Channels & viewing

[zBaRR]

So I found that Amazon Prime Video now has “channels” extensions that include Paramount+. I am a victim of the content unavailable conundrum that is SO FRUSTRATING for so many of us. ALL I WANT TO DO IS WATCH AIR DISASTERS IN PEACE, PLEASE. 

I have not figured out how to just sign into my current Paramount+ subscribed account through Amazon, but on the Prime Video app it only gave me an option to “try a 7-day free trial” of Paramount+, which I did and turned off auto-renew so I won’t be charged for it, as I’m already a subscriber directly through ViacomCBS. Anyways, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING AIR DISASTERS without a single hiccup and no darn error message that the content is unavailable, LITERALLY as behind that message the next episode is playing… I can hear and see it but need to press “Ok” on the unavailable pop up to get rid of it and that’s when I get booted to the home menu and close the app and try again, which normally works yes for one single episode and then repeat. Sometimes I do the update channel method, sometimes I clear my TVs cache method, but I always get back on, for one episode, at least, cause it might take 3-4 attempts to get it to play. Not anymore as I am just watching it all through the Prime Video app on my same Roku TV. I think possibly there is no way to sign in to Paramount+ through Amazon, like link them, so I am going contact customer service and I will update this post, but if there isn’t, oh well, I will just subscribe to the service through Amazon, which I think then if I go on the actual Paramount app, I would login with my Amazon login to access the service, and done. Troubleshooting complete for the content unavailable TRAGEDY we have been facing for WAY TOO LONG!

If anyone has used this method before me which I can imagine has been done and has any more information, please let me and us know, but I hope this at least helps someone like I did myself for the time being. 

[AvsGunnar]

@zBaRR 

Good workaround.  Sometimes with these streaming channels/apps, just need to find a workaround until their developers address the issue.  Thanks again for sharing and hopefully will be helpful to users with similar issue.

[zBaRR]

Thanks man! I hope so too.

[splastrik]

@zBaRR 

This is not actually an accurate assessment.  When you subscribe to the Paramount+ channel through Amazon Prime, the only option is the $9.99 premium subscription (without commercials).  It has already been determined, and previously posted, that since the problem is only present during the commercials, upgrading to premium eliminates the problem.  This is true no matter how you subscribe, whether through Amazon, Roku or directly through paramountplus.com. Paying more to eliminate the problem cannot reasonably be called a solution, work around perhaps, but only at a cost. Bottom line is that, surprisingly, this problem is decidedly still NOT FIXED!!!

Stephanie

[Roxy79]

Yep, I tried the delete app, restart Roku, get paramount + app back, and the first set of commercials played , then I got about 2 minutes into 1883 when it froze up.  😞 This is so frustrating)  I will try to watch tonight through my prime video app.  Thanks for all the time you and your brother have put into trying to solve this problem.

[tkharris]

I subscribed to Paramount plus through Amazon Prime a month ago and has worked flawlessly since then. I gave up on the standalone Paramount Plus app.

[splastrik]

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@tkharris wrote:

I subscribed to Paramount plus through Amazon Prime a month ago and has worked flawlessly since then. I gave up on the standalone Paramount Plus app.

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Yes, that works.  However, when you subscribe through Amazon, you are paying $9.99/month for the premium (NO COMMERCIAL) subscription.  That's why it works!  You also could have upgraded your subscription through Paramount+ and had the same result.  The point is, the less expensive service, with commercials, is what doesn't work.

What is most frustrating is that, despite the fact that this is affecting so many subscribers, has been going on for so long, and is so easily reproducible, there has been no acknowledgement of the problem from either Roku or Paramount.  I have cancelled my subscription.  I will continue to monitor this thread and perhaps subscribe again if it ever gets resolved.

Stephanie

[philrz]

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@splastrik wrote:

What is most frustrating is that, despite the fact that this is affecting so many subscribers, has been going on for so long, and is so easily reproducible, there has been no acknowledgement of the problem from either Roku or Paramount.  I have cancelled my subscription.  I will continue to monitor this thread and perhaps subscribe again if it ever gets resolved.

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Strictly speaking, there was a minimal acknowledgement from of the problem from Roku, albeit minimal and a long time ago. Back on December 16th on page 5 of this thread, Roku Forum Moderator @RokuDanny-R did say "We are aware of the issue..." and "I'll be sure to post an update on this thread." I've not seen any further updates from them, though, so it would be great if this @-mention triggers someone of authority to chime in.

[pscarbor]

I had another issue with P+: In a misguided attempt to resolve this issue I deleted and re-added the Paramount Plus app. This caused my local TV station to go the wrong city.

This would be a five minute fix (being liberal here!) for a Paramount Plus tech, with two possible solutions: Change the local station to the correct one; or, reset my local TV selections and let me change it myself. And so I opened a ticket on P+ which included the device number, correct station, incorrect station, my location including zip, my name, and my email address.

Why am I bringing this up? I repeated this same ticket four or five times (minimum) a week for six weeks before someone from Paramount Plus corrected it. In the meantime I got several email responses about how they were "escalating" my issue and asking for additional information - which I'd included in each ticket, all referencing the original.

And so given that timeline to correct a very simple issue, how long do you think it'll take Paramount Plus to fix an issue like this which is infinitely more complex? A year? Two years? Longer?

Bottom line, dude - check back in 2025, see if it's been fixed. I'd say based on performance so far the odds are 50-50 at best!

[karateblast]

I had the same problem with a smart TV and another "stick" type hardware.  Just signed up with Paramount plus. Issues right off the bat. Even had problems with no audio or sound when things would play.  Because of this thread, moved up to the premium plan and things are working a lot better. TV shows are starting and playing correctly.

This is not just a problem on Roku, but with Paramount Plus's app and ad platform.  Same thing is happening on different equipment.  For whatever reason my ISP doesn't like the the ads.  I have Quantum Fiber.  Every other streaming service works fine! Even ad-supported ones!