NowTV via BT TV
I’ve posted this in the NowTV Community, but as I am not a BT TV subscriber (though I am a NowTV subscriber, and BT is my ISP), I may not have all the details correct, nor the description complete.
Anybody like to comment on, correct, or add anything to, what I say below?
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https://help.nowtv.com/article/how-to-apply-or-enter-voucher-code
Are you a BT customer?
Sorry – at the moment you won't be able to apply a voucher to your account if you pay for your Passes through BT.
BT have done the same ‘reverse cuckoo’ thing with NowTV that they did with YouView, taking the egg into their nest, and then pretending that it is their own.
Have you see the latest BT ads, talking about their amazing flexibility? Which of course only applies to NowTV, and not any other of their services, and is only the flexibility that we are all used to, which NowTV offer as standard.
But I think there are some gotchas with NowTV paid for through BT that haven't so far been enumerated:-
the above, where you can’t use vouchers, presumably including NowTV special offers, and cheaper vouchers from Curry’s;
we don’t know what happens if you try to cancel - do you get retention offers still, or what?;
we don’t know what happens if you buy a stick with bundled passes - can you have them, or not?;
The upside, I think, is that you get the Sky channels that your Pass(es) bring as part of the BT internet channels lineup; the full seven days backward and seven days forward, not just Now & Next, and you can record them. And you can’t get these, even if you are a BT TV customer and a NowTV customer, unless you subscribe to NowTV via BT.
Though I did think Subscribers via BT TV could watch NowTV on any suitable device, not just the YouView box.
But it is all a bit vague, and I am not entirely sure of the details.
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Comments
- If you have an existing NowTV account on that address, it gets linked to your BT account, and any existing passes get transfered over.
- If you do not have an existing NowTV account, one gets created and linked to yiur BT account.
The NowTV account you receive acts like a normal account, and can be used to watch on multiple devices at once. The only difference is that billing is handled by BT - and the NowTV account pages will redirect you to BT in order to view statements and change billing details.This is probably one of the big reasons it took so long to launch - they've linked the two systems together quite well. But this is also why vouchers don't work (at the moment).
You sign up for a 24 month contract with BT, and can't cancel this outright, but you can upgrade and downgrade passes periodically. For example, I originally signed up for the 'Big Sport' pass back in February. I since downgraded this to the 'Entertainment' pass while current events have prevented a lot of sport from happening. You can upgrade your base BT TV pass at anytime, but can only downgrade them after a minimum of one month.
You can still buy additional 'bolt-on' passes (e.g. a Sports Day Pass), both via BT and NowTV's interfaces, but you can't apply vouchers, nor can you use passes included in bundles.
Of course, the big bonus with NowTV from BT is the Youview multicast channels, which can be recorded. No other NowTV product offers this flexibility, so is arguably worth the premium of not being able to get discounts.
Plus, Sky Sports red button is coming to BT very soon. It won't be available on NowTV boxes initially.
FAQ from the NowTV voucher page:
Besides what eladske's post states, the main difference between getting Now TV standalone and Now TV via BT TV is on BT they are in the EPG and recordable. But recordings WILL have an expiry date, which is basically when the content/series you have recorded on NOW TV are removed. Then ones recordings become locked and inaccessible. Though it should be noted they are the same T&Cs that apply for all platforms in the UK.
Neatly summarising both the undesirability and the futility of this feedback option.
I have the Now TV Big Entertainment pack via BT plus the HD add on.
I will say HD looks very good on the Now TV app and via the EPG on the Youview box.
if I had went though Now TV direct I would have saved £2 a month for the HD add on but then I would not have been able to record the Now TV channels.
Think the disagree option should be removed.
If you dont agree then raise your head above the parapet and say why.
Mind you not completely neutral on this as I seem to collect the buggers.
If this is indeed the case for you, then you've likely encountered a very weird bug that you should probably keep quiet about. Quoting from their website, the HD pack lets you "watch any HD channel that is a part of your overall package in stunning picture quality." I seriously doubt that BT Sport HD is meant to be available to those who do not subscibe to BT Sport.
What will replace it has yet to be decided, but I hope its with a funny.
Fix what?
Im particularly interested in @Visionman’s comments about NowTV recordings expiring; if so, being able to record them is not a USP, except insofar as it is perhaps a more convenient way than the downloading that non-BT NowTV customers can do.
Unless you can (a) record NowTV Sport and/or (b) record Entertainment and Cinema programming that is set not to be downloadable?
If the channel is withdrawn or you cease your subscription the recording will not be playable but will still occupy space on your drive.
(There may be a grace period to play recordings for some channels if they are withdrawn to play recordings but that typically applies to the legacy subscription channels whereas for the Now Tv channels so far there has been no grace period - ie the example of the Nat Geo Wild replacement by Nat Geo in the Now Entertainment bundle.)
I am not aware of individual recordings expiring and suspect that someone is getting confused with downloads from player apps. The only exception I can think of would be a recording of a Box Office event.
I was taking my cue from @Visionman who said above ‘But recordings WILL have an expiry date, which is basically when the content/series you have recorded on NOW TV are removed’.
I'll be honest, I've only ever recorded Sport, so I was not aware of there being expiry dates on some content (other than maybe if you downgrade your pass). Certainly, I haven't seen any on my Sport recordings.
I am rather curious what would happen if I recorded something with a day pass and tried to watch it later in the week. I imagine it wouldn't work, which would be a mild inconvenience if you can't watch on the day of recording.
DAY PASS - After the event (day) Its programmed with a record once and watch once option. Try it and see. Though if it won't let me know.
Thats true of all platforms Roy, not just Now TV. Its also the reason why I prefer physical as opposed to streaming. There are no digital rights issues with a disc, as when you buy it its yours to keep and watch whenever you want.