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Sky Go dropping support for Chrome browser!

GarethHarrisonGarethHarrison Posts: 2,114
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in Sky #1
Just logged onto the Sky Go website to catch up on some Sky programmes, and noticed a banner at the top of the page in my Chrome browser...
Soon Google Chrome will no longer support watching TV on this website.

Don’t worry you can keep using this service on your computer via other browsers like Safari.
We're sorry for any inconvenience this change may cause.

This really seems like a crazy decision - dropping support for a web browser used by a heck of a lot of people!
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Comments

  • ocavocav Posts: 2,341
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    #2
    GarethHarrison wrote: »
    Just logged onto the Sky Go website to catch up on some Sky programmes, and noticed a banner at the top of the page in my Chrome browser...



    This really seems like a crazy decision - dropping support for a web browser used by a heck of a lot of people!

    Seen as it says Safari, are you using a Mac? Cause Mac support isn't available for anything newer than 4 years old...
  • GarethHarrisonGarethHarrison Posts: 2,114
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    #3
    I'm on a 2011 MBP - Sky Go works fine in Chrome at the moment. I can't stand Safari, and I used to use Firefox but that's now really buggy, so I find Chrome is the best to use. Really surprised that they're not going to support it... not sure if it's just a Mac thing or whether it will also affect Windows users.
  • ClatterClatter Posts: 426
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    #4
    Just because they say it won't be supported doesn't mean it won't work on Chrome. Just that if you come across a problem they won't fix it.
  • rikoriko Posts: 608
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    #5
    I would assume this has to do with Google removing support for NPAPI plugins by the end of the year. When this happens it will be impossible to run Silverlight within Chrome so the Sky Go site will no longer work.

    http://blog.chromium.org/2014/05/update-on-npapi-deprecation.html

    For Sky to move their entire platform to another streaming method (eg flash) to support a single browser is probably not viable.
  • omnidirectionalomnidirectional Posts: 18,820
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    #6
    I'm surprised they're still using Silverlight. I can't think of any other service using it now
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    #7
    riko wrote: »
    For Sky to move their entire platform to another streaming method (eg flash) to support a single browser is probably not viable.

    if they were to move to a different platform it certainly wouldn't be flash.
    besides, they move from silverlight eventually as even microsoft have all but abandoned it.
  • rikoriko Posts: 608
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    #8
    chenks wrote: »
    if they were to move to a different platform it certainly wouldn't be flash.
    besides, they move from silverlight eventually as even microsoft have all but abandoned it.

    I was only using flash as an example alternative to silverlight that other less technical minded people might know of. Of course some sort of HTML5 type video extension streaming would be better but either way sky are not likely to move everything to support one browser in the short term. They have until 2021 to move, Google are dropping it by the end of the year.
  • Darcy72Darcy72 Posts: 180
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    #9
    omnidirectional wrote: »
    I'm surprised they're still using Silverlight. I can't think of any other service using it now

    Amazon use it for Lovefilm (Prime) and the Eurosport player uses it - I think Amazon have more than enough clout to force it's continuation.
  • ocavocav Posts: 2,341
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    #10
    Darcy72 wrote: »
    Amazon use it for Lovefilm (Prime) and the Eurosport player uses it - I think Amazon have more than enough clout to force it's continuation.

    So Amazon Prime won't work in Google Chrome either?

    So either a mass exodus of users from Google Chrome or a mass exodus of users from Sky.
  • popeye13popeye13 Posts: 8,573
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    #11
    Darcy72 wrote: »
    Amazon use it for Lovefilm (Prime) and the Eurosport player uses it - I think Amazon have more than enough clout to force it's continuation.

    BT Sport online player & ondemand uses Silverlight too.
    (Steaming pile of brown stuff, but its popular)

    Ive always found SkyGo to be jerky on playback when used through Chrome (My prefered browser choice)
    But found that IE9 is smooth and issue-free for SkyGo and any Silverlight-supported streaming service.
    Weird!
  • Darcy72Darcy72 Posts: 180
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    #12
    Apparently Netflix as well.
    Silverlight is a Microsoft product - I find it runs fine in Chrome (my usual browser these days) so are Google using the "security issues" as a frightener ?
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    #13
    Darcy72 wrote: »
    Apparently Netflix as well.

    http://en.kioskea.net/news/23774-silverlight-is-on-its-way-out-for-netflix
  • Darcy72Darcy72 Posts: 180
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    #14
    That gives a much more logical perspective to the issue, are Google rushing things?
  • pburke90pburke90 Posts: 14,758
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    #15
    ITV Player also uses Silverlight, as do BT Sport and Netflix.
  • ocavocav Posts: 2,341
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    #16
    Simple answer is then that people will stop using Google Chrome is all of these services stop working.

