Channels & viewing

[John-Mag]

My Fios subscription includes HGTV but not other networks in the Discovery family. The HGTV Go app has just changed, and on the new app I can't authorize live streaming. My Fios subscription includes HGTV but not other networks in the Discovery family. The HGTV authorization check is now looking for a Discovery subscription. Is this a bug in the new HGTV Go app, or has Discovery Networks changed its streaming-for-cable-subscribers policy? 

[John-Mag]

This has been reported to Discovery Networks. They are looking into it; no response yet.

[John-Mag · Accepted solution]

Further update: This does not appear to be a problem specific to the Roku channel. The same link failure happens directly from the HGTV website. It is now being investigated as a communication issue between HGTV and Fios.

This can now be closed as a Roku issue.

[karmanndie14]

I cannot watch HGTV GO live on ROKU. I received this message "This content is available to viewers who receive HGTV as part of their pay-TV subscription.” However, I’m able to watch HGTV GO on my other tv with an Amazon Fire Stick. My Fios subscription includes HGTV. So, it seems that the issue is with ROKU.

How can I fix that?

[John-Mag]

It’s not fixed for me yet either. I crossed off Roku as the cause by trying to link directly from the HGTV app on my computer and that didn’t work. The HGTV Go team tells me they are trying to work with Fios to find a solution.

[John-Mag]

To test this if you have an HGTV cable subscription, the following method uses only HGTV and Fios, bypassing Roku or any other streaming platform.

Go to hgtv.com and click "LIVE NOW" in the upper right corner. You will get a "Link TV Provider" box. Click that, follow the instructions, and see if linking/authorization succeeds. It doesn't work for me on Fios. 

If any other HGTV subscribers can test this using other services, either cable or live-streaming (Fubo, Hulu, etc) please reply with results and I'll forward.

Sorry if this is cluttering up the Roku community for a non-Roku problem.

[KMcK70]

I’ve never had this problem before this weekend. I have Fios and I’m trying to watch HGTV or TLC live on ROKU. Both have locked content symbols over the live stream and I’m getting a message that these channels are not part of my package—totally incorrect. I went to HGTV.com, and was able to watch live after selecting link to tv provider. So this does seem to be unique to the app.

[John-Mag]

I had the same thing happen a few days ago. It's probably a different problem from the one in January and fortunately easier to fix.

Bring up the channel, go to the "Account" tab, unlink from your TV provider, and relink. It should take you into the usual link process. If you have multiple Roku devices expect to do the same for each of them.