Channels & viewing

[Krobar1]

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@2pints wrote:

 Why should the BBC spend resources on a niche device?

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The BBC are spending resource to ensure it does not work!

[Taxi13]

You're missing the point. BBC is funded by UK viewers. So, to avoid their BBC IPlayer content being viewed for free around the world, they only approve sticks made exclusively for the UK market.

Even though I pay the BBC licence fee, I unfortunately purchased an imported Roku Ultra stick which I didn't know, at the time, doesn't have approval for BBC content.

[nigelbb]

Holy thread resurrection!

This has got nothing at all to do with the BBC restricting content geographically. The BBC iPlayer app is testing whether it's running on a supported hardware model then exiting when an unsupported model is detected because the BBC don't want to support hardware that was never sold in the UK & never submitted for testing by Roku. The BBC also don't want the overhead or hassle of explaining to consumers why unsupported hardware doesn't work properly so it's simpler to make sure the app simply doesn't run at all on untested & unsupported.

The Roku Ultra was never sold in the UK therefore Roku never submitted it to the BBC for certification. The Roku Ultra now isn't available for sale anywhere in the world so Roku are never going to submit it to the BBC for certification.

There are plenty of hardware players that do support BBC iPlayer just buy one of those.

[Streamer317]

@nigelbb  Well said. Here is a list of the supported Roku devices.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/questions/supported-devices/roku-nowtv

[Krobar1]

ITV, C4 and C5 all work fine. The odd one out is IPlayer as the BBC DELIBERATELY block it, we already know from the accidental release a few years ago that the IPlayer app unsurprisingly works fine on the Ultra. You can bet if the TV license is abolished the BBC will fall in line with all of the other UK broadcasters.

I should note that this behaviour is not just limited to Roku, their withdrawl from TuneIn was highly questionable and I know they block the BBC Radio Alexa skill for many devices too (Many of which sold in the UK, eg. the current B&W Zeppelin). My point is if the license tax was abolished this behaviour would stop.

[atc98092]

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@nigelbb wrote:

The Roku Ultra now isn't available for sale anywhere in the world so Roku are never going to submit it to the BBC for certification.

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That's not accurate. The Ultra is most certainly available in locations it's always been sold, such as North America. It's even on sale for $69.99 on the US Roku web site. And that means I can walk into any store that sells Roku devices and most likely find the same price. On the Best Buy web site, it shows available in every store within 100 miles of me. 

[nigelbb]

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@atc98092 wrote:

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@nigelbb wrote:

The Roku Ultra now isn't available for sale anywhere in the world so Roku are never going to submit it to the BBC for certification.

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That's not accurate. The Ultra is most certainly available in locations it's always been sold, such as North America. It's even on sale for $69.99 on the US Roku web site. And that means I can walk into any store that sells Roku devices and most likely find the same price. On the Best Buy web site, it shows available in every store within 100 miles of me. 

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I apologise as I had no idea that Roku was still selling 5 year old tech. What is indisputable is that the Roku Ultra never has been for sale in the UK & at this late stage in the product cycle never is going to be for sale in the UK. As you have no right to use BBC iPlayer in the USA then you cannot complain that it doesn't work on your US-sourced hardware.

[atc98092]

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@nigelbb wrote:

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I apologise as I had no idea that Roku was still selling 5 year old tech. 

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There are seven different versions of the Ultra. It is NOT 5 year old tech. The model 4800 was released Oct 2020, while the 4801 was just released Sept 2021. Starting with the 4800, it's completely different hardware, including support for Dolby Vision and AC-4 audio. It's a shame that Roku continues to reuse the same model name on completely different hardware, but it is not old tech.

[Five_Alive]

The real point is, the validation needs to be different, it needs to be done to those who havnt paid and not block all devices that aren’t in a list. 

that’s the only point really. 
the person who choose the model number to be a thing needs sacking 

they could validate you via your tv license number and your ip being from the area of your address, do something like a credit reference agency does and contact some central database to validate you

all this does is stop you using a device not purchased in England when today technological advancements could make it so that your could if you own a tv licence. 
further more, if you lived abroad and wanted to do as you suggested then one would buy a uk stick and ship it to whatever country your in. 
so this product I’d blocking Is just silly as it stop. I thing at all but people from using the product as it was intended

thats the point. 

They should validate in a correct way not in an incorrect way. 

[Five_Alive]

I’m the hope that you have actually given me the most credible answer  

May I asked where you obtained this information from. 
was it Roku, bbc or somewhere else that you obtained it, if so where, please.