When are ITV Player and 4OD coming to BRAVIA?

[ISMADDER]

Any Date yet For ITV PLAYER and CHANNEL 4 ON DEMAND ?

Message was edited by: Catmambo

Message was edited by: Thalamus.

made thread a sticky

[Catmambo]

Hi - Not as close to Smart TV as I was previously, but I'll offer my 2c.

All smart TV platforms are different and so the (commercial) broadcasters are at liberty to pick and choose which ones to develop for based. Most of the time, the incentive comes down to size of install base and thus eyeballs and so games consoles and Sky/Virgin media are usually front of the queue. For Smart TV's which have only been in the market a few years, the install base is smaller and then active install base is smaller still. Its also a  bit chicken and egg. Missing services mean that people don't use it as ofter as they might, and as such services don't necessarily feel the need to develop for the platform.

I can't speak for the broadcasters, but Sony would of course love for as many high quality services to appear on Smart TV's.

If you feel you were mis-sold the TV however, do speak to your retailer, however we have the main partners listed here - http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/sony-entertainment-network

Thanks

[bayesian]

I'm yet another customer who was disappointed then annoyed to discover my smart TV (KDL-55HX923) wasn't so smart. Its not just the lack of 4OD and ITV player, its also the truly horrible user interface for iPlayer and the web browser.

I looked at serviio, which works fine as a media server, but it isn't an alternative for catch-up. The 4OD plugin is broken and, even if it gets fixed, there isn't any user interface that allows you to browse through available programs. I also see mentions of PS3, but I don't have one, and am unwilling to donate more money to Sony right now.

The most acceptable solution I have seen is Youview. It gets several mentions in this thread, but they get kind of lost when it runs to 23 pages.

The Youview user interface is excellent. A program guide that extends both backwards and forwards. Scroll back and select to use catch-up. Scroll forward and select to record. If you don't already have a PVR, then the cost isn't too painful (£230 for the 500GB Humax), and a PVR is just as important as catch-up, because lots of good stuff never appears in catch-up for licensing reasons. If you already have a PVR, then hang on because a non-PVR box is rumoured - http://www.techradar.com/news/television/10-things-to-know-about-youview-s-big-new-features-1155413

Catmambo commented "... Youview path which as far as Sony are concerned is a non-starter". I disagree. Youview works and the HD looks fine, so I don't care whether the box uses MHEG or HbbTV or little green men. Seems to me that the only serious risk is if the consortium of UK broadcasters behind youview breaks up at some stage, and services start to get turned off. Hopefully, the large number of boxes being given away by BT and Talktalk (400k according to the techradar article) makes this increasingly unlikely.

[STEVEB1244]

Thank you for the reply.
And yes I could buy my way out of the situation.
But I am both miffed and embarrassed that I fell for Sony's deception by omission.
Having already paid for the facility I am reluctant, as you are to pay again, especially to Sony.
Also note the silence from this Forum's Mediators or Sony's representative on this topic.
Perhaps the doctrine is to ignore it, hoping it goes away.
I am really disappointed in Sony over this issue as I want to be able to feel confidence in a company when I buy it's goods and not feel deceived.
My smart TV was to be accompanied by a Xperia Z phone but it's non appearance is another issue of contention.
I was hoping this forum might exert some influence over Sony to resolve my issues with them but there seems to be a general air of apathy and no considered relevant replies.
Thanks again.

[Batfinkk]

STEVEB1244 Catmambo replied two posts above...

I'm not sure how you see this as deception by omission. They never said it came with it and a couple of seconds on Google/Sony website shows you the services it does come with, or an instore demo from your retailer. 

[STEVEB1244]

Hi, thank you for replying.
You are quite right in that I should have looked at exactly what was available from Sony.
Caveat emptor.
I feel the deception was effective as my intention was to buy a Samsung Smart TV similar to the one that one of my son's has.
This Samsung TV was demonstrated to me with all it's features in full including internet and catch up TV.
The store also sold Sony products.
The sales assistant, an apparently knowledgeable young man, advised me that a Sony Bravia was a better quality Smart TV also with the ability to access the Internet and provide the benefit of Catch Up TV.
My omission was to believe that I was comparing like with like, and the price premium I was to pay for Sony would be justified.
Admittedly the offer of the Non-appearing Sony Xperia Z phone also influenced my decision to buy Sony.
I am sure I will live ok without ITV and 4OD and without an Xperia phone but I feel foolish to have been deceived both by the lack of feature and the ill-conceived phone promotion.
As you quote "They never said it came with it" this is correct, and a more accurate description I suggest would be "Smart TV with only 50% mainstream catch up facility" to ensure accurate description to future potential customers.

Again, thank you for your reply, but what I really was looking for was reaction from the mediators or Sony themselves.
In the absence of this I feel this forum is not fulfilling it's potential.

I fail so see how Sony won five Product of the Year EISA awards with
experience such as mine and others found within this forum.

Sony, you won, I give up.

[Anonymous]

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@STEVEB1244 wrote:
Again, thank you for your reply, but what I really was looking for was reaction from the mediators or Sony themselves.
In the absence of this I feel this forum is not fulfilling it's potential.

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Have you seen the post by Catmambo : Here  (Catmambo IS a Sony Representative as well as moderator)

Can I ask you one thing though - How would you FORCE ITV and Channel 4 to add their services if they didnt what them adding?

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@STEVEB1244 wrote:
Sony, you won, I give up.

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Now thats the attitude   However Sony has not won.  What you could do, is petition ITV and Channel 4 and ask for their comment on this matter, and ask why they are not allowing Sony to add it to its TV lineup.

We could send the CEO;s of ITV, C4 and Sony to GITMO bay, until they reach an agreement - or we could waterboard then and pull their figernails our with pliers until they cave in:smileymrgreen:

<me waves to GCHQ>

[sony-cat]

Might work for you bayesian but it doesn't work for me.  I bought a smart TV because you don't need a TV license to watch on demand TV.  You do however need a TV license to have something that records live TV, whch that PVR does. 

Your comment about cost also makes no sense.  A PS3 is now far cheaper than £230.  I'm glad £230 is a drop in the ocean to you, but I am not sure that is the case for everyone.

[CHRIS1066]

I have just purchased a KDL42W654 and its great, But can I please have a definative answer about ITV player and 4oD, are they ever going to be added?

ITV often promotes its advantages etc, it seems a little strange only one other competitor lets us view it.

Thanks in advance

[andrew.m.bird]

This is extremely frustrating.  Those applications have been around for a long time now and are supported by other manufacturers (e.g. Samsung).  It's about time Sony caught up with the competition!

[thomann70]

This unsatisfactory state of affairs has been going on for YEARS. When are we going to hear the sound of heads being banged together?