The existing customer £6 entertainment deal

[jllewellyn]

Hi All, 

I too am interested in this £6 deal.

If I don't choose the HD Upgrade, does that mean nothing is HD at all?  I undestand that the netflix subscription is SD, but what else?  Is NOW TV SD to?  Or is it SD on the Set top Box but HD via the Now TV on the web or mobile app (assuming you get normal NOW TV access)

Also are any of the channels HD live via the STB in IP mode?

The box will be connected to broadband, not an aerial if that makes any difference.

Sorry for the in depth questions but it isnt very clear on the website and 24 months is a long contract, so want to make sure.

Thanks

James

[stereohaven]

My understanding so far is that the live channels in IP mode (i.e. the Freeview style ones), are a mix of HD and SD.

The HD/4K add-on enables the HD versions of the NOW TV channels included in the Entertainment pack, otherwise they are SD.

Netflix is in SD, although that is changing to 720p HD later in the year. To increase Netflix picture quality requires a separate subscription, the HD/4K add-on has no impact on it.

So, your £6 = 

• A mix of HD and SD Freeview channels
• AMC in SD
• NOW TV Entertainment live channels in SD (allegedly up to 720p in the app)
• Netflix Basic in SD

If you add the HD/4K add-on for an additional £6 you get:

• A mix of HD and SD Freeview channels
• AMC in SD and HD
• NOW TV Entertainment in SD and HD (HD on the live channels and in the app)
• Netflix Basic in SD

[jllewellyn]

Beautifully detailed answer, thanks so much. 

James

[Brucemeister5]

The Netflix SD that’s included in this deal will be changing to 720p from early next month I believe. We currently pay £4 extra to get Netflix Standard, but I’m seriously considering downgrading this as we don’t really use Netflix all that much. We can always change back if we feel that the extra £4 is really worth it.

[stereohaven]

To bring this full circle, I cancelled BT TV today within the 14 day cooling off period.

I think the new BT Pro box is much better than the old versions in terms of power and I found the (non HDR) picture on 433 very good.

Sadly the rest of the box is a UX nightmare still. Too many little foibles and button presses to do simple things, black screen when flicking through channels for no reason (so you have to go backwards and forwards to see the channel you want), and whilst the SD quality of IP delivered channels is indeed good, I didn’t find the HD versions were any better than what I already have.

Final nail in the coffin was while my youngest was testing it and asked me where Disney+ was on the box. I explained that she could access it via the smart TV and that it would be in better picture quality than through the old Sky mini box, to which she replied “I don’t care, its easier when it is all in one place”.

Enjoy it if it works for you, but it isn’t going to work in our house, so back it goes.

[wellfan]

Yep, 720p on my newly installed BT TV Pro today. Absolutely no difference on picture quality compared to the piggyback Netflix Standard that I was "borrowing" from my son. Went from 480 to 720 yesterday. Also my Hisense TV must be doing a great job at upscaling it. So no need for me to pay any more than the 6 quid.