Now TV is poor quality even with fast internet

[sparks_190e]

Hi all, we have a Now TV account as well as:

Netflix
Prime
YouTube

All the above work flawlessly, never any slowdown or fuzziness, apart from Now TV. We play it via the Xbox One app and our internet speed is anywhere between 400mbps up to 1.2gbps, but Now TV is poor quality most of the time. Quite fuzzy and pixelated is the best way I can describe it.

Any ideas how to remedy it? With the other streaming services behaving just fine I can't imagine it's the internet connection at fault. We've reinstalled the app a couple of times.

[Zirconia]

Stuck on SD?

[Mike335i]

Ours is very low resolution for a brief spell, then goes up to 1080p and stays there. Pretty good most of the time, but the first 30seconds or so is always really bad. Have tried pausing it straight away, loading at different times of the day and all sorts, always the same though.

[randlemarcus]

On a Vodafone included subscription for NowTV, and it a bit erm, rubbish compared to Netflix, isn't it? No mobile downloads unless you are on WiFi. What's the blooming point of a decent data package then? That's without the sudden codec failures, and it's inability to cope with a train tunnel. 1 out of 5 stars from me.

[sparks_190e]

Zirconia said:

Stuck on SD?

I don't think it is and I can't find any settings in the app like there is for Netflix. We only have a 1080p full HD TV so don't have 4k subscription to anything, and like I said Netflix etc is excellent. It's most peculiar.

[sparks_190e]

randlemarcus said:

On a Vodafone included subscription for NowTV, and it a bit erm, rubbish compared to Netflix, isn't it? No mobile downloads unless you are on WiFi. What's the blooming point of a decent data package then? That's without the sudden codec failures, and it's inability to cope with a train tunnel. 1 out of 5 stars from me.

Quite agree Now TV is nowhere near as refined or user freindly compared to the likes of Netflix etc.

[anonymous-user]

Now TV isn't HD.

[sparks_190e]

Thesprucegoose said:

Now TV isn't HD.

Yes Now TV has always been 720p but during Game Of Thrones broadcast we had no issue with picture quality despite it quite clearly not being full HD. It's only since we've started using it again it's been like this.

[anonymous-user]

i bought a now tv box as i had a similar issue on xbox, works fine.

[CharlieH89]

I think it is NOW tv.
I watch on the app on my laptop and every so often it was go blurry then back to normal after 10-20 seconds.
Better films and tv shows than Netflix though.

[Zirconia]

sparks_190e said:

I don't think it is and I can't find any settings in the app like there is for Netflix. We only have a 1080p full HD TV so don't have 4k subscription to anything, and like I said Netflix etc is excellent. It's most peculiar.

Basically if you are getting good service on the others and fuzzy felt TV on the Now TV, first thought is you are getting SD or the app is at issue. Cannot see that they would stream 720 better than Netflix.

I don't have Now but Netflix I can hit the info button and it will give me the streaming data for the show I am watching. Speed and picture format. Anything like that in Now? (you have said but missed it?) The web site is worryingly low on technical help, amounts to turn off and on again.

Going to guess a app streaming issue from Now and it is pegged at SD? Wonder if I need tin foil.

[Carl_Manchester]

If you watch NowTV quite a bit it’s worth having a look at buying a NowTv box for 1080p.

[Initforthemoney]

I would almost put it down to their servers if it’s hit and miss.

[Lynchie999]

its a SKY product ... SkyGo is awful too... always bad picture compared to Netflix etc... they don't put much effort into their streaming services...

[MRichards99]

Mike335i said:

Ours is very low resolution for a brief spell, then goes up to 1080p and stays there. Pretty good most of the time, but the first 30seconds or so is always really bad. Have tried pausing it straight away, loading at different times of the day and all sorts, always the same though.

This should help explain what you're experiencing - I see it too, perfectly normal. https://www.quora.com/Why-does-Netflix-start-each-...

[tinytim123]

NowTV on the xbox (and most apps) is 720p. Frankly embarassing versus the competition.

The quality is broadly OK but always goes pixelated shortly after resuming playback when it's been paused. Really frustrating, on a fast connection too.

No issue with other services. Don't want to buy another box just to get 1080p. Once my subscription expires I'll cancel again.

[Chozza]

sparks_190e said:

Yes Now TV has always been 720p but during Game Of Thrones broadcast we had no issue with picture quality despite it quite clearly not being full HD. It's only since we've started using it again it's been like this.

This would suggest it's Now tv CDN (content distribution network) that is the issue.
If GOT was ok, then your Internet link is ok.. The core servers are sorta ok, but it's the CDN that rebroadcast content to you ( I'm simplifying a bit here). For GOT everyone wants to watch it..So it's cached on the cdn...
Depending on isp and user distribution they might have a dedicated appliance pushing content in the isp core or you might be going back to nowtv/sky data centers. If you are watching a broad range of content..then limitations in the cdn will slow your stream

[clonmult]

So it isn't just us then; we've got a 100meg virgin cable setup at home (which has its own issues with the router, which is a load of crap), and NowTV semi regularly decides to drop to sub VHS picture quality. Occasionally happens with Netflix, but nowhere near as often.

Although Netflix is typically via the Virgin TV box, NowTV is via the Chromecast.

[sparks_190e]

Watching it earlier, connection was 750 mbps. Looked like garbage. Loathed to pay for this kind of service.