⚠️ RESOLVED - "Sorry NOW TV is currently unavailable" on your stick or Box?

[Anonymous User]

I think LameSecurity is right (or he/she certainly seems to be in my case). As I mentioned previously in this thread...if I unblock ‘file sharing websites’ from my Parental controls, then NOW TV works...if, however, I block the address mentioned by LameSecurity, NOW TV doesn’t work.

So I’m forced to turn off parental controls whilst I watch NOW TV, and remember to reinstate afterwards.

If you haven’t tried it I suggest you do as it was definitely the cause of my issue (aside from the NOW TV firmware update).

[Anonymous User]

Sure, 

So you have to make a complaint with NowTV, once your complaint has been open with NowTV for 8 weeks, they will automatically send a deadlock letter (although cheekily the email doesn't state its a deadlock letter, just if you want to complain further (here is the process)).

Then you file a complaint with the CISAS, who are the ombudsman for NowTV.

I think you need the deadlock letter, otherwise the ombudsman doesn't entertain.

Try and keep all transcripts of chats with support and emails you send them as evidence too.

[Mouseymousey]

It's insane that this problem is still unresolved but just to add to potential workarounds for this problem I found that for me, unblocking the URL pubads.g.doubleclick.net from my Pi Hole (network ad blocker) resolves the issue. Not ideal as then I get loads of ads on all other devices on the network so I unblock it, start Now TV, then re-block it.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone still having this problem. Make sure you remove any add blockers from your network. This fixed the issue for me 

[Thnurg]

You recent update appears to have broken the workaround.

The "Sorry, NOWTV in unavailable" screen now has a retry button that wasn't there before, but now pressing "back" does not bring up the list of apps.

Software update 9.3.3.4101

[Ljemann]

Mine is not showing a retry button? Just the unavailable message

[Anonymous User]

The new green button suddenly appeared at the end of last week, and on
all of my NOW TV sticks simultaneously.  I presume this was therefore
due either to another firmware update or perhaps due to a change to the
message at the server. I guess it depends where the error message that
the sticks use is stored (ie locally or centrally).

[Anonymous User]

So, I think I have found a solution to this problem !

Previous helpful replies to my post suggested turning off ad blocking
software or parental controls on my broadband. I actually have neither
of these active, BUT I remembered that, some time ago, I had changed the
primary and secondary domain name server (DNS) in my router settings to
point to Google, rather than my ISP, following a recommendation to do
this in a computer magazine. This was because the Google DNS servers
were said to be faster, so speeding up browsing. I made this change well
before the NOW TV error message suddenly appeared, but it got me
thinking that perhaps Google had blocked access to an internet resource
that the NOW TV sticks need.

So, I rang my ISP and asked whether their DNS servers blocked access to
anything centrally. They DO have a safeguard system that does this - but
it was not active on my account. Their normal DNS servers block nothing,
so I decided to

1. Change the primary and secondary DNS settings in my router to point
back to my ISP's servers, then

2. Rebooted my router, then

3. Restarted my NOW TV sticks by pressing the reset button momentarily
(note NOT a factory reset)

Previously, rebooting the router and factory resetting my sticks made no
difference. BUT, lo and behold, all of my three NOW TV sticks all came
back to life after restarting each of them - the error message has gone
and not only can I watch NOW TV without having to use a workaround (such
as using the back button) but all the other apps on the sticks, like the
BBC iPlayer and Netflix, are all working normally again.

HOWEVER, I only made this change on the router in my main residence. The
settings on my other router, in another flat were never changed. I
cannot access this router at the moment, due to lockdown here in the UK,
but I think the problem there might be some sort of "safeguard" system
(ie server level blocking) on that broadband account. In that flat, I
use a black NOW TV box rather than a stick and was seeing the same error
message, so it will be interesting to see what happens when I next try
to use it. My best guess is that the message will still be present, so I
might also take one of the now working NOW TV sticks and plug that in as
an experiment.

Thanks to everyone in the community for working together to find a
solution 🙂

Andy

[Anonymous User]

I have updated the software on my NOW TV stick, plus other fixes suggested on here. Still just getting "NOW TV is currently unavailable."

Is there anything to remedy this?

[Anonymous User]

My error message persisted after updating the firmware on my sticks, restarting them and even factory resetting them. Basically, everything that NOW TV Customer Services suggested failed.

What DID work for me, was changing the DNS settings in my router, to point to a DNS server that has no restrictions. I rang my ISP to ask them for the right IP addresses (primary and secondary). I then rebooted my router, restarted my sticks by briefly pressing the button on the side.of the sticks and then sat back to see what happened - and all three sticks came back on line immediately and are now working perfectly.

To further help you, other community users have found that switching off parental controls or advert blocking software on their networks were enough to solve the problem and get rid of the error message. I hope that one or other of these options helps you to resolve the issue.

This all suggests to me that the NOW TV sticks rely on being able to reach a server somewhere on the internet and that, if access to that resource is blocked for any reason, the error message appears.

Another user has stated that NOW TV hardware attempts to contact an advertising server, presumably to record what content has been chosen and streamed to our sticks. You could speculate that NOW TV is then monetising that information in some way. I have no idea whether or not this is true but, if it is true, it is very frustrating given that users PAY for their hardware and PAY for chosen content. Speaking personally, I do NOT want NOW TV using, let alone selling my personal information to third parties. What do other users think?

Andy