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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Voice search itv and bbc apps

Just migrated to a stick from a box for voice control and when I ask the stick to search, say endeavour, it only finds the Nowtv shows. I don’t have a pass and have the stick for the iPlayer and hub and want to voice search these apps. Is this possible?

5 REPLIES 5
Anonymous User
Not applicable

 I also have this question.

 

It’s a little bit disappointing to say the least when the stick is advertised as having voice search. I should’ve known that they wouldn’t implement it across all the different apps. Mind you I’m sure it is actually possible. 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User  @Anonymous User 

 

As you have found out the voice smart remote only works in finding NowTV based content or the basic launch of Third Party Apps such has YouTube etc.

 

More info here.

 

https://help.nowtv.com/article/how-to-use-voice-search

 

I am no software engineer, but i would have thought that Third Party Apps such has BBC iPlayer etc, there would need to be close cross party support between NowTV / Roku and the Third Party Apps software developer for the smart voice to function on other Apps.

 

Maybe NowTV / Roku are working in the background to integrate the voice search with other Apps sometime in the future ?

 

 

RoyB
Legend

@schnapps wrote:

 

I am no software engineer, but i would have thought that Third Party Apps such has BBC iPlayer etc, there would need to be close cross party support between NowTV / Roku and the Third Party Apps software developer for the smart voice to function on other Apps.


I am one, and you are correct.

 

If an app has voice search, you could go into that app, but would only get results from that app.

 

If it doesn’t have voice search (or even if it does, but you want results from across several apps) the NowTV software would need to formulate a search query and have it executed for each individual player you were searching across, and then integrate all the results.

 

Then you have to decide if you want to make the individual queries each time (easier but slow) or build a consolidated database (faster but you have to consider how to keep it up to date).

 

It can be done, because YouView do it, with integrated search across all apps, albeit not with Voice at present, but Alexa will be bringing that.

 

Though it is noteworthy that the latest Player, from CBS, isn’t integrated into the Search. Because it is one thing to add a Player, and quite another to incorporate its programme data into an integrated Search.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Great reply

 

so, on the box it should say “limited voice search”

 

not as catchy I guess. 

 

 

RoyB
Legend

It could say ‘NowTV Voice Search’, which would be positive, and true, and nobody would think twice about that being said on NowTV packaging.

 

And when they found out it couldn’t search the BBC iPlayer, they would have to admit that the Voice Search did, after all, do exactly what it said on the tin box Smiley Tongue

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.