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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Chromecast - Loading / Spinning Circles

When trying to cast NowTV to a Chromecast plugged into a television, I am met with four coloured circles spinning in the centre of a black screen - I recognise this as the loading screen.
If left for a long period (five to ten minutes), it goes back to the Chromecast 'idle' screen, and the NowTV app then considers itself disconnected from the Chromecast device. This happens whether just clicking "cast" and waiting for the "NowTV Ready" screen, or when playing video on the phone and then trying to cast the video.


I have tried a significant number of fixes, and this has been going on for months. Below are details of the entire saga.


Firstly: I am aware that NowTV (contrary to industry standards) count a Chromecast as a device that is registered on the account against the six streaming devices allowed. There are currently three empty device slots available on my account, so this should not be an issue (the device limit is not the underlying issue that I am facing).


These issues first occurred last summer, and affect two Chromecasts.


Initially, I tried all the regular 'fixes' such as rebooting the Chromecast devices, etc. with no luck. I eventually got in touch with NowTV customer services, who sent links to articles and information.


More things I tried:

  • Ensure
  • Reboot Router
  • Sign out of iOS App, then back in again
  • Reboot iPhone
  • Ensure available "device" slot in NowTV account, and under the limit for the maximum number of additions/swaps in a given month.
  • Ensure the Chromecast is using the power adapter and cable supplied with it
  • Reinstall iOS App
  • Remove Chromecast from Google Home App, then add it again
  • Factory Reset Chromecast

I also tried many of these in various combinations. For example, factory resetting the Chromecast and reinstalling the NowTV app before trying again. Then the same but with the addition of a router reboot, etc.

 

None of these combinations worked.


NowTV eventually claimed that, rather than the NowTV service being at fault, both Chromecasts must be faulty. For clarity, both Chromecasts work flawlessly for other services such as YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, iPlayer, All4, Spotify, ITV Player, etc.


Since then, the situation has developed:


My internet connection has been upgraded (from a respectable 36Mbps down to 70Mbps down and 8Mbps up to 15Mbps up). Though I never had any issues streaming services (non-NowTV) in 1080p / 4K with the old connection, this new speed can't hurt the situation!


The router/modem has been swapped out for a new, completely different, model.


After all the other troubleshooting, we even tried creating a new NowTV account, but with the same issues still.


Ultimately, after multiple software updates (to both the Chromecasts and the NowTV app), new accounts, new internet, device resets, etc. I decided to humour NowTV customer services, and elected to return the two Chromecasts as "faulty".


This (unsurprisingly) was a painful process, as, when the customer assistant asked why they were being returned, I had to tell them "because NowTV customer services told me they were faulty". When asked if I had any issues with other services I had to be honest and tell them "nope, they work flawlessly for everything else...", which perplexed the customer assistant as much as it did me. A lengthy discussion then ensued:

  • Does NowTV genuinely use hardware in the Chromcast that no other streaming provider makes use of? (Conclusion: Possible, but unlikely).
  • Is it more likely that two Chromecasts have the same fault, or that there's an issue with the NowTV software/service?
  • Is 36Mbps down / 8Mbps up enough to stream the maximum of 720p that NowTV delivers (without paying the brass-necked £3 a month extra for 1080p)? Is the upgrade to 70Mbps down / 15 up going to make the situation worse?
  • Have I taken appropriate steps to remedy the situation?
  • Could the tech specialists at the shop think of anything I hadn't tried?
  • Does NowTV work on my home network at all? (Yes, on the phone app and a NowTV Stick)

After all of that, the shop agreed to replace both Chromecasts with brand new (sealed box) units.


I just got them home. Plugged them in. Connected them to the new router, with the new internet service, using my new NowTV account, and a freshly signed in and installed iOS app.


Unfortunately, I hit the same problem: a black screen with spinning, coloured, circles (loading). After many minutes, the app "stops casting", and the Chromecast returns to its idle screen. 

The new Chromecasts have been verified as working with other streaming services without issue.


At this stage, it seems obvious that NowTV is at fault, not the hardware.

Has anyone else has had any issues similar? Are there any reasonable steps I could take that I have not tried?

Lastly: NowTV, how do you propose we move forward with this issue? I've done everything you've asked and more.

