Now Ultra boost

[lufc87]

I know this has been asked many times before but there doesn’t seem to have been anything new posted in a few months. Is there any news on the Ultra boost being available?

I’ve noticed the option actually now shows if I login to Now but obviously it doesn’t let me purchase.

[Weerab2024]

@lufc87 and @hooba having Now launch a new app so EE would have to get back to the drawing board potentially wouldn't have helped either, so it's not all at EEs door. 

[Midnight_Voice]

@Weerab2024 

EETV don’t have to modify the app, just to accommodate it.

But I think the EPG must be a sticking point; the current implementation has each Now channel as SD, and then again as HD. And if they keep this design approach, they now need to proliferate a further copy of every Now channel as UHD.

This is something that doesn’t scale well 😢

So we might hope that at least part of the delay is dropping to one EPG slot per Now channel, which then shows you the highest resolution you are signed up for, exactly the approach the Now app takes.

[hooba]

@Midnight_Voice But there are only 4 Now channels that are UHD. So they just need to add just 4 channels to the EPG ...

@Weerab2024 You are clearly more generous than I am towards EE ! And fair enough. But I'm having a tough time accepting a new NowTV app is anything to do with the 'delay'.  

[Midnight_Voice]

@hooba 

Which four are those?

[Profile closed]

I thought the last update suggested it was more a billing systems issue than related to delivering live channels via the TV Guide?

That said, I’m sure the news the NOW app is being replatformed will not have helped because it is likely the only way any UHD NOW Cinema or Entertainment content will be delivered, as there are no live UHD channels.

My guess is they are waiting until billing is sorted and EE TV boxes can deliver the full experience you are paying for.

[hooba]

There are 4 live UHD channels:

- Sky Sports Main event UHD

- F1 UHD

- Sky Sports UHD1

- Sky Sports UHD2

All other UHD content (and there's quite a lot of movies / box sets) is on demand. And yeah, re-platforming won't have helped matters re the App. But we're 7 months in now, and all the other NowTV apps that can do Now UHD on other devices were updated 7 months ago. But not the EE app. So I take any idea of pointing to an updated app as having any significant impact with a large dose of salt. It's not the app.

Edit - yes, agree. It's the billing that's the issue. EE Tv systems and processes aren't (yet) fit for purpose. I've lost confidence in EE Tv. The way they're running things just isn't good enough and hasn't been since the start. I've cut ties, now go direct to NowTV. It's just got too difficult - I daren't even try to flex my (old) package. Every move I made came with a new 24 month broadband and Tv contract. And yes, I know, that's not what is supposed to happen. And I can phone up and sort out. But life is too short to knowingly engage with that sort of shambles. Broadband is good though. And I do like Champions League.

[Profile closed]

I know there are 4 UHD sports channels, I kind of assumed we all knew that, I said there are no live entertainment or cinema channels, hence the need for the app to be ready otherwise you only get half your moneys worth.

[Midnight_Voice]

@hooba 

Wow. so bigging up the live channels in the EPG and their convenience, but if you want The White Lotus in UHD, you won’t be able to watch it that way?

[lufc87]

I think the app update is a red herring. That will have been known about for months and the development onus is on Now (aka Sky) to make the app work regardless of platform, not EE (aka Youview).

Adding 4 channels to the EPG should one of the most basic changes the can make.

I only want it for sport, not fussed about series or movies. 

[zulu17]

From what is currently offered by NOW there would seem to be three potential elements to Ultra boost here

1)  the ability for all NOW customers to add Ultra boost to their subscription to take advantage of the extra concurrent user  benefits and the Ultra Boost  on devices and apps that offer it. In my view Now and EETV should have enabled existing subscriptions to upgrade to Ultra Boost from day 1 of its launch. It is reasonable that devices that are loaned/provided by EE may not have all Uitra Boost services at day 1 but the customer really ought to have the option to pay the supplement  and use on other devices they have do that do currently support Ulta Boost.

2) the enhancement  of the Now apps on EE TV boxes to support Ultra Boost  if this the intention -  a list of supported devices is provided by NOW at

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-are-boost-and-ultra-boost

 (look to expand the plus a supported device  in that article to see the devices that offer it).

3) the inclusion of the additional  4 NOW channels in the EETV EPG for viewing/recording if that is the intention on EETV (Sagemcom) boxes. The four channels in that now article being With Ultra Boost, you can also enjoy 4 live UHD sports channels (Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports F1, plus 2 ad-hoc channels, Sky Sports UHD 1 & 2) and selected shows and movies in UHD HDR (on supported devices).

It is reassuring to read on forum posts that it is coming soon but really part 1 should have been provided/available to all NOW customers at Day 1.