Now TV Deals & Offers

NOW TV: Streaming Entertainment and Sports

NOW TV is an internet-based TV streaming service owned by Sky which allows users to buy passes for sports, films, drama and other channels. The idea behind it was to enable people who don’t have conventional digital TV subscriptions to access pay per view entertainment, expanding Sky’s audience in the process.

Watching TV Smart: NOW TV

NOW TV was created by Sky in 2012. As the streaming capabilities of computers, tablets and phones started to improve, the satellite TV giant realised that there was a growing market for viewers who didn’t want to take up annual subscriptions and preferred to watch their content as and when. That’s why they set up NOW TV, at first with film only content but quickly expanding to sports and drama.

Initially, NOW TV was solely designed to work via computers and tablets, but this changed in 2013 when their Roku-based TV box was introduced. This was then updated in 2015, adding HD functionality, and the NOW TV Smart box was added in 2016, providing access to Freeview channels.

As of 2017, NOW TV has been spun off from Sky as a standalone company. It still broadcasts via Wi-Fi internet, with apps to run on computers, smartphones and tablets as well as the Roku boxes outlined above. It’s one of the most popular ways to ration TV purchases, helping to avoid excessive payments for services viewers simply don’t need.

How Does NOW TV Work?

NOW TV operates a very simple system. For starters, there are no contracts involved at any stage. This is what sets it apart from parent company Sky and other digital broadcasters.

Users just need to log onto the NOW TV website at www.nowtv.com, choose a package that suits them and then start watching. If they would like to do so on a home TV, a Roku box of some form is required, and this can be sent through by NOW TV when users first sign up. However, smart TV users may be able to access the service directly.

Another thing that distinguishes NOW TV from the competition is the breadth of devices it covers. You can access the service on over 60 different devices ranging from PlayStation 4 consoles to Android or iOS phones, iPads and standard laptops as well as smart TVs from manufacturers like LG or Samsung.

The system is based around a choice of passes. These tickets are divided into various product categories and offer a month, week or even just a day of entertainment. Almost all passes come with free trial periods, so you can try before you commit to monthly renewals (although be aware that when the 14 day trial period runs out, you’ll have to pay for an additional month at least).

That’s basically it. NOW TV offers a simple way to watch TV that can be extremely cost effective. Let’s have a look at the type of programs you’ll be able to access when you purchase one of its passes.

Now TV Sky Original Collection

What Kinds of Passes are Available?

NOW TV offers a variety of different classes of pass. Here are the major options for customers to pick from:

• Entertainment – Entertainment passes bundle together Sky’s entertainment channels (like Sky One or Sky Drama) with movie channels like Sky Movies. These passes also include American channels like ABC Studios as well as channels like Sky Atlantic that feature popular HBO dramas. Comedy is covered via Comedy Central, music is covered by MTV and there are documentary channels too, such as National Geographic. Specific shows featured include everything from Futurama to Veep, and there’s bound to be something for everyone’s tastes.

• Sky Cinema – Cheaper than the Entertainment pass, Sky Cinema features an endless succession of major movie premieres as well as classic romance, drama and sci-fi selections.

• Sky Kids – Features thousands of episodes of favourite children’s programs with the added bonus of lacking any adverts to break up the flow. It includes channels like Nickelodeon, Sky Kids and the Cartoon Network as well as shows like Spongebob Squarepants, Morph and Scooby Doo.

• Sports – One of the most popular sections, NOW TV’s Sports passes let football fans watch individual Premier League or Champions League matches, and they also cover events like Golf’s Ryder Cup, Test Match Cricket and major boxing matches. As with all passes, you can buy the sport content you need in day, week or month-long chunks, avoiding the need to spend too much money.

• NOW TV Combo – NOW TV don’t just offer TV and sports. They are also an ISP, providing broadband internet connectivity with speeds of up to 17 mbps or fibre speeds of 38 mbps and even super-fibre speeds of 76 mbps. As you can bundle together entertainment, sports and broadband, these deals represent a great way for some households to save money by buying all of their internet and entertainment services in one go.

