[imarsh]

What is it with Panasonic and smart apps? Are they trying to destroy/piss off their customer base.

Not only do they not support 4OD, ITVPlayer or 5ondemand, but now my Viera TV cannot access You Tube. This is seriously making me regretting buying a Panasonic product. My replacement will almost certainly not be a Panasonic!

But, is it just me, or are other Panasonic owners having similar problems with ever decreasing access? Let's face it, we pay a premium for the smart element in these TV's. If I have to connect a laptop via an HDMI cable to get these services, I wouldn't have bought a "smart" TV.

BTW: I have emailed Panasonic support for answers to these questions, but the answers I'm receiving would suggest that these people are not technically qualified to do anything other than read from a script.

[Chris Frost]

Look, if you Google you'll find that several manufacturers are affect by YouTube's decision to stop a service. It's not Panasonic's fault any more than it would be a passenger's fault if an airline cancelled a flight. There's no point getting all pissy about this. This is what happens with hardware encoded devices. If you want to be angry at anyone then direct your attention to the owners of YouTube.... Google.


Laptops run operating systems and architecture designed to cope with numeroius updates and running different software. That's their job. So if you paid the cost of a laptop (i.e. several hundred pounds) for the smart services on your TV then you'd have a right to complain. But as it stands the smart features are a fraction of that cost.

[Stig]

In my opinion, a third party box such as Apple TV or Roku is always going to be a better option than relying on a smart TV as you are much more likely to get support and updates.

[Supercell]

The you tube thing also affects my 2013 Sony TV too, annoying as it's not that old but I can still use the playstation instead.

Agreed its Googles fault but TV manufacturers will have to learn to respond better to third party apps stopping working

[grahamlthompson]

Youtube informed all manufacturers 12 months ago that API V2 would be withdrawn this April and to upgrade to API V3.

http://youtube-eng.blogspot.co.uk/20...-api-v3_4.html

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

Youtube informed all manufacturers 12 months ago that API V2 would be withdrawn this April and to upgrade to API V3.

But they provide them funding to rewrite the software on the affected non-current models?

Presumably any more modern sets will have been designed using the V3 API?, but reassembling a team to rewrite the older software (for no financial gain at all) isn't likely to happen in many cases.

[Mikiex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

But they provide them funding to rewrite the software on the affected non-current models?

Presumably any more modern sets will have been designed using the V3 API?, but reassembling a team to rewrite the older software (for no financial gain at all) isn't likely to happen in many cases.

The sad thing is, converting code from the V2 API to V3 is a really easy job. The other annoying thing is Panasonic TVs downloads its Apps, so while not impossible its not so easy to hack without spoofing the TV with a different server. I've not looked into it enough to be sure.

Also Panasonic older models use ajax-ce and newer use html5 (I think they might support ajax-ce but they are mainly html5). It could be also that the ajax-ce uses flash and youtube are trying to drop flash. (Not 100% sure about that)

I was considering trying to hack the TV, but these days with little add on boxes I think that's probably the route I will go.

[David (2)]

This is the problem with smart features - it seems we just have to be glad that the primary feature of the TV, or smart bluray (or smart whatever) continues to work.

I agree a plug in dongle or box, such as Apple TV is a far better way to go, tho even this is not as good as a proper PC plugged into the TV with an hdmi cord. U can buy a wireless PC keyboard with in built trackpad to control the PC from the arm chair.

I have another question re YouTube....I have their smart app on my 18 month old blu Ray player, and it works (very slowly with s remote control tho), but the search results are very limited compared with the same search on a PC. Do YouTube customise their search results for smart enabled devices.

[Mikiex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David (2)

This is the problem with smart features - it seems we just have to be glad that the primary feature of the TV, or smart bluray (or smart whatever) continues to work.

I agree a plug in dongle or box, such as Apple TV is a far better way to go, tho even this is not as good as a proper PC plugged into the TV with an hdmi cord. U can buy a wireless PC keyboard with in built trackpad to control the PC from the arm chair.

I have another question re YouTube....I have their smart app on my 18 month old blu Ray player, and it works (very slowly with s remote control tho), but the search results are very limited compared with the same search on a PC. Do YouTube customise their search results for smart enabled devices.

The thing I liked about the built in client, was I could quickly switch from TV to Youtube in the adverts and quickly browse the most popular videos of that day. I myself have a PC connected to my TV, but its not always turned on. I'd prefer a low power add on box thats super immediate for youtube and on demand stuff. I've not tested things like nowtv/roku.

On the subject of does youtube customise the results, The results from a search sent to the api can depend a lot on the input. So it's down to what the app sends to youtube in its request.

What differences do you see?

