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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Now TV app - no sound through Bluetooth speaker

OK, so I downloaded the new Now TV player app last week after being prompted about the withdrawal of Silverlight support, and once I got past the issue of having to register my Mac as a new device, I got the player working. However, the app won't consistently route the sound to other speakers. I've got a Mac Mini 2014 hooked up to an AOC monitor, and when I want to watch something on a streaming service, I normally turn on my Bose Sounlink Mini II Bluetooth speaker to get better sound. 

 

However, when I switch on the speaker while the Now TV Player app is running, it does not reroute the sound through the Bluetooth speaker and carries on playing through the internal speaker. If I start the app while the speaker is on, it does play through the speaker but only for a while, and then reverts back to output through the internal speaker. It doesn't matter what system setting I use, it won't consistently use any speaker other than the internal one. It won't even route the sound through the HDMI cable to the monitor's speakers, despite everything else in the system behaving in the manner I chose. 

 

Is this a known bug? What kind of API calls is the software making that are routing around the built-in audio system, and why? This isn't really acceptable behaviour, and I can't go back to Silverlight because, apart from it being deprecated, I'd lose out on the number of switches I'd get.

 

As an aside, I'm also annoyed that the app installs into the user applications folder and not the system one. My 10-year-old son also uses the computer but on his own account so that he doens't mess up my personal space, but the DRM scheme won't recognize it as the same system or even the same app. And I can't set my Mac up as two of my devices as I've already got three others named. 

 

I'm not impressed.

63 REPLIES 63
Anonymous User
Not applicable


@Anonymous User wrote:

OK, so I downloaded the new Now TV player app last week after being prompted about the withdrawal of Silverlight support, and once I got past the issue of having to register my Mac as a new device, I got the player working. However, the app won't consistently route the sound to other speakers. I've got a Mac Mini 2014 hooked up to an AOC monitor, and when I want to watch something on a streaming service, I normally turn on my Bose Sounlink Mini II Bluetooth speaker to get better sound. 

 

However, when I switch on the speaker while the Now TV Player app is running, it does not reroute the sound through the Bluetooth speaker and carries on playing through the internal speaker. If I start the app while the speaker is on, it does play through the speaker but only for a while, and then reverts back to output through the internal speaker. It doesn't matter what system setting I use, it won't consistently use any speaker other than the internal one. It won't even route the sound through the HDMI cable to the monitor's speakers, despite everything else in the system behaving in the manner I chose. 

 

Is this a known bug? What kind of API calls is the software making that are routing around the built-in audio system, and why? This isn't really acceptable behaviour, and I can't go back to Silverlight because, apart from it being deprecated, I'd lose out on the number of switches I'd get.

 

As an aside, I'm also annoyed that the app installs into the user applications folder and not the system one. My 10-year-old son also uses the computer but on his own account so that he doens't mess up my personal space, but the DRM scheme won't recognize it as the same system or even the same app. And I can't set my Mac up as two of my devices as I've already got three others named. 

 

I'm not impressed.


Hi @Anonymous User

 

This wouldn't be an issue that we are aware of, Could be a Mac issue as I know bluetooth speakers work through a windows PC

 

You could try contacting our livechat team for further technical support with this here

http://help.nowtv.com/contact-us/watching-now-tv-on-a-mac

 

Thanks

Aaron

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I'm sorry, but that's a really lame reply. It's obviously a mac problem, that's why I've put it in the mac part of the forum. Who cares whether something works on Windows? I thought that raising the issue here would get the problem passed on to whoever it is you've signed up to develop the mac app, not just get some offhand rebuttal.

 

Is it really beyond the wit or budget of Sky to get a mac app developed that wraps up a DRM video player and browser interface? You've got apps developed for other platforms that do the same thing, including iOS, which isn't that different architecturally from macOS. I mean, they're the same OS on an underlying basis and you use the same development tools. 

 

Like I said, I'm really not impressed. I know I don't pay a lot for Now TV but that's not really any excuse.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi @Anonymous User. To confirm, this is not a currently known issue but we will be investigating this. Audio rerouting as you've described is not something we currently support during playback, but the fact it doesn't consistently playout on the bluetooth speaker is something we should certainly try to address.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Nicholas

 

Thanks for your reply but I'm not asking for an audio rerouting function, I'm merely asking that the Now TV app respects the system settings like every other app on my computer. 

 

It turns out the inconsistent playback was due to a cutout in the Bluetooth signal, which happens sometimes. Every other audio app I use (browsers, iTunes, Spotify) will just route the sound back through the system default output, whatever it is, and it's only the Now TV app that doesn't. Why is it so hard for you to develop an app that respects system settings when everybody else does it?

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi @Anonymous User. Appreciate the response, and thanks for clarifying the connectivity issues.

 

I'm sure you're not the only one to switch audio devices during playback, so I will be investigating this further. Again, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Hopefully we can get this addressed for you soon!

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I cannot use my bluetooth speaker while in Now TV. I have never had a problem with any other programme. Please advise

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I have a solution for you all, its not perfect but it is a nice work around until this has been fixed properly. Apologies if i am late to the party and the full resolution has already been found.

 

Solution as follows - open a new internet browser and play something long from YouTube, within a minute or so, sound from now tv should start to come through. You will have to mute the youtube video within youtube and occasionally restart the youtube video if you are watching nowtv for an extended period.

 

Like i say, not ideal but does the job...for now

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Christmas 2021 and I have this problem. Is there no fix still?

SiJones
Advocate

Unsure if you'll see this.  I've (accidentally) figured out how you get around the problem so NowTV sound can be played through a bluetooth speaker or headphones.

 

I have both bluetooth headphones and a wireless speaker, both of which failed to play the sound from NowTV.  

 

Last night, I realised how you make it work (from a computer.)  

 

1) Don't open Now TV.  Instead, open something like Spotify or YouTube.  Connect to the speaker or headphones, playing a video or some music.

 

2) Then, while the music is playing, open NowTV and play your desired channel.  The sound from NowTV will then come out of your bluetooth speaker / headphones.

 

3) Stop playing Spotify / Youtube and the NowTV sound will continue to play through the bluetooth headphones / speakers.

 

This has drove me mental for two years!  But last night, I cracked it!  (Albeit by accident!)