When buying NOW TV passes, be aware that the company is always offering new combo deals. For instance, when you buy daily Sports passes, there may be the option to include a heavily discounted monthly Entertainment pass at the same time. Keep your eyes out for special offers and you might get a lot more than you bargained for.

What Kind of Channels and Shows Can I Watch on NOW TV?

So far, we’ve mainly looked at the different passes on offer, but the heart of NOW TV’s products are the shows that it broadcasts. There’s no sense in buying a NOW TV pass if they don’t carry shows that you actually want to see, so here’s a quick rundown of the major shows on their various channels.

First off, the Entertainment channels:

• Sky One – Features new episodes of the Simpsons and Futurama, comedy shows like a League of their Own or Modern Family and popular dramas like Lucky Man, Arrow, the Flash, Supergirl, the Blacklist and Jamestown.

• Sky Atlantic – Buys in shows from across the Atlantic, including favourites like Twin Peaks, Tin Star, Game of Thrones, Veep, Guerrilla, Silicon Valley, Public Enemy and Last Week with John Oliver.

• ABC Studios – Features American content like American Housewife, Grey’s Anatomy, Conviction and Notorious.

• Sky Living – Features shows like Scandal, Britain’s Next Top Model, Mount Pleasant, Dating in the Dark and Nashville.

Now, what the movie pass has to offer:

• Sky Cinema – Includes at least one new premiere every day, with a library of more than 1,000 films to pick from. Movies are divided into easy to navigate sections including greats, Disney, action, comedy, family, thrillers, sci-fi and romance, and there are also special collections themed around actors like Tom Cruise or franchises like James Bond.

What about the channels offered by Kids passes?

• Nickelodeon – Includes major kids shows like Spongebob Squarepants, Bell and the Bulldogs, Avatar, School of Rock, Dance Academy, Big Time Rush, Hunter Street, Henry Danger and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

• Sky Kids – Features shows like Nella the Princess Knight, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Evermoor Chronicles, the Lion Guard and many other kids favourites.

• Cartoon Network – Features Adventure Time, Powerpuff Girls, Justice League Action, Awesome Autumn, Gumball, Teen Titans Go! and We Bare Bears.

• CBBC – Including major children’s shows like Dora the Explorer, Octanauts, Dennis the Menace, Junior Bake Off, Horrible Histories and Millie Inbetween.

And finally, sports:

• Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4 – Screens a massive variety of sports, including European and PGA Tour Golf, the British Open, Premier League football, England Test Matches, British Lions rugby, darts events, Grandslam tennis (excluding Wimbledon) and major cycling events too.

• Sky Sports F1 – Shows every F1 race throughout the season as well as qualifying and other motor sports classes and events.

• Sky Sports News HQ – Features Sky’s 24 hours a day rolling news updates on every sport under the sun.

• Temporary sports channels – Sky create temporary channels to coincide with specific events. For instance, you’ll be able to buy passes for Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel when the major international golf tournament arrives. So look out for deals for the events you love.

Is NOW TV Available for HD Channels?

One of the problems that people had with NOW TV in the past was that Sky were slow to provide HD compatibility. However, that’s all changed now, and you can purchase specific HD boxes to stream almost all of NOW TV’s sports, TV and movie content.

However, don’t expect full HD when you watch on Roku boxes. The latest NOW TV box does offer HD but only at 720pp, not the full 1080pp that you’d expect from high-end HD streaming.

This doesn’t mean you can’t watch 1080pp content on the box. The hardware supports HD. The problem is that Sky’s content will only stream at 720pp. However, you can stream content using the box from services like BBC or Netflix at higher resolutions if you’d prefer to watch an event or show in crystal clear clarity.

Frustratingly, NOW TV’s parent company Sky have released a box called Sky Q for their subscription services which delivers 4K video content. The problem is that this isn’t (yet) compatible with NOW TV passes although that might change in the future.

How Do You Set Up NOW TV?

If you are watching NOW TV on your computer, phone or tablet, don’t worry about this part. All you need is the app and your device and you’re all set to start streaming content.

• Download the NOW TV app for Android

• Download the NOW TV app for iOS

Things are a little different if you intend to watch NOW TV on your television (as most people do).

