Original author(s) Development status Active Website www.nowtv.com | Developer(s) Sky plc Available in English | |
Initial release 17 July 2012; 4 years ago (2012-07-17) | ||
Now TV (stylised as NOW TV) is an internet television service owned by Sky plc. It was first announced in February 2012, and launched in the United Kingdom on 17 July 2012 offering only films at first, adding sports in March 2013, and then entertainment channels in October 2013. Now TV is a stand alone service and is not viewable via Sky's digital satellite television service, or through the Sky Go Internet service. Now TV is designed for people who have no existing pay TV service.
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Access
Now TV is available on a number of different platforms providing access via both big-screen and small screen mobile devices:
Laptops/Computers
Please note: You’ll need a Microsoft compatible email address to access the Windows Store (@live, @outlook, @hotmail).
If you're a Mac user and you already have Microsoft Silverlight installed, you can use it to watch NOW TV.
If you don't already have Microsoft Silverlight installed, you can no longer download it for Mac, instead you can access Now TV with the NOW TV Player.
Tablets/Smartphones
Please note: You won't be able to watch on rooted Android devices or devices running CyanogenMod.
Please note: You can't watch NOW TV on a modified device, or one bought outside the UK.
Please note: You’ll need a Microsoft compatible email address to access the Windows Store (@live, @outlook, @hotmail).
Games consoles
Set-top boxes
Please note: You need a NOW TV account to set up the NOW TV Box, and a Wi-Fi connection. You won't be able to use your NOW TV Box outside the UK.
Smart TVs and devices
The service offers streams up to 720p resolution depending on the playback device and uses adaptive bitrate streaming to minimise disruption.
Now TV boxes
In July 2013 Sky launched a Now TV-branded Roku streaming box allowing users to stream Now TV content to their TV via an analogue base band connection or an HDMI, currently enabling it to display content from BBC iPlayer, All 4, My5, Spotify, ITV Hub and Sky News. It has limited access to the Roku Channel Store and only a pre-approved list of Channels can be downloaded. A number of third-party channels can be side-loaded to the device using its Developer Mode.
On 6 August 2015 Sky launched a NOW TV Box (based around a 2015 Roku 2) in black. It offers the same content as the original NOW TV (2013 white) box, but has a faster processor, an ethernet port (as well as wi-fi), a USB port and an SD card slot (not functional by default), and is capable of outputting at full HD (1080p) resolution. Unlike the original NOW TV Box, the NOW TV Box 2015 model does not have an analogue audio/video output socket.
There are currently two NOW TV Boxes officially available - The standard NOW TV Box and the NOW TV Smart Box. The NOW TV Box provides access the live channels and on-demand content, courtesy of the available Entertainment, Cinema, Sports and Kids Passes. The NOW TV Smart Box provides the same access, as well as the ability to access Freeview channels courtesy of an internal DTT tuner.
Available content
As of January 2017, NOW TV offers both live streaming and on-demand content from the following channels. Some programmes may not be available for live streaming due to rights restrictions.