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

[Hades]

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.

 

[Hades]

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.

 

[Hades]

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.

 

[Hades]

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.

 

[Hades]

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]

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.