After months of speculation, Sky revealed its latest Now TV set-top-box, the Now TV Smart Box during a launch event in London at the end of June. Pocket-lint was there to have a play and considering it is now available to order, here are our initial thoughts.
The headline feature is that it has a digital tuner, as well as offer the same streaming services as the current puck-shaped device, but sadly, there’s no sign of the 4K output many were expecting.
Although it is shaped like the Roku 4, which does offer Ultra HD content in the States, the new Now TV box is more a minor upgrade to the existing model. Although its additions make it more attractive to a range of consumers.
The TV tuner presents all of the UK’s digital channel line-up – which currently stands at more than 60 different stations, including HD variants. Live TV is thus presented as one of the tiles on the main home page, alongside catch up and on demand content, mainly through the different Now TV monthly passes.
If you click on the Live TV tile, it expands to fill the screen and a full electronic programme guide is available. When minimised, it gives you a constant preview of what is currently on, based on the the last channel you visited.
There’s only one tuner, so while you can pause and rewind TV broadcasts, you cannot record them. But then, considering the box has a vast amount of catch-up content too, from the major broadcasters and Sky’s own channels if you have the respective monthly pass, you probably don’t need to record anything anyway.
Like the standard version, the box has access to non-Sky apps, including YouTube and Spotify, plus Sky’s own storefront, to rent and purchase digital movies and box sets. These too are represented on the home page and easily accessible.
The box can connect to the net through Ethernet or Wi-Fi, with a dual-band receiver pretty much ensuring that it doesn’t matter which you choose. It can also play your own video, audio and image files through a USB port on the side. Most of the modern file formats are supported, including MP4 and MKV.
We didn’t get to see that in action at the launch, but will give you an idea of how that works when we publish our full review very soon.
We also didn’t get to hear the audio output, which is capable of up to 7.1 surround sound through the HDMI port. It outputs video at 1080p, which suggests that the HDMI port is not 4K capable now or in the future. We suspect it is HDMI 1.4 after being told it was unlikely to be HDMI 2.0 or HDCP 2.2 compliant. We’ll know for sure when we get our hands on the final consumer box.
First Impressions
So no 4K Ultra HD but still an interesting proposition. We do wonder who will need the digital TV tuner considering most TVs out there have Freeview tuners in them already, but it does complete the package.
It could even be a fuss-free alternative to general paid TV – Sky included.
It’s available without a contract for £40 when bought on its own, you just need to pay rolling monthly fees for any of the Entertainment, Sky Movies, Kids or Sky Sports Passes Now TV carries. You can cancel them at any time though.
Considering it was launched alongside Now TV Combo, which provides a pass, broadband connection and landline phone from £9.99 a month (and a £17.99 line rental fee) with no contract, that could make it extra worthwhile for many, especially as the box is included in the price.
There will be plenty that won’t see it as a valid upgrade to their existing Now TV box or other device that already accesses Now TV (such as a PS4 or Xbox One), but new customers could be snagged.
Source: pocket-lint.com