My tv no longer supports now tv after 27th august?

[Anonymous User]

So we have had a message pop up on our tv today that now tv will no longer work on our tv from 27th august? I’ve paid for a year and still have until December? So will I be getting a refund for the remaining time I can’t use? And because you say it, I don’t use now tv in any other way and won’t be. I think it’s awful that this sort of thing happens which would force people to buy new TVs every 5 years! Talk about ridiculous!

[nst]

@Anonymous User 

I agree.  Thankfully I dont need the freesync thingy so it doesnt worry me... however I only just bought this TV even though its a 2019 model.... I think that abandoning any support or any function after 1 year is absolutely unacceptable on something that costs in excess of £3000 new.  This shouldn't be allowed.  If this is a 'new feature' that wasnt there before then fine.. though if the TV is technically capable of it then it should be included in the update.

Back to the problem in hand though...

There comes a point where you can realistically expect these things to stop working - its not so much the TV companies fault more I suppose the individual developer who no longer finds it commercially viable to continue to update the app on a TV or TVos that demonstrably has a very small user base remaining.

The one thing that I think they should do, however, is to never just stop an app working - but instead to allow it to continue function even if in a diminished capacity - it seems unfair for it to arbitrarily just cease to function.

But back to the point... it just demonstrates that as nice as these shiny smart TV interfaces can be... they are extremely finite in nature and support will probably cease long before the end of life of the actual TV.  Obviously theres a ploy at work here to encourage you to buy a new TV more rapidly than you would normally.... however the solution to this problem as we have discussed is to remove dependance on inbuilt apps and just get a STB or stick... and treat the TV as a monitor.

[Anonymous User]

@nst 

Totally agree with this it obviously depends on the screen as there perhaps is a case for upgrading a 5 year old TV at moment as many who brought there TV 5 years probably didn't get 4K but i would surprised if they got HDR or not proper HDR but even now Proper HDR on a TV is still limited to high end full array LED or OLED as they might have software support but the panels can't do. 

I agree about leaving the app to continue in a limited way i expect the reason they are pulling the LG netcast app is LG no longer doing security updates so might be a security risk going forward for NowTV though they are offering NowTV Sticks so i think they have done a good thing. 

The Next service to be discontinued is certainly going be EE TV as even EE is shutting that down in March of next year. 

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

Documented proof that NowTV charge smart TV manufacturers to carry their app would be welcomed. As would the equally likely, or unlikely, proof that the money flows the other way.

How does it go with Netflix? If I was them, and there was money changing hands, I’d be charging the TV manufacturers to carry my app....

I have a NowTV stick, and it has never, as part of the dialogue to reach any app on it, ever sought to detain me with advertising. So I don’t accept your assertion here.

As a software engineer, your husband will no doubt be familiar with the wry observation that God was able to create the heavens and the Earth in seven days because He had no prior implementation to allow for ?

And also will be aware that this problem is compounded two ways with something like the BBC iPlayer; the BBC end, and the smart TV app end. And the same for NowTV.

So when the BBC want to introduce a new feature, they have to figure out how it will play, if at all, in every version of the iPlayer out there. And maybe update those versions they can, to use the new feature or work without it. Or sometimes, just not introduce the new feature at all, as it will break or overload older versions of the iPlayer, on older hardware, out there.

So when they are pretty sure the user population with those devices has gotten pretty small, they will discontinue support, with a sight of relief, and with another brake taken off what they can do to enhance the app for users with current, or at least not too old, hardware.

Ask your husband what is the oldest device, OS, and/or application he considers for inclusion In its compatibility/support list, when he writes a new piece of software.

e.g. Windows 95? 98? Millennium? XP? Vista? 7? 8?

[Anonymous User]

Hia

 I’ve been in touch with the online customer service via now tv website (where u type & they type bk). They hv provided me with a Nowtv stick due 2 my LG being an older model (c. 2012) which I’m happy about as it’s the fair way to go. I also use a chromecast btw which is helpful. 
J