NowTV Box(Roku LT) - £10.00 inc (€11.89) new model £14.99

Chris_Bradley

former total wrote: »

I think the point is that if the Now TV box contains software to scan automatically for FTA channels, it may just be set to look for the UK channels and ignore other signals that it doesn't 'recognise'. The option to manually do so and pick up Irish channels might not be there.

We won't know until the first boardsie gets one I suppose.

We shall see I suppose but the box is looking like a cracker.

40 quid is still heavily subsidized.

rogercross

Chris_Bradley wrote: »

We shall see I suppose but the box is looking like a cracker.

40 quid is still heavily subsidized.

Might get even better for us depending on how the sterling rate goes over the next few weeks

bk

Chris_Bradley wrote: »

I hear what you're saying about Roku engineers and that but it's very doubtful because Freeview must be scanned first like Saorview.

Just because it scans for channels, doesn't mean that the Sky/roku engineers [1] will actually allow non UK channels to be added to the box. Even if it does, you won't get the full functionality of a Soarview box due to different standards being used.

- EPG will likely be only now and next and not the full 7 day EPG as Saorview uses a different standard for EPG metadata.
- No series link recording as again Saorview uses a different standard for this metadata.
- Non of the new Saorview Connect functionality (replay, catchup TV, etc.) that will be coming to new Saorview boxes soon.

Don't get me wrong, I hope I'm wrong about this. We will really need to wait and see until someone goes and buys a box and tries it.

But I certainly wouldn't be recommending it to people. Not at a relatively high price of £40 and potentially very limited functionality.

People need to understand the following:
1) It won't display the UK channels for most people in Ireland.
2) It may or may not display the 10 Irish channels
3) It certainly won't have the full functionality of a proper Saorview box

I'm not sure this would be better then simply using a separate Saorview box and a £10 nowtv box (even better add a Freesat box to that mix).

[1] Not really the engineers fault, they normally would leave it open as possible, it is usually management who instructs them to limit these sort of things.

rogercross

bk wrote: »

Just because it scans for channels, doesn't mean that the Sky/roku engineers [1] will actually allow non UK channels to be added to the box. Even if it does, you won't get the full functionality of a Soarview box due to different standards being used.

- EPG will likely be only now and next and not the full 7 day EPG as Saorview uses a different standard for EPG metadata.
- No series link recording as again Saorview uses a different standard for this metadata.
- Non of the new Saorview Connect functionality (replay, catchup TV, etc.) that will be coming to new Saorview boxes soon.

Don't get me wrong, I hope I'm wrong about this. We will really need to wait and see until someone goes and buys a box and tries it.

But I certainly wouldn't be recommending it to people. Not at a relatively high price of £40 and potentially very limited functionality.

People need to understand the following:
1) It won't display the UK channels for most people in Ireland.
2) It may or may not display the 10 Irish channels
3) It certainly won't have the full functionality of a proper Saorview box

I'm not sure this would be better then simply using a separate Saorview box and a £10 nowtv box (even better add a Freesat box to that mix).

[1] Not really the engineers fault, they normally would leave it open as possible, it is usually management who instructs them to limit these sort of things.

To be fair, you really don't know and no one will know until they get their hands on one and test them here.

But i have survived without this functionality for this long so really its not that big of a deal

Chris_Bradley

bk wrote: »

I'm not sure this would be better then simply using a separate Saorview box and a £10 nowtv box (even better add a Freesat box to that mix).

[1] Not really the engineers fault, they normally would leave it open as possible, it is usually management who instructs them to limit these sort of things.

Yeah it's all up in the air for us here, I currently have a freeview seperate box in my room with the Black Now box.

I'll wait to see if they've blocked us or put a post coded intro into the setup before I buy.

The EPG I have on the Freeview box gives me 7 days EPG but honestly I couldn't care less if it had/hadn't.

If I can get Saorview channels and my Now TV service on one box then it's party-time lol

Have a feeling Plex won't be sideloadable for obvious reasons - but who knows.

JDxtra

Also worth noting that is if you install the latest version of the Now TV app on your phone, it does a SIM card check (which will fail).

former total

JDxtra wrote: »

Also worth noting that is if you install the latest version of the Now TV app on your phone, it does a SIM card check (which will fail).

Bizarrely, it will prevent you watching on your phone but has no problem allowing you to use your phone to cast to a Chromecast.

gerrybbadd

former total wrote: »

Bizarrely, it will prevent you watching on your phone but has no problem allowing you to use your phone to cast to a Chromecast.

It does? That's great to hear, I can move my Chromecast upstairs to the bedroom so!

rogercross

What if you have no sim in the phone?

Kyleboy

You can definitely sideload plex on to the box, a friend of mine on a Facebook group has been part of a testing group with the box, he reckons it's a great piece of kit

Delboy5

http://www.whathifi.com/now-tv/smart-box/review

rogercross

Delboy5 wrote: »

http://www.whathifi.com/now-tv/smart-box/review

Sounds good, Ill likely end up with one of these boxes eventually, natural upgrade cycle or when i need another 6 month pass and an offer is on.

