Getting rid of Sky - Best to get a Roku + NowTV or a Now TV stick?

Hades

Hades

Hades

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I hardly use Sky now and want to get rid of all the boxes near my TV. I already use Amazon Prime and Netflix on a Fire TV stick. But I want to get something to play Now TV and maybe put Netflix on that as the stick will be more modern and faster.

Would I be better to get a Roku (which one?) and put Now TV on that, or a Now TV stick? I see that the Now TV stick is Roku powered so can you install other providers apps on a Now TV stick such as TV Player?

I get he feeling that a Roku may be more flexible long term?

Thanks.
 
It is actually a smart TV although a few years old. The problem I find with smart TV's is that as they get older they slow down and the manufacturer also stops updating the apps. I think a plain TV with a box or stick is more versatile long term.
 
You're right, @Hades. The manufacturers have proved themselves to be pretty crap at making a decent smart TV in the first place, and then bloody awful at supporting the hobbled limping things once released.

Aside from maybe iPlayer, Netflix and the other main channel catch up services, most of the rest of what masquerades as the TV manufacturer's smart offerings are junk. Let's not even get in to the abysmal menu navigation or the travesty they've made of Android TV.
 
Well I'm committed now as I just cancelled Sky. I've been with them since about 1997 and had everything except sports so they did try to retain me (and cut me off once). But I rarely watch normal TV now so couldn't see the point in negotiating. I think 'normal' TV is a bit old fashioned nowadays and people have moved on to streaming services. I think I've decided on a Roku Streaming Stick+ which will be able to run Now TV along with Netflix and Prime Video.
 
Why not just get a Nvidia Shield?
Yeah its pricey but its going to be supported for a long time.
Or get the Mi Box S which is just a less powerful version of the Shield without the nvidia game features.
 
The apps are largely the same whatever device you use them on, although I do find the Now TV app on my LG TV is actually better and faster than it was on my Now TV box, so it's not always the case that TV smart apps are crippled.
 
MatsyLR said:
Why not just get a Nvidia Shield?
Yeah its pricey but its going to be supported for a long time.
Or get the Mi Box S which is just a less powerful version of the Shield without the nvidia game features.
Click to expand...
A shield doesn't have the now tv app. I'm told you can side load it but performance/compatibility is spotty from what I have been reading. I'll be trying it on my own shield soon anyway, but there is definitely no now tv app available in the app store for it.
 
I sideloaded the Nowtv app to my shield, I could browse the menu's etc fine but it wouldn't let me watch anything, would put a warning on screen. I've got a Nowtv stick, works great for Nowtv and Netflix, no Prime Video though, would have to be a Roku stick to have all 3 apps.
 
BT TV is getting closer to an all round box. Not everyones cup of tea but the BT HD box has Netflix, Amazon Prime, Freeview and BT's TV packages, BT Player, Catchup Apps, Now TV is cinema only still waiting for it to become a full NowTV App hopefully its meant to be for Aug 2019 when Footy starts again.
 
Used to use Apple TV box before I won a free sky subscription


iTunes movies, now tv (new app in beta and it’s much better then the old), amazon prime, Netflix

Even worked for free view with some additional purchasing - HD Homerun and channels app
 
the Roku ss+ is remarkable given it's cigarette size, and nowtv picture seemed better than previous series roku 4205x I had,
I upgraded for the h265 decode capability although i don't have a 4k tv.
I wondered if up-scaling is better, although I have not experimented with forcing it to send native 720 nowtv resolution to the tv.
Only problems are - sometimes it forces a transcode with plex, and frequently forgets where you're at, on nowtv content.

Alpherah said:
new app in beta and it’s much better then the old
Click to expand...
they've updated the windows app supposedly due to drm issues, but, at least, the roku app is already excellent.
I saw some articles apple itunes 4k content has been compromised - apparently web rips - so apple may need some re-think.
 
I had a play with the Roku SS+ last night and it seems a fantastic piece of kit. Unfortunately I had to send it back as one of the buttons was faulty. But I will get another soon.
 
I set up the Roku last night so I thought some feedback would be useful.

I previously had Sky (everything except sport and HD), Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. I found I was only watching Sky for the BBC News in the mornings and a few random channels a few evenings a week. I was hardly using it apart from the mornings. But I was bingeing on Netflix and occasionally watching Prime Video. I've now installed the Roku, removed my Fire TV stick (the Roku does everything it could do) and use the following services on it:

Netflix - I still expect this to account for most of my viewing.
Prime Video - For the few free things and also to rent/buy films.
Now TV (entertainment package) - For a few live channels but mostly for all the box sets. I didn't bother with the film package as I wasn't watching much Sky Cinema.
BBC iPlayer
4More
ITV Hub
TV Player App (premium plus) - For quite a few free channels. This allows you to watch a lot of free to air programmes on a phone, table, Roku , etc. But I also subscribed to get a couple of channels that my daughter wanted to keep. The video quality is quite poor in comparison to Sky but it's adequate as I only have a 1080p TV anyway.

The price of Now TV entertainment and TV Player App premium plus is almost the same as if I'd kept just the Sky entertainment package (£18 vs £20). Sky has better video quality than TV Player App and it's a unified experience with just one box and one way of searching through programmes. But the setup I now have has three big counter advantages:

1) I get get rid of the Sky box under the TV making it less cluttered. Or I can wall mount the TV with nothing under it. The Roku just sits hidden behind the TV.
2) I can take the Roku with me if we go away anywhere.
3) I can watch everything on multiple devices; with Sky I could only watch it on my TV.

I'm so used to just flicking through Sky that it's taking a while to get used to it. But overall I'm happy so far. I still have a few weeks to withdraw my Sky cancellation if I don't get on with it. But it's looking OK so far.
 
Hades said:
3) I can watch everything on multiple devices; with Sky I could only watch it on my TV.
Click to expand...

Been having a read as I’m thinking the same, I’m only home half the year but pay so much for sky, if you download the skygo app you can watch it on the go, I watch my sky subscription offshore while I’m away and on my phone/iPad on the go if the little one wants to watch something in the car. Now tv is quite good as you can find cheap deals where people are selling vouchers I got 12 months movies for £9 which I won on eBay and I also find a £5-6 voucher for the sky sports weekend pass for the F1, but after an email from sky I’ve been suckered in to the F1 channel for an extra tenner a month.... also when you try and cancel nowtv they usually offer you it half price to stay or 3 month for the price of one which I sometimes cancel just to get.
 
Thanks for the tips. Yes good point about the Sky Go app. I'd forgotten that was an option and had used it a few times before.
 
MatsyLR said:
Why not just get a Nvidia Shield?
Yeah its pricey but its going to be supported for a long time.
Or get the Mi Box S which is just a less powerful version of the Shield without the nvidia game features.
Click to expand...

isn't the shield ancient now and a new model should be released soon? therefore this old one won't be supported properly for much longer
 
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