BBC iPlayer on Sony Bravia discontinued in September?

[huxley123]

I've just opened the iPlayer app on my Sony Bravia KDL-40CX523 TV and am faced with a message stating this version of iPlayer is being discontinued in September.

Is there going to be a new version I can use or does this mean iPlayer won't work at all on my TV after September?

[Bernie-the-Bolt]

I have a mate who's Sony TV failed after 4 years and Sony just walked away -
£700 up the duff. He no longer buys (or would recommend) Sony any more. The
Blu Ray is the same. It's made me think twice about buying any digital kit
from now on as it may all (in time) need replacing even though there's
nothing wrong with it. 720/HD/4k where next? (and I was happy with 16k over
thirty years ago!)

[Anonymous]

I was locked up in my car with my mum for 5 hours today, travelling along the M5/M6 - I now have a headache of her whinging about the new iPlayer on her 2011 TV. 

@Bernie-the-Bolt   You asked for "where next".  DVB-UHDTV broadcasts.  The standards for the tuners have been approved, but no existing 4K tvs will be compatible with the new standard.  On the positive, its unlikely the BBC will be transmitting in the near future...2018 and beyond maybe.

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/tvs/1400494/dvb-uhdtv-standard-gets-approved-4k-tv-on-the-way

[Bernie-the-Bolt]

Hi Quinnicus

Nice to be responded to by an esteemed individual! I have a good, longtime, friend who has been in the TV industry for years (Philips/Thomson/Thomson Grass Valley) and he says that all will be on line and satellite only within 20 years or so.

[Anonymous]

Hi Bernie-the-bolt

Thanks for that wonderful complement - made my day.

Your friend in the TV industry is in my opinion correct.  I also see the days that DTT Transmitters will disappear in favour of fibre/internet connections. However there is a host of issues, some technical some political.  But at the end of the day, more and more of the frequency specturm is being sold off to mobile phone companies and will continue to do so.  Ofcom is also investigating this too and a report was released this year (cannot find it for the life of me).  However with the HEVC codec, more life can be eeked out of the DTT transmissions yet.

If your interested, its somewhere around:

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/dttfuture/

Cheers

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi all

I have just spotted Sony's statement on the iPlayer as well as models effected.

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/content/cnt-hn/prd-tvhc/bbc-iplayer-announcement

Cheers

[Nolonger]

Thanks for that link quinnicus, though not what I wanted to see!

@sony: the sony TV I bought in 2011 broke in 2013. The replacement w653 has a poorer screen (I tried the 7 series and was deeply unimpressed). Now the bluray doesn't provide the functionality it used to either and has started sporadically switching itself back on after bring switched off.

No more sony products for me, looks like you're trading off an out of date reputation.

[SirCumfy]

One week in and I'm learning to live with the new 'old' iPlayer (i.e. it
looks like the original version from four years ago but seems more
responsive and automatically loads selections without my pursuing the OK
button) on my Bravia TV, though the lack of a true HD option is annoying.
Why can't they change the 'Higher Quality' option to 'HD'?

The other thing I notice is that when using the iPlayer on my TV with the
sound through my home theatre system the sound is significantly out of
sync, so I'm having to listen using the TV speakers, which don't sound as
good.

Considering I bought the HTS for superior sound and the HD version of
iPlayer more than anything else, I'm left with a very bitter taste in my
mouth. This is made even more bitter by the fact that nowhere in that
statement from Sony in the post above is there any sign of an apology to
affected customers, which shows a lack of care for its customers.

I shall not be buying Sony again.

[Grimgreybeard]

I do hope Sony are taking note of the damage they have caused to their brand name by the inept way they have handled this issue. They can try and blame the BBC as much as they like, but at the end of the day the fault lies with Sony for not psuhing for a better service for their customers.

[Bernie-the-Bolt]

Hi Community

Mark my words - when the BBC all goes on line (as I believe it will in time) I think that you will only be able to view BBC programmes when you have paid your (electronic) licence fee and got a code. This code will have be be entered into the iplayer app (whatever that may be at that time), or via your receiver/PC/whatever to permit your viewing pleasure. It will be unique to you, from your IP address or mobile number and last for 12 months. Somewhat similar to a Sky subscription (another method?). 

When (if?) this happens I, for one, am giving up on TV!

[akhr43]

I have only just realised what the problem with iplayer is, I have been trying for weeks to watch a programme I missed, when someone directed me to both your website and the iplayer website.  I cannot access iplayer and I have tried doing a refresh network which did nothing.  My model is KDL 40EX403 - should I be able to access iplayer?

I have checked and I have the latest update according to your website PKG4.117EUL-0108.

The error message I get is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark - Temporarily cannot access the server. Please retry. It has been saying this for the past few weeks

No problem with Demand 5, youtube, etc, just iplayer.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.