FYI. [1]
Sky has today launched Now TV, its budget set top box that offers free catch up TV, as well as optional sport and movie add ons, for just £9.99. There is no subscription fee and the box can connect to any TV, as long as the user has a wireless Internet connection. Currently BBC iPlayer and Demand 5 are available through the service [...] The box also allows access to apps like Facebook and Spotify through a TV via the broadband connection.
Although, I admit that the channel selection is pretty weak. You just get the BBC channels (1, 2, 3, 4 etc. in HD) and Channel 5 (again in HD) and the catch-up capabilities are provided by the standard iPlayer and Demand 5 applications. Plus, neither 4oD or itvplayer are available (yet...?) and obviously Netflix or LoveFilm are out of the question. You can get Spotify though, and there's a Facebook application too, which is some sort of something or other, I suppose, maybe...?
Interestingly, Now TV seems to be a thing, or channel, in and of itself. For example, Roku boxes have access to a Now TV channel, as do various other Internet smart TV devices. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it may suggest they provide something more than just BBC and Channel 5 content, or it may just be a way for Roku users to access Sky Movies...?
Basically the only interesting thing about it is the GBP 9.99 (including P&P) price tag, which you have to admit is very low for what the box does. It's obviously predicated on the assumption you purchase their Sky Movies Pass subscription, giving them a monthly GBP 8.99 income. So, if the box really should retail at GBP 50.00 (like the Roku [2] does) it means it pays for itself in under six months...
It might be worthwhile buying one, though. There's obviously some kind of SoC [3] inside there, maybe running Linux or Android, with enough power to decode and stream HDTV feeds. Since it's so cheap, it would be interesting to try and hack it or just play around and see if it can be re-purposed?
Let me know what you think...
- http://www.itproportal.com/2013/07/26/sky-launches-now-tv-box-offering-internet-tv-for-under-10/#ixzz2aZbgpC4g
- http://www.roku.com/uk - "Roku LT"
- http://www.broadcom.com/products/BCM2835 - "High Definition 1080p Embedded Multimedia Applications Processor"
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