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ngdaniel1
Channel Surfer

CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

Since January 2022, CBS channel has required a daily linking of my local cable provider to play programming. Now 6 months later, CBS continues to allege that a sign in is required every few months and this situation isn’t on their end but has been “escalated” to a higher priority (aka bull**bleep**).

Is this a channel issue or a Roku stick device issue?

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9 REPLIES 9
CelticsFan
Roku Guru

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

Roku does not develop the CBS channel. CBS Interactive does. Its the shaking hands between your cable tv provider and CBS. Honestly speaking just ditch cable TV for something like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV. You will save money

DBDukes
Community Streaming Expert

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily


@ngdaniel1 wrote:

... Is this a channel issue or a Roku stick device issue?


It's probably the app/service/provider and not Roku.

Roku has no vested interest in forcing you to reauthenticate. However, the same is not true for your provider.

They (provider) do periodically force a login to ensure that you are still subscribed. Otherwise, of course, you could sign in then cancel cable. The question is how long the sign in is valid. However long the provider determines is the factor.

It would not be unreasonable to require reauthentication every month, since the cable is on a monthly billing cycle. However, many go longer than that. Shorter is really not beneficial to them, as all it does is tick off the customer.

I do not know how they do it. If they store the info locally on the device, or if when it connects to the server, if it looks up the last authentication there.

If it's stored locally (on the Roku) then logging out, removing the app, rebooting the Roku, re-adding the app, them logging back in (in that order) should clear out any stray or bad data that could cause it.

If it's on the server, then it's either because they have a crazy short reauthentication period, or a server hiccup or delay in response is causing the app to treat it as a timeout or failure to authenticate. That would then force you to log in again.

I'm not 100% certain that it's not Roku, but the other scenarios seem more likely.

DBDukes
Roku Community Streaming Expert
Note: I am not a Roku employee.

If this post solves your problem please help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."

Hector-Roku
Retired Moderator

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

Hi @ngdaniel1, we appreciate you reaching out about this. What we would recommend is removing and reinstalling the channel to see if this fixes the issue you're experiencing. If the authentication error keeps happening after you reinstall, it would be best to get back in contact with CBS. They manage the channel and login portal for the CBS application. 

 

If you need any help with removing and reinstalling, please follow these steps: 

 

  1. Press Home  on your Roku remote
  2. Move to the right and highlight the channel you wish to remove
  3. Press Star  on your remote to open the Options menu
  4. Select Remove channel and confirm when prompted

To add the channel you would: 

 

  1. Press Home  on your Roku remote
  2. Scroll and select Streaming Channels to open the Channel Store
  3. When you find the CBS channel press OK  on your remote to open the details. 
  4.  Select Add Channel to install the channel on your Roku device.

The posts by @DBDukes and @CelticsFan also provide more clarity on this if you have the chance to read through them! If you would like to contact CBS support, their number would be 1 (888) 274-5343. Please let us know if you happen to have any other questions, we'll be happy to help.

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Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

I am tired of having to authenticate and login every single day to CBS! My 90 year old parents are here visiting from out of state for several months and using their Dish anywhere login and I of course have to do the login because streaming tv is foreign to them😩 If I forget to login before I go to work (12 hr shifts) then they miss their favorite shows and are upset all day! CBS is not a premium channel and they need to fix this at least to monthly at the most! No other channels do this😡 ok rant over lol (for now)


@CelticsFan wrote:

Roku does not develop the CBS channel. CBS Interactive does. Its the shaking hands between your cable tv provider and CBS. Honestly speaking just ditch cable TV for something like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV. You will save money


 

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DBDukes
Community Streaming Expert

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

@Katherine1993 

It can be quite frustrating when a service such as Dish and apps such as CBS can't get it together.

You could try removing the CBS app, rebooting the Roku, then reinstalling the CBS app and see if it remembers the login then.

Or, and you won't like this, consider that Paramount+ includes a CBS local stream. Yes, it's $10/month, but that might be the best solution until Dish and CBS get their authentication issues worked out (assuming the reinstall doesn't clear up any stray data causing the glitch). And you get a few other channels to stream, but CBS is the main draw. Additionally, the library of older content might be right up their alley (Perry Mason, I Love Lucy, Mission: Impossible, etc). Just something to think about.

DBDukes
Roku Community Streaming Expert
Note: I am not a Roku employee.

If this post solves your problem please help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."

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ngdaniel1
Channel Surfer

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

I tried this removing and reinstalling the CBS app. Same issue. 

I contacted CBS and Paramount kept asking for my account information. I’m never getting a Paramount+ account until this CBS app issue is resolved. This issue began in January 2021 and now in 4th quarter 2022, it’s unresolved.

CBS finally responded with a general message in early Spring 2022 that they were escalating the issue. Had me send them images of the error and the settings. No resolution yet.

Every 24 hours I have to reauthenticate to get this CBS app to work. I know it’s exactly 24 hours because midstream of an episode at the 24 hour mark, an episode exited out with an error message.

It is clear that CBS does not care about its customers because Paramount Plus owns them and Paramount Plus wants paid accounts.

Ldanelle12
Newbie

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

I have the exact same issue... never tried reaching out to CBS because I have little faith they'd fix it...

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ngdaniel1
Channel Surfer

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

FYI - The problem has not been fixed by CBS Interactive.

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Bob_T
Reel Rookie

Re: CBS channel requires linking Cable providers daily

It's definitely a CBS app issue. No other similar apps, including CBS's parent company app Paramount+, has this issue. It's annoying, and pretty pointless for CBS to even offer an app if they aren't going to correct the issue.