In that case, you’ll need to buy a NOW TV box. These come in three main varieties: Black, White and Smart box.

The Black and White NOW TV boxes are virtually identical. They offer access to all of NOW TV’s passes, free content like BBC’s iPlayer, the chance to download apps and wireless connectivity.

Most people will only need the basic box. However, the Smart Box has some added features that are worth considering. As well as all of the features of the basic boxes, the Smart Box allows you to pause and rewind content and to access 60 freeview channels. It’s slightly bigger, but more powerful, so may experience fewer streaming issues too (although expect it to cost twice as much as the standard boxes).

When you’ve picked the right box, you need to create a NOW TV account, then follow the instructions provided to configure your box. You’ll find out how to sign in here.

Pros and Cons of NOW TV?

If you love elite sports, want to watch the odd episode of Game of Thrones or catch a hot new movie release, NOW TV offers a cost effective way to do so, but it’s not the perfect product for everyone.

For example, sometimes users are caught out by the way that Sky remove content from the NOW TV app. They may have signed up to watch a specific show only to find that it’s been wiped before they could finish watching. There is a “leaving soon” indicator, but it’s still easy to be caught in the lurch.

NOW TV also isn’t great for HD viewing. If you’ve gained a taste for watching football or cricket in Ultra HD, you won’t be able to do so with a NOW TV pass. In that case, it might be necessary to opt for a full scale Sky subscription.

Then again, NOW TV has a slick interface, a great library of TV shows and movies, and access to some of the biggest sports events on the planet, which is why it attracts so many customers. So, while there are some minor negatives, it’s a high-quality service that entertainment fans should always consider.

Are There any Alternatives to NOW TV?

Naturally, there are competitors to NOW TV in the Video on Demand (VOD) market. If you are talking about movies or TV shows, Netflix is the first name that comes to mind, although Apple, Google and Amazon have all entered the fray. None of them offer the same level of content, but may be cheaper in some cases (particularly if you hunt on HotUKDeals for special offers).

Another comparison is between NOW TV and Sky. Not everyone will benefit from buying pass after pass for their favourite shows. NOW TV is best for people who don’t regularly watch Premier League matches or get addicted to major series. If you do find yourself repeatedly reaching for a pass, there’s no guarantee it will save you money. At some stage, a Sky subscription becomes more cost effective.

Then there’s Freeview. If you just want to watch BBC, ITV or Channel 4 content, along with news channels and some other digital providers, Freeview lets you do so and also provides services via their set top boxes. They work out much cheaper than NOW TV, and you can add a NOW TV pass on top when the occasion demands.

The Best NOW TV Deals

One of the great things about NOW TV is the cost. The whole point of the company is to capture the market of people who can’t afford Sky or don’t want to pay for a year’s subscription. This means that they are always competing on price, trying to attract a floating pool of customers. And for the HotUKDeals community it means one thing: plenty of huge discounts to pick from.

The best way to stay on top of NOW TV pass and box deals is to bookmark the NOW TV HotUKDeals listings. Not only will you find all of the latest NOW TV voucher deals, you can also make quick comparisons with Netflix deals or Sky subscriptions, allowing you to plan your payments strategically.

Always check the fine print when you buy, as free trials many well be included. Remember to tell NOW TV if you don’t want to move into monthly passes as they will automatically do so (which can catch some people out).

Also, be sure to check out NOW TV’s Black Friday deals. With Christmas looming, they often table cheaper passes. The same applies to the run up to events like the Ryder Cup or the start of the football season.

If you shop strategically, NOW TV is a brilliant way to save money on drama, movies, kids shows and sports, and HotUKDeals offer the best way to find the latest and cheapest NOW TV passes.

Get the Cheapest NOW TV Price at HotUKDeals

NOW TV allow customers to buy short-term passes covering Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, major children’s channels and all of Sky’s entertainment channels. If you adore Game of Thrones or need to catch a big football match, NOW TV can make it happen for a fraction of the price of a Sky subscription, and all of the freshest NOW TV discounts can be found at HotUKDeals.