    Well done Google for shooting yourself right in the foot!
  • DragonQDragonQ Posts: 4,807
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    #17
    Silverlight is horrible for video but Flash would be a giant step backwards. Maybe someday someone will invent a video browser plugin that actually displays videos 100% smoothly like desktop applications can, sigh.
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    #18
    ocav wrote: »
    Well done Google for shooting yourself right in the foot!

    i'm sure they've made a calculated decision.
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    #19
    DragonQ wrote: »
    Silverlight is horrible for video but Flash would be a giant step backwards. Maybe someday someone will invent a video browser plugin that actually displays videos 100% smoothly like desktop applications can, sigh.

    HTML5 - it already exists.
    i already use youtube in 100% html5 mode, and everything plays perfectly smooth (including 1080p).
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,506
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    #20
    Pity the thread title (and even the forum) is so misleading - as it's Google that are dropping support, not Sky :D
  • ocavocav Posts: 2,341
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    #21
    chenks wrote: »
    i'm sure they've made a calculated decision.

    Dropping support for a heck of a lot of online video players in a day and age where a lot of people watch video online? Calculated.
    chenks wrote: »
    HTML5 - it already exists.
    i already use youtube in 100% html5 mode, and everything plays perfectly smooth (including 1080p).

    YouTubes HTML 5 player is how it should be done, not only can it pick up geoblocking, it can also identify correct subscriptions (for the Pay Channels) as well as support ad integration and hotspot linking, it's how online video players should be!
  • innitrichieinnitrichie Posts: 9,795
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    #22
    Darcy72 wrote: »
    Amazon use it for Lovefilm (Prime) and the Eurosport player uses it - I think Amazon have more than enough clout to force it's continuation.

    Microsoft abandoned Silverlight years ago. It's a dead technology essentially. Yeah it works for the moment on some platforms, but as technology evolves it ceases to work on newer platforms and software releases. This is why the likes of Netflix are moving away from it.

    I suspect Sky have decided to keep Silverlight support going for as long as they can, and then eventually they'll just eliminate Sky Go support on traditional computers and go all in on mobile devices and connected TV.
  • DragonQDragonQ Posts: 4,807
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    #23
    chenks wrote: »
    HTML5 - it already exists.
    i already use youtube in 100% html5 mode, and everything plays perfectly smooth (including 1080p).
    I did use HTML5 for YouTube at one point but it was always a bit buggy and somehow kepts turning itself off so I stopped bothering.

    If there's a fairly long video on YouTube that I want to watch, I'll just download it and play it in MPC-HC, where it'll be 100% smooth. Watching the same video directly using any browser is not. I can't honestly remember if HTML5 is capable of perfect video playback, if it does that's great.

    I'm still waiting for the day when an online video player supports frame rates above 30 fps...
  • TestingTimesTestingTimes Posts: 308
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    #24
    Sky Go have never officially supported Chrome although it does work and a good proportion of their userbase use it successfully. There were some Silverlight errors fixed by Sky recently that show up in Chrome on their platform; it seems only on Mac OSX that isn't going to be supported by Google - well now anyway.
  • DoddieDoddie Posts: 1,049
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    #25
    aurichie wrote: »
    Microsoft abandoned Silverlight years ago.
    That's not entirely true, see:

    July 2014 update for Microsoft Silverlight 5
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2977218
  • Dave-HDave-H Posts: 9,940
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    #26
    Doddie wrote: »
    That's not entirely true, see:
    July 2014 update for Microsoft Silverlight 5
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2977218
    I got that update pushed to me today by Microsoft Update, at an unusual time of the month, so i guess it's an urgent critical security update.
    :)
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