Ifollow for 2019/20

It's not that simple. Every TV uses a different smarttv platform so it requires multiple apps. Often even TV's running what is supposedly the same platform each year have significant differences under the hood that mean the same app can't work between each yearly generation of TV. And they are closed platforms, you have to put every app through the verification process to be added, that usually comes with a cost and the waiting list on the current generation of TV's is often long enough let alone previous years where they basically have no-one doing the verifications. Also it can come down to hardware as well, costs to stream video are high so there is a push to find better more efficient codecs that shrink the file size without noticeable change in fidelity but either they need a decider chip with the instructions to decode that codec OR it has to be done in software and often the older gen tv's don't have the power to do that on more complex codecs.

It's why SmartTV's shouldn't be a thing. they should just sell dumb screens with the money saved by not including everything needed to make a smart TV either seeing the price fall or be put into making the panels themselves better and instead have everyone buy streaming boxes for smart tv. These are usually more powerful than anything in the smarttv's so have a longer lifespan and are much cheaper to upgrade than the whole TV. And its easier on developers to then develop apps.

Mind you in this case it may also be a licence requirement. The licence may just cover mobile and computer viewing rights and not TV rights. Developing an app can push that into a grey area

 

So did my nan ... maybe your my dad

 

I wouldn't think so but I know a couple that do

 

The problem with the NowTV boxes is they are already a generation or older when they go on sale. Sky invested during two different funding rounds in Roku to a point where they own about 30% of the company and through that they get the old hardware that Roku wants rid of for knockdown prices.

With the AppleTV it's a difficult one. I own most of the different Streaming boxes and the AppleTV 4K is my prefered choice, I will only use the others when the app or content isn't usable on the AppleTV. It has by far the nicest interface and has the best performance but its massively over speced which is a big reason why its priced so high (Certainly no-one needs the 64GB version. I have a number of games, all the UK streaming apps, most the US ones and various from the likes of Canada, Australia etc and I haven't even used half the 32GB's).

The plus point of it being overspeced though is its not going to be underpowered anytime soon and with Apple generally supporting and updating their hardware much longer than any other of the hardware manufacturers it should last a while before it needs an upgrade.

The NowTV app on the AppleTV isn't the most user-friendly, NowTV have been promising an upgrade for a while so hopefully it comes soon. And if you have ever bought any video via itunes they do free 4K upgrades of your purchases which is good and don't charge more for 4k over HD. The other platforms make you buy it again and charge more for 4k

 

Public showings are against the t&c's so while there will be pubs (the same ones that buy the hacked boxes to show 3pm premier league games) that will show them it's certainly not legal.

 

If you do I would advise going for the 4K one even if you don't have a 4K TV as it futureproofs you.

Also perhaps look at a refurbished one direct from Apple. https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished/appletv

While buying a private refurb unit is always risky when it comes to manufacturer refurbs as they don't want to keep getting the same unit back time and time again with the same fault the quality control on them is higher than coming off the normal production line and the amount you end up saving buys you a good few movies to play on the device