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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Why can’t I cast / stream on demand shows to my smart TV?!

 

So I bought NowTV to watch the new season of Dexter but for some reason I get an error whenever I try to cast it my smart TV. I can watch it on my phone and I can stream / cast shows that are on the TV guide / currently being shown on TV direct to my TV but whenever I try with an on demand show it kicks out an error telling me to try again later?

 

I’ve tried it with multiple on demand shows and live channels and the on demand never works… for some reason as well despite me selecting episode 1 it pops up for a second, then skips to episode 2 and then just kicks me off with an error.

 

I don’t want to sit around my phone with the Mrs squinting for 10 episodes of Dexter…

 

im on the latest iOS btw

9 REPLIES 9
redchiz1
Champion 2

I am not sure I understand? You need a device to cast to, TVs don't generally support that facility. If your Smart TV has the NOW app you can watch directly on that.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

It’s a smart TV so has chromecast built in to let you cast directly to the TV but there is no official NowTV app on android devices

gavs82008
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User 

What type of TV is it?

 

Sony Bravia Android TVs have the NOW app available. So to say Android TVs aren’t supported isn’t correct.

 

https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-devices-can-i-use-to-watch-now
Only Sony Smart TVs running Android OS 8.0 or later are supported.

 

FYI that I do not work for NOW, just a NOW customer trying to help
Anonymous User
Not applicable
Mines a Phillips I’ve check their website and the play store and the app isn’t supported on my TV
redchiz1
Champion 2

Have you tried removing and reinstalling the app on your mobile device?

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User 

 

What's the full error message and is there any error code number with the message on the television screen ?

 

I am assuming you have tried casting first before pressing play on your smartphone NOW App or vice versa ?

 

Are you using something like the inbuilt Chromecast feature on an Android smart TV ?

 

If so, a few people have reported recently issues with the new version of the NOW App on mobile devices when casting to the inbuilt Google Chromecast feature on an Android Smart TV's.

 

NOW don't officially support the above and only recognises a Google Chromecast Dongle plugged into the television.

 

The inbuilt Chromecast on my Philips Android Smart TV used to work fine when casting from my Android tablet, but i haven't used this method or checked if it still works with the new version of the NOW App for quite a while.

 

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

There is no error code it just pops up with a message telling me to try again later.

 

I have tried casting both before and after pressing play. 

I’m using a Phillips smart TV with inbuilt chromecast as well I just don’t understand why I can cast live tv but not on demand shows 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User 

 

I have just tried casting from both my Android Tablet and Android phone onto the inbuilt Google Chromecast feature on my Philips Android 9 Smart TV (model 58PUS8545/12) and like you have observed only NOW live channel streams and plays successfully onto the television when casting.

 

Where on Demand TV shows and movies on my NOW Memberships try to start to play and immediately stops.

 

I am using the latest NOW App on both my mobile devices software version 23.1.0.

 

My guess the latest NOW App is causing this, where the older App version was running on both live & on Demand NOW content (it did for me about a year ago when i bought the Philips TV and did some testing on it with the inbuilt Google Chromecast with the older version of the NOW App).

 

Unless a recent Philips firmware has caused this ?

 

Perhaps other forum members can test out on their inbuilt Google Chromecast feature on their television who have one with the NOW App on their phone / tablet ?

 

You could try NOW live chat, but you may get little help because officially NOW doesn't support the inbuilt Google Chromecast feature on Android Smart TV's and only officially recognise and test out the Google Chromecast Dongle you plug into the television over HDMI (which is on their official support device list).

 

Because i don't use my Tablet or phone for watching NOW or use the inbuilt Chromecast feature on the television, i don't think you can even download the NOW TV episode onto your phone and play back by casting to your television because the NOW software restricts downloads to your phone screen only.

 

If NOW can't help, then you might have to look at another alternative means of watching NOW on your Philips TV (unless somebody else knows a fix or workaround).

 

I don't use the inbuilt Google Chromecast myself and have a Roku box plugged into my Philips Smart TV.

 

I have asked NOW on a few occasions to see if they can offer the native NOW App on other Android Smart TV's (apart from Sony) without any success, where their reply is that they are always looking at ways to introduce more devices and ways to watch on their App platform.

 

It would be also great if NOW would add their native App to Hisense VIDDA Smart TV's and Panasonic Smart TV's which i also own, then i could get rid of my various Roku / Fire Sticks possibly (or keep them has a back up streamer when things go wrong).

 

 

redchiz1
Champion 2

I suppose the next questions are: what is the latest version of Chromecast on the TV and is there an upgrade path for this akin to standalone Chromecast devices?