The pause and rewind live tv I would really like, the freeview not so much as I have that through the TVPlayer/Filmon app for most of those channels anyway.

Del007

Kyleboy wrote: »

You can definitely sideload plex on to the box, a friend of mine on a Facebook group has been part of a testing group with the box, he reckons it's a great piece of kit

Is it only one app again that you can sideload?

bk

Delboy5 wrote: »

http://www.whathifi.com/now-tv/smart-box/review

Sounds like a relatively poor Freeview box:

- No recording
- No series link
- No 7 day EPG
- No 7 day replay

If living in the UK, I'd think people would be better off with a Freeview Play or Freesat box and if they wanted NOW TV, then the separate, £10 box for that. Honestly I'm not sure what the point of this is, most people already have Freeview on their TV with the same level of functionality.

The box does have a USB port and SD card slot, so perhaps they could add some of this missing functionality in future.

rogercross

bk wrote: »

Sounds like a relatively poor Freeview box:

- No recording
- No series link
- No 7 day EPG
- No 7 day replay

If living in the UK, I'd think people would be better off with a Freeview Play or Freesat box and if they wanted NOW TV, then the separate, £10 box for that. Honestly I'm not sure what the point of this is, most people already have Freeview on their TV with the same level of functionality.

The box does have a USB port and SD card slot, so perhaps they could add some of this missing functionality in future.

The point is that they're offering something extra that wasn't on the previous boxes, they need some grab to get more people in and for some to potentially upgrade, i think you're expecting too much, its an extra feature vs being the boxes sole purpose.

bk

rogercross wrote: »

The point is that they're offering something extra that wasn't on the previous boxes, they need some grab to get more people in and for some to potentially upgrade, i think you're expecting too much, its an extra feature vs being the boxes sole purpose.

I fell like they are genuinely wasting their and everyones time. There is no point in doing something unless you do it well.

Most people in the UK already have this level of Freeview functionality already built right into their TV. I can't see many people going out and spending £40 on this box, when their TV already does it all. Instead they can spend just £10 to add Now TV basic box and use their TV for Freeview.

A Freeview play box makes sense as it adds a lot of functionality above and beyond what you get in your TV, this doesn't make sense.

The box has the necessary harder to support this functionality (USB external HDD support), so either the engineers were too lazy to add the support or management blocked them from adding it in some mistaken ideal that if they make it too good, it will eat into Sky HD and Sky Q subs.

This looks like a pretty hamstrung prod

This feels like a hamstrung product. It feels like Sky felt to had to add Freeview support in order to compete with BT and Freeview Play, but didn't want to make it too good.

rogercross

bk wrote: »

I fell like they are genuinely wasting their and everyones time. There is no point in doing something unless you do it well.

Most people in the UK already have this level of Freeview functionality already built right into their TV. I can't see many people going out and spending £40 on this box, when their TV already does it all. Instead they can spend just £10 to add Now TV basic box and use their TV for Freeview.

A Freeview play box makes sense as it adds a lot of functionality above and beyond what you get in your TV, this doesn't make sense.

The box has the necessary harder to support this functionality (USB external HDD support), so either the engineers were too lazy to add the support or management blocked them from adding it in some mistaken ideal that if they make it too good, it will eat into Sky HD and Sky Q subs.

This looks like a pretty hamstrung prod

This feels like a hamstrung product. It feels like Sky felt to had to add Freeview support in order to compete with BT and Freeview Play, but didn't want to make it too good.

Don't buy it then :-)

bk

rogercross wrote: »

Don't buy it then :-)

Isn't this a discussion forum, aren't we allowed to discuss things now!

Just been reading threads over on the digitalspy forums, it seems everyone in the UK feels the same way, a pretty poor showing and most people feel useless compared to what they already have built into their TV or Freeview Play, BT TV, Youview.

Another point that people have raised is that it doesn't come with a remote with number buttons on it, making it harder to navigate channels.

Another point that people are making, is that some of the newer, nice Roku devices, new Roku Streaming Stick, Roku 4, etc. still haven't been launched in the UK and Ireland, months after their launch in the US. People are speculating that now that Sky partly owns Roku, they are blocking these excellent devices from coming to europe!

rogercross

bk wrote: »

Isn't this a discussion forum, aren't we allowed to discuss things now!

Just been reading threads over on the digitalspy forums, it seems everyone in the UK feels the same way, a pretty poor showing and most people feel useless compared to what they already have built into their TV or Freeview Play, BT TV, Youview.

Another point that people have raised is that it doesn't come with a remote with number buttons on it, making it harder to navigate channels.

Another point that people are making, is that some of the newer, nice Roku devices, new Roku Streaming Stick, Roku 4, etc. still haven't been launched in the UK and Ireland, months after their launch in the US. People are speculating that now that Sky partly owns Roku, they are blocking these excellent devices from coming to europe!

Ease up on the coffee there.

bk

rogercross wrote: »

Ease up on the coffee there.

