Help! Can’t watch Live TV on ITV Hub or BBC Iplayer

[Chloejadem]

Hi there, 

I am looking for some help - I have purchased  the Sony Bravia KDL40WE663 40” Smart TV, which has ITV hub and BBC Player, however there is no option to watch ‘Live TV’ on any of these apps? It will only allow me to watch catch up programmes. We don’t have Ariel or cable so want to watch Live TV through these apps only.

The TV says the apps are up to date but I want to know if it is possible? A friend has a Samsung TV and is able to watch Live TV via the app. 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks!

[mtulleysolidcstoreorg]

I also have the Sony Bravia KDL 40 WE663 - that has ITVHub with no Live TV option.

[Jay117]

Has Sony solved this issue? Just bought a Bravia A80J, and the ITV Hub and Channel 4 apps don't have a "Live TV" option! This is very bizarre! BBC iPlayer however does have the Live TV option.

I don't see why they would disable this in the ITV Hub and Channel 4 apps, specifically on Sony TVs.....?

[HannahEd01]

Hey Jay117, the issue was resolved by an update: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-oled-tvs-android-/xr-65a80j/downlo... 

[dakooga]

Hi HannahEd01

Thanks fort the quick reply.

Do you know if Sony plans to roll this update out to 2020/21 android models?  I have the Bravia KD-65A85 and love it, except it too does not have ITV Live and I don't use an aerial...

Despite my avatar I'm actually in the UK.

~Steph

[HannahEd01]

@dakooga, your TV already have the catch up services, but some of them will not work without an aerial. If you can get your hands on one to tune just once they will work and you won't need it again. 

[Deezell]

• It may be to do with licensing,  to prevent viewers from outside the terrestrial broadcast area having access to live UK TV. You must first 'prove' to the set that you are in the UK. Elsewhere on this forum are owners angry at the fact that the compulsory use of the Youview/Live TV Catchup app to get itv player and ch4 player is killing their access to UK channels from the Astra satellite, or is possibly interfering with the recently introduced Freesat EPG from this source. Having access to ITV and Ch4 from astra /freesat does not satisfy the sets conditions to implement ITV  or all4 player, which luckily works on a variety of external boxes and gadgets. Licensing conundrums are not limited to Sony. I bought mine after the despair of trying to switch between terrestrial and satellite on a Samsung Qled, which took Eleven button presses, and totally prevented the viewing of the EPGs of one source while watching from the other.  At least with Sony I can create a mixed EPG of my terrestrial and satellite channels. Now if only they would fix the updating of the Freesat EPG....

[dakooga]

@HannahEd01 @Deezell 

Thanks for the both you feedback. Interestingly both the ITV and CH4 apps work just fine but the problem I have is that the ITV app does not let me stream live tv like it does on normal andorid and ios devices.

@Deezell If I buy an aerial with a long lead and finally tune my tv do you think the app will show me a live stream button now that it knows it's in the UK? Once I do this I assume the app is 'flagged for UK' and then I can get rid of the cable and aerial. I'm sorry to double check I dont really want to get all cabled and aerialed up in case it make no difference... I'm situated in a listed building in a conservation zone (with no pre-existing aerial)  but miraculously they did allow 1Gb internet hence my desire to stream everything vs go through the hassle of permissions and installation of a large wire structure on the chimney...

~Dakooga

[Deezell]

• Unless you're living underground, in an urban area the terrestrial signal should be  strong enough to tune in the channels using a rabbits ears aerial (remember them?). Even if the signal is fringe, its digital and will be enough to resolve an image and satisfy the app.

[HannahEd01]

@dakooga, you can tune the TV once and get rid of the aerial, and the apps will work normally as they should unless you do a factory reset, then you'll have to tune again 

[marben100]

After much frustration, I've found a relatively simple solution to this problem, so I can now watch all channels without an antenna.

If you connect to, e.g. ITV Hub using a laptop with the Chrome browser, then select the 3 vertical dots at the top right of the browser, you will find a "Cast..." option on the menu, from that option you should find your TV device  and can the select it. Make sure your TV is at its home screen first. Bingo! The video displayed on your laptop shows on your TV.

This worked perfectly, showing UHD video, for me.

NB Whilst ITV Hub (channel 4 etc) on my Sony TVs won't play live TV, BBC iPlayer does play live TV fine.

This can also be done using a phone or tablet as the device to cast from. Instructions here: https://joyofandroid.com/cast-screen-from-android-to-tv/ (I haven't tried those instructions myself).