Now TV Smart Box 4K review – this is the BEST way to watch telly in Britain today
If you're looking for an off-contract version of Sky, Now TV is probably the answer...
FINALLY, Now TV customers can watch 4K Netflix thanks to the new Now TV Smart Box.
We've spent a few weeks with the box, and reckon it's the best way to watch telly today – here's why.
The box, officially named Now TV Smart Box With 4K & Voice Search, is the most powerful Now TV gadget you can buy today.
As the name suggests, the box is capable of playing back 4K content.
The old smart box was capped out at 720p and 1080p content – or HD and Full HD, to you and I.
4K, or Ultra HD, is high resolution video that typically contains much more detail than regular footage.
You'll need a 4K TV to enjoy the benefits of this boosted telly processing power, but that's no longer a big ask. 4K TVs can now be bought very cheaply, often for the same price as a standard Full HD screen.
Setting up the box was easy – it even automatically detects that your TV is 4K, and adjusts the settings in kind.
What is 4K, Ultra HD and UHD?
Here's an easy guide to what 4K means...
- 4K, Ultra HD and UHD are all different names for the same type of TV screen. 4K refers to the number of pixels on your TV screen – or the "image resolution"
- The pixels are the tiny dots of colour that make up the image you see on your telly. A pixellated image is one where the pixels are really obvious, because there aren't many. But images with lots of pixels – like a 4K movie – generally look sharper and clearer
- A true 4K screen has 4096 x 2160 pixels. That means on your TV screen there are 3840 pixels across, and 2160 pixels vertically. That's roughly 8.3 million pixels on the display in total
- 4K gets it's name because it's got four times the number of pixels as a standard Full HD TV
- Full HD (or 1080p) screens have 1920 pixels across, and 1080 pixels going upwards – for around two million pixels in total. So 4K just means your TV has many more pixels on the screen compared to a more common Full HD display
- Ultra HD, or UHD, is basically the same as 4K. If you buy a UHD telly in a shop, you'll be able to watch 4K content on it with no bother
- But there is a small difference. Almost every TV you ever buy has an aspect ratio of 16:9. That means for every 16 pixels horizontally, there are 9 vertically
- True 4K footage doesn't quite fit in with that ratio, so you won't often find TVs with 4096 x 2160 pixels. Instead, to fit with the 16:9 ratio, most 4K TVs will have 3840 x 2160 pixels instead
- If it doesn't make sense, grab a calculator and divide 2160 by 9. Then multiply it by 16, and you'll get 3840. That's the aspect ratio working its magic. So when you see an Ultra HD TV, it just means it's a 4K image with slightly fewer vertical pixels
- If you try watching a 4K video on a non-4K TV, the video will still play – but it won't be in 4K quality. To watch a 4K video in 4K quality, you'll need to fork out for a 4K TV. Similarly, if you're watching standard or HD footage on a 4K TV, it won't magically become 4K quality
- Some TVs promise "4K upscaling", which converts your standard or HD footage to near-4K quality. This works by using software to guess what colours would fill the extra empty pixels missing in HD footage, and then filling them in. This creates a 4K-like effect, but it's not true 4K
That means you'll get automatic 4K playback on apps where that content is available – like YouTube or Netflix.
The latter is important, because the Smart Box was launched alongside Netflix on Now TV for the first time ever.
Netflix is installed as standard (though you'll need a subscription), and sits alongside other popular apps like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5, Red Bull TV and YouTube.
The only notable omission is the Amazon Video app, which isn't exactly surprising – Amazon flogs its own rival Fire TV sticks.
Using the box is simple, too.
If you've ever used a Roku, the basic architecture of the app (and the box itself) is identical.
Now TV has simply created its own core interface where you can quickly access Sky's in-app content – and navigate to third-party apps easily, too.
It's slick, works very fast, and is really easy to navigate.
What is Now TV?
Here's what you need to know...
- Now TV is a telly service owned by Sky
- It's designed for Brits who don't want to be tied down to a contract
- Sky customers are locked into lengthy contracts
- But with Now TV, you can get access to largely similar content on a rolling monthly basis
- Each month you'll fork out for various Now TV Passes
- These give you access to specific genres of content
- For instance, the Entertainment Pass gets you channels like Sky Atlantic and Comedy Central
- There are also Sky Cinema, Sky Kids, and Sky Sports Passes available to buy
- Prices vary depending on the Pass, but there's almost always a good deal to be had on Pass bundles
There's also a Voice Search feature that, well, lets you search with your voice.
It uses the bundled Smart Remote, allowing you to quickly hunt for specific TV shows, movies, apps, and even actors or directors.
Sky has also – first the first time – added Live Pause functionality, so you can stop live TV channels while you nip to the loo.
This includes premium services like Sky Sports, Fox, Comedy Central and Sky Atlantic.
Now TV Smart Box review verdict
At £45.99, the Now TV Smart Box isn't the absolute cheapest streaming device you can buy.
But in our opinion, it's the best – for now, anyway.
Amazon's rival 4K box costs £69.99, so Now TV has significantly undercut the competition here.
You get such a wide range of content and services on the box, and the system is easy to navigate.
Now TV itself is a hugely popular service, so we have no complaints there.
The 4K streaming is excellent and easy to set up – even for complete technophobes.
If you can look past the missing Amazon Video app (available to Roku users, strangely), you'll get endless enjoyment from the Smart Box.
- Now TV Smart Box With 4K & Voice Search for £45.99 –
What do you think of the new Now TV Smart Box? Let us know in the comments!
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