Foxtel Now Box
YOUR PERSONAL BOX OFFICE.
THERE WERE RUMBLINGS of Foxtel launching its own physical media player to follow up its independent streaming venture Foxtel Now, but we were not prepared for the polished product it managed to sneak into 2017. On paper, the Foxtel Now Box’s 4K 60fps output, Digital video tuner and Android TV-based OS is an impressive combination for something that costs less than $100. While we’ve been disappointed with the integration of some Android TVs here, the Foxtel Now Box (which is powered by US media streaming box the Technicolor Skipper) shows that there’s been a significant amount of effort put into developing the new user interface. Slotting in neatly with Foxtel Now’s existing Home, Live TV, On Demand and Kids categories, the Foxtel Box’s UI does a good job of displaying all of the Foxtel Now content you subscribe to, but it’s not totally exclusive. While it’s not as comprehensive as the Telstra TV, the Foxtel Now Box actually has access to some of the more popular media playback apps, streaming services and local catch-up offerings with the likes of VLC, Plex, Stan, Youtube, ABC iview and TenPlay all available. This connectivity buffet is expanded considerably through Chromecast integration, allowing you to cast any Chromecast-compatible app to your TV and even have the device respond to Google Assistant commands. On top of this, there’s hidden perks like live Foxtel channels for relevant streaming channels, smartphone remote integration which makes typing significantly easier and voice searching for the Google Play app store.