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tallpall
Channel Surfer

Can't watch CNN or MSNBC away from home usually authenticated and allowed by Xfinity

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Until recently I was able to view CNBC, CNN and MSNBC on Roku while away from home as my cable provider, Xfinity, somehow was able to verify that I paid for these channels back home and enabled them to be viewed on Roku.  Recently only CNBC continues to be able to be accessed while CNN and MSNBC no longer function.  My first call was to Xfinity with this difficult to explain problem, but they believe Roku must have responsibility for not allowing them to be viewed.  

  I can't find a way to explain what is happening to a tech at Roku, so will ask here.  Can someone tell me what might be happening?

Example MSNBC.  I had previously verified my provider and entered the offered code from the popup Roku screen on my computer.  The TV would switch to live broadcast of MSNBC,  This had worked for several weeks.   Now when my voice Roku remote is asked for MSNBC it only presents choices of taped TV shows from the past, not live TV.  

Example CNN.  When asked for it says it is loading, then presents icons for CNN, CNN International, and HLN with the notation "Watch network television through your provider".  When CNN is chosen only a interminable blank screen is shown.  This, too, worked for several weeks prior but has just stopped.

Example CNBC.  When asked, this works just fine.....a live tv channel broadcast.

Sure would like to get the other two channels back.  Any suggestions?

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tallpall
Channel Surfer

Re: Can't watch CNN or MSNBC away from home usually authenticated and allowed by Xfinity

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   The problem (for lack of better term let's call it "remote viewing"...the ability to watch live channels in a different location than the address where they are being paid for)  has been resolved.  

    I live and pay for the different channels in Massachusetts.  We travel to and spend the winters in Florida. I had the ability to ask my voice remote for a paid channel and my provider, Xfinity, had the resource to route those paid channels to this remote location without me having to pay another provider such as one of the streaming services.

  This ability stopped functioning after a couple of weeks being in Florida and I was stumped as how to restart it.  I was presented messages that essentially said "You are not authorized to receive this channel" or "we are having trouble reaching your provider".

  Eventually I found that by going to the settings of a channel that had this problem (say "NBC") and signing out of my account there (which I did not know I had) and then unlinking the provider (in this case Xfinity)......then signing back into the account and declaring who the provider was (Xfinity) all over again, it enabled the service.  This one action enabled NBC, CNBC and MSNBC to function.

   Why this happened in the first place most likely had to do with a password change I must have accidently made some time ago.  Whatever it is I am glad to have my channels back.

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2 REPLIES 2
RokuDanny-R
Retired Moderator

Re: Can't watch CNN or MSNBC away from home usually authenticated and allowed by Xfinity

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@tallpall

Thanks for the post.

It looks like you are using the voice functionality in the remote. If you do not use the voice functionality with the remote, but manually access the channels, do you experience the same issue?

Please keep us posted what you find out and we will be able to assist you further.


Thanks,
Danny

Danny R.
Roku Community Moderator
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tallpall
Channel Surfer

Re: Can't watch CNN or MSNBC away from home usually authenticated and allowed by Xfinity

Jump to solution

   The problem (for lack of better term let's call it "remote viewing"...the ability to watch live channels in a different location than the address where they are being paid for)  has been resolved.  

    I live and pay for the different channels in Massachusetts.  We travel to and spend the winters in Florida. I had the ability to ask my voice remote for a paid channel and my provider, Xfinity, had the resource to route those paid channels to this remote location without me having to pay another provider such as one of the streaming services.

  This ability stopped functioning after a couple of weeks being in Florida and I was stumped as how to restart it.  I was presented messages that essentially said "You are not authorized to receive this channel" or "we are having trouble reaching your provider".

  Eventually I found that by going to the settings of a channel that had this problem (say "NBC") and signing out of my account there (which I did not know I had) and then unlinking the provider (in this case Xfinity)......then signing back into the account and declaring who the provider was (Xfinity) all over again, it enabled the service.  This one action enabled NBC, CNBC and MSNBC to function.

   Why this happened in the first place most likely had to do with a password change I must have accidently made some time ago.  Whatever it is I am glad to have my channels back.

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