The Now TV adapter is essentially a Roku, which normally retails for £40-£50. As Sky are a major investor in Roku this is not surprising. There are a few changes: the Now version is coloured white rather than blue (and arguably looks better), plus Sky have changed the software to emphasise their services and remove some of their competitors. So what exactly does it do? The box itself is miniscule; it plugs into the back of a TV via the HDMI port and connects wirelessly to your router/hub. The menu is simplicity itself and provides access to Sky News, BBC iPlayer, Demand 5, Spotify, Facebook and the Roku store, where you can add additional channels. But the main focus is on Now TV. There are two basic services: Sky Movies Monthly Pass and Sky Sports Day Pass. The former gives access to 600 movies; it is free for 30 days, £8.99 a month for the first 3 months, then the price increases. It is thus more expensive than similar offerings from Netflix and LoveFilm, although it does show new titles before both of them. Sky Sports Day Pass gives 24-hours access to the Sky's 6 sports channels for £9.99, thus making it of interest to someone who wants to watch a particular event but does not wish to have a monthly subscription to Sky Sports.
The Now TV box does have some omissions, the most noticeable of which is the absence of YouTube, arguably the most useful source of internet television. And, like the Roku which it really is, it does not like to connect to home networks for streaming videos and photos. But for a penny less than a tenner it seems churlish to complain.
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