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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV 11:46 - May 5 with 1697 viewsRyorry

A complete pain. Apparently I now need some kind of stick or set-top box to watch? Can't have the latter tho as TV is hanging on kitchen wall with nowhere underneath to place one. Two USB slots available for some small stick to connect to tho, it could rest on the soundbar just underneath (already have an ext HDD there for recordings).

Something which would also enable me to watch ITV hub would be a bonus (it's never been available on Sony TVs & the number of apps I can now get on it is down to 24, which is poor imho & puts me off buying another Sony TV in future).

Any recommendations please? Tia if you can help.

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 11:50 - May 5 with 1678 viewsJakeITFC

Amazon Fire Stick will do all of that very cheaply (plugs into HDMI slot).
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 12:06 - May 5 with 1631 viewsRozz

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 11:50 - May 5 by JakeITFC

Amazon Fire Stick will do all of that very cheaply (plugs into HDMI slot).


This. Just bought the slightly more expensive one as there were moans in the reviews about the loading time of the other. Plugs into HDMI and has a small cable + transformer plug for power. Remote is tiny, and has button activated voice control, which I surprisingly quite enjoy. Take a lot of the faff out of searching letter by letter for specific things.
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 12:19 - May 5 with 1611 viewsJ2BLUE

Amazon Fire Stick

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=amazon+fire+stick&ref=nb_sb_noss

Ignore the 4k one. The difference between the standard one and the 'lite' one as far as I can tell is that the light remote doesn't have volume buttons and the lite one doesn't have quite as good sound.

£40 probably the best choice although appreciate it's an irritating unforeseen expense.
[Post edited 5 May 2021 12:19]

Truly impaired.
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:31 - May 5 with 1518 viewsRyorry

Thanks all 👍

Thing is tho - I'm trying to swerve A & adhere to the boycott as much as poss - are there any alternatives you can recommend instead please?

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:48 - May 5 with 1503 viewsnedpears

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:31 - May 5 by Ryorry

Thanks all 👍

Thing is tho - I'm trying to swerve A & adhere to the boycott as much as poss - are there any alternatives you can recommend instead please?


Take a look at the Roku Express - I bought this as I wanted to avoid the firestick and it is a great little piece of kit...

https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/players

£25 at the moment too!
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:58 - May 5 with 1490 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:48 - May 5 by nedpears

Take a look at the Roku Express - I bought this as I wanted to avoid the firestick and it is a great little piece of kit...

https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/players

£25 at the moment too!


Cheers, certainly will! Think it's on the iPlayer 'approved' list too, but will check. 👍

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:06 - May 5 with 1472 viewsvilanovablue

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:58 - May 5 by Ryorry

Cheers, certainly will! Think it's on the iPlayer 'approved' list too, but will check. 👍


It'll definitely work and is a great alternative as not tied to anyone so you can use pretty much anything. I think there may be some YouTube issues right now.
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:08 - May 5 with 1467 viewsArnoldMoorhen

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:58 - May 5 by Ryorry

Cheers, certainly will! Think it's on the iPlayer 'approved' list too, but will check. 👍


Roku is pretty much the standard for Freeview sticks. Of course, the day will come a few years hence when the BBC decides that it doesn't want to support the model you buy, but, for now, it's the safe choice.
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:13 - May 5 with 1459 viewsmuhrensleftfoot

What about a Now TV stick? You can get all the usual iPlayer, ITV Hub, My5, All4 etc, plus the option of pay as you go for Sky TV, Cinema and Sports. Could watch ITFC on Sky Sports pay for view when we are in the Championship next year, or even the Premier in 3 yrs time!
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:16 - May 5 with 1450 viewsArnoldMoorhen

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:13 - May 5 by muhrensleftfoot

What about a Now TV stick? You can get all the usual iPlayer, ITV Hub, My5, All4 etc, plus the option of pay as you go for Sky TV, Cinema and Sports. Could watch ITFC on Sky Sports pay for view when we are in the Championship next year, or even the Premier in 3 yrs time!


And the Now TV stick is a Roku stick (talked about above) rebranded with the NowTV logo and a different front end user interface.
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:19 - May 5 with 1440 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:06 - May 5 by vilanovablue

It'll definitely work and is a great alternative as not tied to anyone so you can use pretty much anything. I think there may be some YouTube issues right now.


I'm not the only one to describe YouTube as a most You-ser unfriendly app when wanting to watch any uploaded lengthy show on TV.

Tried to get final ep of 'The Syndicate' (which I'd forgotten was on so hadn't recorded - hence finding out about Beeb's axing of iPlayer service on 10th March). But all Youtubers asked me to click on "details box" in order to watch, which took me hours to find, & then nothing happened when I did find & clicked on it!

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:23 - May 5 with 1432 viewsmuhrensleftfoot

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:16 - May 5 by ArnoldMoorhen

And the Now TV stick is a Roku stick (talked about above) rebranded with the NowTV logo and a different front end user interface.


