It's been reported that the usb now works on the new boxes for playing back video media. Can you confirm this and what app does it use to access the usb files?

Can you still side load Pldex on the new box?

Yes you can

Does anyone know if the 30 minute live pause feature work with the Sky Sports channels?

'My TV' is on the existing boxes as part of the user interface, and it's just a way of adding shortcuts to your favourite shows so easier to find later. Handy when some shows move about on the other areas (recommended/catch-up/box sets) so you don't have to remember which SKY channel it's originally broadcast on via the 'All channels' section.

Hopefully this new box will soon be on offer with the usual Ents/Movies/Sport passes they offer with the older boxes. I'll upgrade when they throw in 2 sport passes as I've already got ents and movie subs.

Shame they don't (afaik) allow freeview recording via adding an external drive to the USB port, so I could use this new box instead of needing a separate freeview recorder and get rid of one HDMI connection hogger.

Yes works with any of the NOW TV streamed content (movies, ents, sport) and for the Freeview channels.

No app on the box to use them, can still sideload the USB Video Player if you want to though.

Thanks. Seems some sites are putting out incorrect information again.

At least your app will still work!

Really need to get around to adding the USB media player within my app and adding a menu item when a stick is connected to make the most of the one sideloaded app restriction.

Yes please!

Yeah, what he said!

They now have them in stock at our TESCO store. Comes with a 5 month entertainment pass £69.

Can you get then in a supermarket WITHOUT a pass, or with a movies pass?

I can't add any more entertainment vouchers, so need either a movies one, sport one or kids one. I could order online but the shipping is a few days.

They only had entertainment ones on the shelves.

Argos (now owned by Sainsbury's) offers the movies one for £70. The movies are for four months. I assume both offers are available to all retail outlets so worth checking Sainsbury's, Tesco, PC World etc.
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5766985.htm

Boxes are only available solo via the NOW TV website, via shops you have to get them with the passes.

Right, I bought one from Argos this afternoon (with movies pass) and set it up. Unfortunately as I already have four active boxes, I can't use the new box with anything other than Freeview, iPlayer etc until August 1st - but I can live with that.

But, boy, am I not a fan of the box because of just that - the fan. When using Freeview, it seems to really go mad (and it's NOT that hot in the room it is in). It's in a bedroom and I'm seriously wondering if I could put up with the noise. More to the point, I'm sure the wife will soon be asking what the noise is.

Also, the remote is clearly a bit limited for managing the extra channels. It's not quick to get to the TV guide or to select channels (scrolling through one by one, unless there's another method I'm not aware of?). Of course, I should have known this, so I'm not blaming Sky, but it's important to mention anyway I think.

Finally, I didn't realise just how much bigger the thing was than a normal box. Again, not the fault of Sky, but rather the fact I acted on impulse because I thought combining Now TV and Freeview would make usage easier in the bedroom, than switching multiple inputs.

Now I'm not so sure.

@jonmorris never had a problem with the fan, although reading the Roku forums, people with the 4 have mixed reception suggesting some might spin more frequently than others.
As for the channels, the Rwd and FFwd buttons should help skip through them quicker.

Now in place in version 1.3.0
http://blog.artesea.co.uk/2016/01/tv...l#comment-4086

Thanks for that. I should probably read the manual!

The fan is noisy, and it gets faster/louder and slower - which means it changes pitch. I'd almost prefer it on at one level all the time just because you get used to it (like sleeping with a normal fan on).

I'll keep an eye (or ear) on it and see if I may have to seek a replacement. It is obviously early days, so we should hear more feedback and reviews from the general public in the coming weeks to build up a better picture.

It may well just need another software update to fix some things causing unnecessary CPU usage.

If you go on their live chat feature on the website you can ask an op to reset your device activation limit so you don't need to wait until August 1st.

Thanks for mentioning the fan, I didn't even realise it had one because every review of the box I've read so far failed to mention it.

Quite possible some didn't notice. At the press launch, I believe everyone was given one but as most journos would have also had Sky Q setup, they may not have even bothered to try it out to notice the fan!

I have had one of these for the past couple of months or more and the fan isn't an issue for me. My box is in use in the bedroom and to date I have never heard it make any noise at all.

I wouldn't recommend buying one though, the freeview side to it is very basic and not user friendly at all. I will be reverting back to my TV and v2 box once my trial ends.

Seems the only good features on the new box are the live pause and 50Hz.

Not sure that's worth forking out £40 for though, and the ones with vouchers are even less value.

I'm sure they'll be offered cheap in due course on various Amazon/supermarket promos.

Live pause is okay, but it would have been nicer to have had a better remote to manage Freeview in general - it's certainly very basic. It would have been nice to mix the free channels with the Sky/Now TV ones (at least having the option rather than separate tabs) too. Bear in mind, I said nice as I understand why Sky has done what it has.

It would also have been great to be able to add storage to record, but really would be a step too far in terms of stealing away subs from normal Sky.