Confused about TV apps on apple 4k box

[Lara04]

Recently moved from Sky to EE TV with apple 4K box . We have "the full works " package at the moment. Not sure if I should be accessing iPlayer through EETv app, Apple TV app or on the guide?. Also sports channels only appear in the guide and in poor video quality. The now TV app doesn't work so only access now TV through Apple TV app but there are no sports channels even though I believe these are available on the full works package and show up on my phone now TV app. The interface is all very confusing especially after using sky for many years

[Minkey1]

Hi Lara

Can’t speak to Sports or why your Now TV isn’t working right. I have the basic EETV (NF HD, Now Entertainment 720p, Pro and Mini boxes) although I also have my own Apple TV puck. I  access apps and services via whichever route is convenient - TV, EE boxes, or Apple TV. It usually depends on what I was on last. If your TV was already smart I expect you could have done the same in your Sky days.

Hope someone chimes in with a steer on the Sports side.

[Midnight_Voice · Accepted solution]

@Lara04 

There are no hard and fast rules. The EETV app on the EETV Apple TV box seeks to replicate, more or less, the Box Mini Home Screen. This means that it covers a number of apps that can also be found as apps in their own right in the wider Apple TV UI (User Interface).

But if you are in the EETV app, it’s obviously more convenient to use the BBC iPlayer app within the EETV app than to go hunting for it in the wider Apple TV UI.

Something I don’t know, though, is whether there is a separate BBC iPlayer app within the EETV app, or if it just calls the one in the wider Apple TV interface. I would guess there’s a separate one, which could perhaps be checked by looking at the version numbers of the two; if they are different, definitely separate.

As to which might be better, you would have to try both. For myself, with a non-EETV Apple TV, I generally use the apps on this box in preference to other sources; but for the BBC iPlayer I make an exception and use the one on my TV, as I don’t like the rather different UI on the Apple TV. (Come to that, I don’t like the UI on the TV version either, but the UI on the Apple TV is worse).

As regards the Sports Channels, they each appear twice in the guide, SD and HD, and you need to make sure that you have the HD add-on, and only use the HD version of each in the EPG. Though you should also be able to get them in the Now and Discovery+ apps, once you get the Now app working.

I don’t know why your Now app isn’t working, though I think you are saying the version in EETV doesn’t work, but the one in the wider Apple TV UI does? “Isn’t working” comes in many flavours (what exactly goes wrong?), but you should call EETV and query this, as it should be working. The usual reason for error is that EETV have set you up with the wrong email address, perhaps by only one character; but it could be something else.

And yes, the interface can be confusing; there are about three ways of doing any given thing, where Sky has only one. But the EETV interface, once you understand it, is much more versatile; and you can go off and watch Sky Sports via Now on any device with the Now app on it; Sky simply does not offer that flexibility either, wanting to keep you strictly within the Sky ecosystem.

[Lara04]

Thank you for your helpful reply much appreciated and reassuring. Since
posting I've played around, the now TV app is now working and I'm finding
my way around the different ways of accessing things so feeling more
positive and understanding of where things are. It's just change after all !

[Leanne_T]

Hi there @Lara04 

Glad you got the help you needed from the community and have more understanding of the TV apps. 

If you need any further help, please come back to the community anytime 🙂

Merry Christmas. 

Leanne.