode, and the picture on Netflix is excellent too. The Now TV forums are full of complaints about picture quality. 720p would be fine on our 32" screen, but this is nowhere near. The picture on PC or Android is very grainy too. The way you can only watch the most recent episodes of some shows is very annoying too.

Terrible service compared to Netflix.

Cycrow

i've not really had an issue with the movies from NowTV. Thats via the xbox thou.

the PC version is only SD, dont really know why.

The one problem with NowTV is its lack of device support compared to netflix

jon81uk

stupot101 wrote: »

I was watching on demand content on my Samsung Smart TV. I can watch iPlayer on it in HD mode, and the picture on Netflix is excellent too. The Now TV forums are full of complaints about picture quality. 720p would be fine on our 32" screen, but this is nowhere near. The picture on PC or Android is very grainy too. The way you can only watch the most recent episodes of some shows is very annoying too.

Terrible service compared to Netflix.

Now TV is 720 on the catch-up content and standard on the live TV.

Although the quality of the picture isn't as good as Netflix I think the standard of content is still good on Now TV, being able to watch films and TV at the same time it airs on Sky is worthwhile. The content that isn't creaed by Netflix is generally at least 1-2 years old if not more.
Now TV is also the only (legal) way to watch Game of Thrones without subscribing to Sky.

diamonds

Netflix and Now TV are great over the Sky 'wire' with my Roku HDMI stick, much better quality than Sky GO streaming.

Knackeredoldbat

diamonds wrote: »

Netflix and Now TV are great over the Sky 'wire' with my Roku HDMI stick, much better quality than Sky GO streaming.

Was just going to report back on my roku box and agree with you. Really good quality picture, very happy with it.

KxMx

jon81uk wrote: »

Usually the catch-up is available within an hour of broadcast (so if it airs 10pm - 11pm catch-up is available by midnight) but sometimes even quicker. Game of Thrones had catchup available at the same time as broadcast live as the system would crash with everyone watching live!

I can't see many advantages getting the older Now TV box over using your built-in app, but the new black Now TV box has a faster processor so may be better.

Game of Thrones was broadcast simultaneously with the US so 3am here. Sky did another showing in the mainstream slot of 9pm. It was already on catch up from the 3am showing by the time 9pm came.