Haha drinking a double espresso as I read this!

rogercross

bk wrote: »

Haha drinking a double espresso as I read this!

former total

bk wrote: »

I fell like they are genuinely wasting their and everyones time. There is no point in doing something unless you do it well.

Most people in the UK already have this level of Freeview functionality already built right into their TV. I can't see many people going out and spending £40 on this box, when their TV already does it all. Instead they can spend just £10 to add Now TV basic box and use their TV for Freeview.

A Freeview play box makes sense as it adds a lot of functionality above and beyond what you get in your TV, this doesn't make sense.

The box has the necessary harder to support this functionality (USB external HDD support), so either the engineers were too lazy to add the support or management blocked them from adding it in some mistaken ideal that if they make it too good, it will eat into Sky HD and Sky Q subs.

This looks like a pretty hamstrung prod

This feels like a hamstrung product. It feels like Sky felt to had to add Freeview support in order to compete with BT and Freeview Play, but didn't want to make it too good.

These are all fair points, but you're forgetting that this is not meant to be a premium top of the line product.

Now TV is aimed squarely at people who get most of their TV via Freeview but still want to avail of Sky content to some extent. That hasn't changed with this new box.

If Sky bring out a new box with 4K, they are cutting the throat of Sky Q before it's even taken off. If they add the facility to record, series link etc. etc., then suddenly people are looking at their dish and box and wondering, why am I bothering? And if you increase the cost of the Now box (as you would have to) to account for all this, are you then putting off the very customer base you're trying to target?

bk

former total, you are absolutely correct and that is why they have created a poor solution.

However Sky aren't operating in a vacuum, their competitors are already offering far superior solutions for far less money.

BT and TalkTalk both offer Youview Freeview boxes that support 7 day EPG, series link recording and 7 day replay/catch up TV integrated into the EPG. And all for free or a very small cost on top of the cost of broadband.

Freeview Play and Freesat Freetime boxes also offer the same functionality for a one of up front cost.

I would say that anyone interested in both Freeview and Now TV would be better off getting one of the above boxes and pairing it with a £10 Now TV box. Best of both worlds for almost no extra cost.

I'm not saying Now TV is a bad service, but that this particular box misses the target and is quiet pointless. It really doesn't offer anything more then what people already have on their Freeview capable TV's.

Chris_Bradley

The point of this box is that the majority of people don't have freeview capable TVs and let's be honest without the main channels in the uk people just don't want to know.

It's a great idea imo, you can now have on one box, all the best of both worlds and just stop paying for premium channels on Now without a bloody half hour call to them.

If this box can side-load then we really have a cracker.

The ram spec on the Roku 4 is 200% more than that on the 3.

If we can get Saorview and plex on this box I'm most definitely in for what will be about 60 euro for a serious piece of kit.

flutered

bk wrote: »

Isn't this a discussion forum, aren't we allowed to discuss things now!

Just been reading threads over on the digitalspy forums, it seems everyone in the UK feels the same way, a pretty poor showing and most people feel useless compared to what they already have built into their TV or Freeview Play, BT TV, Youview.

Another point that people have raised is that it doesn't come with a remote with number buttons on it, making it harder to navigate channels.

Another point that people are making, is that some of the newer, nice Roku devices, new Roku Streaming Stick, Roku 4, etc. still haven't been launched in the UK and Ireland, months after their launch in the US. People are speculating that now that Sky partly owns Roku, they are blocking these excellent devices from coming to europe!

plus they now have added sling tv

Kristopherus

flutered wrote: »

plus they now have added sling tv

Does that work on this side of the world?

Chris_Bradley

flutered wrote: »

plus they now have added sling tv

Always wanted to see one of them bad-boys working .... what's the upload speeds needed for HD going out of the home?

bk

Chris_Bradley wrote: »

The point of this box is that the majority of people don't have freeview capable TVs and let's be honest without the main channels in the uk people just don't want to know.

What?!! Pretty much every TV sold in the UK for the past 10 years supports Freeview (which was launched 14 years ago!).

In fact legally all TV's sold in the UK since 2008 have to have Freeview. Though it was already common in the majority of TV's far before that.

There are very few TV's in the UK that don't have Freeview at this stage. There is probably a very small percentage of people with really old TV's that haven't upgraded, but they probably already have Freeview box that does at least as much as this box.

Chris_Bradley

bk wrote: »

What?!! Pretty much every TV sold in the UK for the past 10 years supports Freeview (which was launched 14 years ago!).

In fact legally all TV's sold in the UK since 2008 have to have Freeview. Though it was already common in the majority of TV's far before that.

There are very few TV's in the UK that don't have Freeview at this stage. There is probably a very small percentage of people with really old TV's that haven't upgraded, but they probably already have Freeview box that does at least as much as this box.

Not everyone has bought a tv with a freeview enabled tuner built in to the TV.

Not everyone has bought a tv full stop over that period.

I know loads of people that there tv hasn't a tuner. In fact it's about 90% of my friends/family that don't.

DubDJ

I see the black NowTV boxes are being sold on the Irish Currys/PC World site with bundled passes. Does this mean it's officially being supported in Ireland or have they always been there?