Mass Media & Technology

NOW TV

Now just er...NOW. (October 2014)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
NG
noggin Founding member
I know the channels on both packages have different EPG numbers. However, the underlying encoding and multicast stream may still be the same, given that there is a lot of duplication - especially in the Entertainment and Cinema channels.

Hard to tell without being able to take bitrate measurments on both packages.


I guess I'd be breaking out Wireshark if I were a BT TV subscriber...
AN
anthonyconstantinou
Thanks for sharing info
EL
eladkse
I know the channels on both packages have different EPG numbers. However, the underlying encoding and multicast stream may still be the same, given that there is a lot of duplication - especially in the Entertainment and Cinema channels.

Hard to tell without being able to take bitrate measurments on both packages.


I guess I'd be breaking out Wireshark if I were a BT TV subscriber...


Well, I've just signed back up to BT's Big Sport package, so I've now had the chance to make some measurements.

These weren't done with Wireshark (my network isn't set up for it), but repeated online speedtests while watching different channels. They were pretty consistent.

BT Sport HD (all channels) - 8-9Mbps
Sky Sports HD (all channels) - 12-13Mbps
BT Sport Ultimate 4K - 27-28Mbps

So it looks like the bitrate boost for Sky Sports Main Event has been retained... and is also present on the 'new' Sky Sports channels too.

Sky Sports on regular NowTV is known to be about 8-9Mbps, so it's definitely better via BT Youview if that's how you choose to subscribe.
JA
Jarv
I do wish the BT Sport HD channels would increase bitrate, they are so poor on BTTV, I'm only subscribed to get the Ultimate channel
EL
eladkse
Jarv posted:
I do wish the BT Sport HD channels would increase bitrate, they are so poor on BTTV, I'm only subscribed to get the Ultimate channel


I understand why it is - so they can ultimately sell BT Sport via Youview to households with lower broadband speeds.

But they could really do with providing a higher bitrate stream for those of us on faster fibre packages.

That said, for comparison purposes, averages on Virgin Media:
BT Sport HD and Sky Sports HD - 8-9Mbps (VBR, with peaks of 12Mbps)
BT Sport Ultimate 4K - 27-28Mbps (CBR)
Last edited by eladkse on 27 June 2020 8:28pm
MR
mrwish
I don't know if you can still do it, but back when we had BT TV in 2015 I found out the multicast addresses for the IP streams. You could then load them into VLC where you can see the bitrate, and the nature of the encryption used meant (or maybe still means) that although the picture is garbled, you could see metadata including the resolution.

In 2015 the multicast addresses of the streams were between .1 and .100 in rtp://234.81.130.XX:5802

Most BT IP HD channels used a ~7.5Mbps MPEG4 1440x1080i profile, with SD being ~2.5Mbps MPEG4 544x576i (except BT Sports which was 720x576i).

My measurements of BT Sport 1 HD back then were that it was ~9Mbps, the same as as others here have noticed recently, but the resolution was still 1440x1080i.

I vaguely recall Sky Sports 1 HD (the only Sky Sports one on there back then I think) as being ~12Mbps 1920x1080i.
London Lite, UKnews and thegeek gave kudos
EL
eladkse
Red Button content is now live for the first F1 practice session. There’s supposed to be three or four streams available for Race Control, but only one stream seems to be available at the moment (live timing).

EDIT: Timing now removed.
Last edited by eladkse on 3 July 2020 11:13am
DV
DVB Cornwall
From BT's Community .... Red Button coverage detail

Sky Sport bonus stream via NOW TV
Hi Everyone,

I wanted to let you know about a new feature that will be available, at times, through the NOW TV app. This new feature will allow you to access the bonus, live sport, streams which let you toggle between screens, instead of watching them screen-in-screen. This feature will only be available via the NOW TV app and will not be available via your EPG (Electronic program guide).



What are NOW TV extra streams?

In partnership with NOW TV, customers who take a Sky Sports Monthly Pass now have access to additional live sports streams. These will show when there's more than one sporting event scheduled for the NOW TV Sky Sports channel.



Who can access the bonus streams?

If you are a monthly Sky Sports pass customer watching on NOW TV via BT TV, you will be able to watch extra streams when two matches are on at the same time.

When there’s an extra game on, you’ll be able to find the bonus streams on NOW TV app homepage. You won’t see it as an option if there are no extra streams on or if you are not eligible. This service is currently available to Monthly Sky Sports pass customers watching on the NOW TV app through YouView, Samsung, LG, Xbox One or PS4 device.

This service is not available to Day, Week or Mobile Sky Sports pass customers.



How do I access the extra streams?

The streams will be available within the NOW TV app via BT TV. They'll only show when there's live content available and will be hidden after. The streams aren't available to watch via mobile yet – although this will be coming shortly.
DV
DVB Cornwall
Seemed to be no extra streams available on BT YV for F1 Qualifying today. did anyone see any?
EL
eladkse
No, there haven’t been any since the failed attempt during FP1 yesterday.

I suspect it’s been scrapped for this weekend, and they’ll try again next week.
DV
DVB Cornwall
All eight bonus streams are now available on the BTTV YV App.
EL
eladkse
All eight bonus streams are now available on the BTTV YV App.


Good to know.

What was the switching between feeds like? Are you able to switch back to the (in-app) F1 channel from the bonus feeds, or do you have to go via the homepage?

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