ITV and 4od Player App Only Available With YouView

[Stevieandcazzie]

Hi all, just bought a KD-49XE8396. I want to use the recording functionality with an external hdd, which works, but only when youview is not enabled. This is fine, but you can't use the itv player or 4od apps without youview enabled - when you open the app it brings up the screen to enable youview.... Really frustrating... Any ideas please?

Thanks, and 

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

Here is the link to the help page.

Let me know if that helps.

Best wishes,

M

[onesmallstep1966]

There is no work around for this AFAIK.

YouView is without doubt the worst aspect of my XE9305, it’s slow and cripples to many other features.  I gave up with it and now use a Humux PVR as a tuner, and by not having to jump in/out of YouView has made the rest of the Android Smart Platform much faster and far more usable.

[Hippykiller2]

Agree that Youview is the worst feature of these TV’s. Mine is so slow and unresponsive that I gave up and bought a separate device. My TV (X8509C) literally crashes whenever I attempt to use it regularly. It just can’t handle it and goes into meltdown if I’m in the Youview menu and hit the Netflix button on the remote by accident!  No work around for the apps I’m afraid as this is something I rang support about last year. 

[Stevieandcazzie]

Thanks for the replies. It is very annoying. Rest of the telly seems good, although I have seen a benefit to having an android telly yet.... None of the apps appeal and are TV specific, not like using your phone.

Cheers, Steve 

[Stevieandcazzie]

Hello M, I had checked the help guide already and it seems this isn't possible... Any chance to add to a future update? 

Cheers 

[stormyuk]

I would probably need ITV and Channel 4 to release Android TV compatible apps. I am not sure there is anything Sony will do about it.

[Hippykiller2]

ITV already have, but it’s blocked from the Sony  Bravia version of the google play store. I can install it on my Mi Box which runs the exact same Android 6.0, but no sign of it on my TV’s play store. It’s something to do with Youview I bet. 

[Hippykiller2]

I’d love it if they gave us the choice between Youview and Freeview Play. Freeview play runs so much smoother on the Bravia’s that have it. 

[stormyuk]

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@Hippykiller2 wrote:

ITV already have, but it’s blocked from the Sony  Bravia version of the google play store. I can install it on my Mi Box which runs the exact same Android 6.0, but no sign of it on my TV’s play store. It’s something to do with Youview I bet. 

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Is the Mi Box using the standard Google Play version or a specific Android TV version?

A quick search on Google Play suggests ITV Hub is not avaialble for Android TV but only stock Android. So not sure its Sony specifically blocking it unless someone knows for sure this if fact?

Both ITV Hub and All4 support chromecast but I know not all programmes are viewable via chromecast on the phone for example so its not a perfect work around.