But does the Roku stick have the option to pay to watch Sky Sports, Cinema and Entertainment on a pay as you go basis?
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:27 - May 5 with 1425 viewsnedpears

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:23 - May 5 by muhrensleftfoot

But does the Roku stick have the option to pay to watch Sky Sports, Cinema and Entertainment on a pay as you go basis?


Yes, it has the Now TV platform pre loaded so you just sign in and away you go...
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:35 - May 5 with 1406 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:23 - May 5 by muhrensleftfoot

But does the Roku stick have the option to pay to watch Sky Sports, Cinema and Entertainment on a pay as you go basis?


I'm very unlikely to want to do that anyway tbh.

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:54 - May 5 with 1397 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 14:48 - May 5 by nedpears

Take a look at the Roku Express - I bought this as I wanted to avoid the firestick and it is a great little piece of kit...

https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/players

£25 at the moment too!


Just looked at those - is there any in particular you'd recommend for relatively slow broadband connection? (average 20 Mbps down, 5.5 up).

Also tempted by the Streaming Stick, with "4 x the wireless range".
[Post edited 5 May 2021 15:59]

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 16:31 - May 5 with 1364 viewsnedpears

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 15:54 - May 5 by Ryorry

Just looked at those - is there any in particular you'd recommend for relatively slow broadband connection? (average 20 Mbps down, 5.5 up).

Also tempted by the Streaming Stick, with "4 x the wireless range".
[Post edited 5 May 2021 15:59]


I just have the bog standard one and have not had any issues with picking up the wifi signal, so range does not seem to be an issue.

Regarding your speed as far as I can tell there is no minimum requirement to connect the Roku device however each platform / channel (iPlayer, Netflix etc.) will have its own minimum requirements, but 20Mbps should be more than enough.

Google says: "A good broadband speed for streaming is at least 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps) for TV services such as BBC iPlayer for standard streaming, or 2.8Mbps for HD quality. For Netflix, the minimum speed required is about 3Mbps for standard streaming and 5Mbps for HD"
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 16:43 - May 5 with 1351 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 16:31 - May 5 by nedpears

I just have the bog standard one and have not had any issues with picking up the wifi signal, so range does not seem to be an issue.

Regarding your speed as far as I can tell there is no minimum requirement to connect the Roku device however each platform / channel (iPlayer, Netflix etc.) will have its own minimum requirements, but 20Mbps should be more than enough.

Google says: "A good broadband speed for streaming is at least 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps) for TV services such as BBC iPlayer for standard streaming, or 2.8Mbps for HD quality. For Netflix, the minimum speed required is about 3Mbps for standard streaming and 5Mbps for HD"


Brilliant, really appreciate your looking into it & the info, thanks 👍

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 17:22 - May 5 with 1322 viewsDinDjarin

Get a dedicated android box so you can hard wire into the router and connect via hdmi to the tv.

Find its a lot more stable connection as I had drop outs using a firestick which uses wifi.

Then throw Kodi 19 on and a few decent addons and bobs your uncle.
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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 17:52 - May 5 with 1293 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 17:22 - May 5 by DinDjarin

Get a dedicated android box so you can hard wire into the router and connect via hdmi to the tv.

Find its a lot more stable connection as I had drop outs using a firestick which uses wifi.

Then throw Kodi 19 on and a few decent addons and bobs your uncle.


Not keen on potential for limb-breaking by trailing wire through 2 rooms, 2 doors & hallway tbh 😂 nor is there anywhere to put a box, but ta anyway.

No idea what Kodi19 is I'm afraid, nor of "decent add-ons" even if I were inclined to make life more digitally hair-tearing - #NotATechie.

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 16:16 - May 7 with 1109 viewsRyorry

Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 12:19 - May 5 by J2BLUE

Amazon Fire Stick

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=amazon+fire+stick&ref=nb_sb_noss

Ignore the 4k one. The difference between the standard one and the 'lite' one as far as I can tell is that the light remote doesn't have volume buttons and the lite one doesn't have quite as good sound.

£40 probably the best choice although appreciate it's an irritating unforeseen expense.
[Post edited 5 May 2021 12:19]


Thanks - Jake, RGH93, Nedspears & others too.

Have ended up buying this, as extensive research into the Roku revealed that unfortunately, many people are understandably unhappy that it requires you to register with Roku & give them your credit card details + a whole load of other data about yourself before it will activate the device. One reviewer on the Currys site even described it as spyware. I suppose he could have been an Amazon plant! but many others were saying similar.

Many also reported poor functioning, poor support & difficulty of returns as apparently it's USA manufactured & geared up for there, not UK.

Poll: Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔

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Techies - BBC iPlayer no longer available on my (2014) Sony smart TV on 16:18 - May 7 with 1100 viewsStokieBlue

Sorry, late to the thread but the latest Chromecast with Google TV built-in is very good.

Also good for casting town matches from Chrome to the TV.

SB

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