29 REPLIES 29
Anonymous User
Not applicable

I'm having a similar issue. I've been through all the things listed in this thread as part of troubleshooting steps with NowTV and was eventually told I should contact Google. I contacted Google and they sent me right back to NowTV. Clearly as every other thing I've tried to cast has worked flawlessly, the issue must be with NowTV somewhere.

 

Some of the things I've tried:

  • A different chomecast
  • A different Android device
  • Removing and reinstalling Now TV app
  • Removing and reinstalling Google Home app
  • Resetting chromecast by holding the button for 30 seconds
  • A different TV
  • A different HDMI port
  • A different power supply
  • A different internet connection
  • Resetting router and WiFi access point

 

I even went so far as to take my Chromecast with me to a friends house and hooked it up to their WiFi connection which is with a completely different provider. No luck.

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Exactly the same problem for me too. I've tried everything the OP has tried to no avail.

I'm convinced (as it appears others are also) that this looks like a buggy Chromecast implementation from Sky / Now TV

 

I've lost count of the hours invested in trying to get to the bottom of this, and  conclude that as other streaming services work without any issue , then that's where I'll be subscribing in future

 

Soulcal24
Scholar 3

Most of you chromecast users say have issues but i havent had any issues , could it be done to your hub/router and why not go onto Google Home app turn on Preview Programme to get next firmware update for chromecast because that may help.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I guess it might be worth trying the Chromecast preview programme, but I don't hold out much hope.
Having chipped away at this for nearly 18 months now, I'm sure the Chromecast firmware has been through several releases during that period of time. 


I've tried:-

 

  • 3 different routers from 3 different manufacturers.
  • 2 Chromecast devices (standard using WiFi and CC Ultra using ethernet and WiFi)
  • 3 android devices (phones and tablets)
  • 2 iPads
  • Creating an isolated network with just router, chromecast and casting device (android / ipad).

 

After trying all this, it is still just Now TV that doesn't work properly.

Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, UKTV, All 4 etc etc, all tried and work fine.

 

I guess the only thing left to try is another ISP. I'm with Plusnet (just for comparison with others having this issue) with a reasonable speed connection (50mb download / 15mb upload) which streams 4K from Amazon without any issues

I may try setting up a mobile hotspot network to test it. If I do, I'll report back with results

Soulcal24
Scholar 3

@Anonymous User 

I was on plusnet when using Chromecast but I had fibre package never had any problems , only thing I can of to help is do what I did which was buy LG tv with app on or NOW TV Smart Stick.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I was also on Plusnet, but have since moved to Three (BB over 4G) and it doesn't work on that. My friend uses BT and it did not work on his WiFi either.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi all


We’re experiencing a similar issue! We used to cast to a chromecast, but recently upgraded to a new Philips smart TV that we can cast to. NowTV will get as far as the loading page only when casting direct to the TV, but fails to play anything. Casting to the chromecast which is plugged in to the new TV still works however. We have no issues casting from any other sources!

 

Whats interesting is, we’re also on PlusNet! I think that’s now 3 or 4 people on this thread.

 

Would love to know a resolution!

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I too have just upgraded to a Phillips TV, PUS7304(No Now TV app available on their sets according to Phillips). Now TV and Sky Store casting fails to work on the internal Chromecast. Have tried different phones, reinstalled apps, rebooted devices and router and TV to no avail just gets to loading screen then stops.

Anyone know why Phillips don't support Now TV app. Also seems strange that the Sky Store app has the same issue what with Now TV being part of that group.

 

Oh Sky broadband here.

 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User  I've just got the exact same TV and I am having the exact same problem.  Did you ever resolve?

 

Previously been using a Chromecast which has now been deployed in another room and continues to operate with NowTV without an issue.

 

Like everyone else, all other streaming services (Netflix, iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+, Prime) all work without an issue.

 

FWIW, I'm on Shell Energy Broadband.

 

Thanks.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Actually, yes, I did solve the issue (well, my issue)

My smart home runs on a platform called Home Assistant (HASSOS / HASSIO) and it appears that this had some kind of hook into my Chromecast. It literally only affected NOWTV playback which is why it took so long to track down as I never considered this to be a potential culprit.

 

I noticed that when HASSOS was shut down, NowTV started to work.

 

Anyway, in my case, I disabled the Chromecast instance within Home Assistant. After doing this, NowTV appears to run perfectly and has continued to work for several weeks without any issue.

 

Hope this helps