[grahamlthompson]

The latest version of Youtube has the capability to locate the video you want to watch using a smartphone or tablet and instantly switch the stream to a smart TV or set top box. (You just click on the small TV icon)

I have two devices that support this

Humax Freetime PVR's (Mine's a HDR1000s) and a Panasonic AS800 series TV.

The relatively cheap single tuner freetime HB1000S that can record to a usb drive might be a good option for some for Youtube..

[Mikiex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

The latest version of Youtube has the capability to locate the video you want to watch using a smartphone or tablet and instantly switch the stream to a smart TV or set top box. (You just click on the small TV icon)

I have two devices that support this

Humax Freetime PVR's (Mine's a HDR1000s) and a Panasonic AS800 series TV.

The relatively cheap single tuner freetime HB1000S that can record to a usb drive might be a good option for some for Youtube..

That sounds like they run chromecast or a simple implementation of it?
I'm thinking of getting a chromecast just because I need to add support to the youtube parental control app I've been work on for Android.

Maybe Chromecast is a good option, anyone who owns one?

[THOMO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikiex

That sounds like they run chromecast or a simple implementation of it?
I'm thinking of getting a chromecast just because I need to add support to the youtube parental control app I've been work on for Android.

Maybe Chromecast is a good option, anyone who owns one?

I've had Chromecast for about 5 weeks now and it's very good indeed, as my Panasonic TV lost YouTube as well.
Ian.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikiex

That sounds like they run chromecast or a simple implementation of it?
I'm thinking of getting a chromecast just because I need to add support to the youtube parental control app I've been work on for Android.

Maybe Chromecast is a good option, anyone who owns one?

It means they use the latest version of the Youtube API (V3)

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/API.html


The affected kit uses the outdated V2, which is now being retired.

[Mikiex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

It means they use the latest version of the Youtube API (V3)

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/API.html


The affected kit uses the outdated V2, which is now being retired.

Those devices you use may well be V3 compliant, if they have their own YouTube app that you can search using the remote - then sure they do support V3.

But the functionality of playing a video sent from phone doesn't require the YouTube API on the TV at all. This is how Chromecast works, all the API work is done on your phone or tablet.

I'm interested to know, when you send from the YouTube app to the TV does it bring up the standard YouTube app you see on your TV with search functions. Or does it bring up a player where you cannot search for a new video (so you need to send another from the phone).?

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikiex

Those devices you use may well be V3 compliant, if they have their own YouTube app that you can search using the remote - then sure they do support V3.

But the functionality of playing a video sent from phone doesn't require the YouTube API on the TV at all. This is how Chromecast works, all the API work is done on your phone or tablet.

I'm interested to know, when you send from the YouTube app to the TV does it bring up the standard YouTube app you see on your TV with search functions. Or does it bring up a player where you cannot search for a new video (so you need to send another from the phone).?

The TV or set top box displays the current video full screen. The playlist and new video selection remains under the control of the app. You can have multiple users with the same app so others can also add content to the playlist.

It's not the same as using a smartphone built in Youtube app and using the phone screen mirroring. This way all the data is handled via the phone (WiFi connection). Using the app as above means the data is handled by the TV or settop box (Wired in my case).

Not having a chromecast I can't say if it will be recognised as a suitable device.

[skinj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imarsh

What is it with Panasonic and smart apps? Are they trying to destroy/piss off their customer base.

Not only do they not support 4OD, ITVPlayer or 5ondemand, but now my Viera TV cannot access You Tube. This is seriously making me regretting buying a Panasonic product. My replacement will almost certainly not be a Panasonic!

But, is it just me, or are other Panasonic owners having similar problems with ever decreasing access? Let's face it, we pay a premium for the smart element in these TV's. If I have to connect a laptop via an HDMI cable to get these services, I wouldn't have bought a "smart" TV.

BTW: I have emailed Panasonic support for answers to these questions, but the answers I'm receiving would suggest that these people are not technically qualified to do anything other than read from a script.

Firsty, the Panasonic TVs (of your generations) have never had 4OD, ITVPlayer or Demand5 & were never sold with or advertised as having them. To complain that these are not available is pointless & fruitless. Certainly as far as ITV goes, it should be them that you complain to as they choose to accept payments for exclusivity to other manufacturers.

Secondly, the advertising of YouTube & other services on Smart TVs always carries small print such as:
"The services through VIERA CAST™ are operated by their respective service providers, and service may be discontinued either temporarily or permanently without notice. Therefore, Panasonic will make no warranty for the content or the continuity of the services
Although this is annoying, it is making it clear that the services the TVs provide you access to are not controlled by, updated by or removed by the manufacturer of the TVs.

Lastly, at the time of purchase, the set you bought would have cost more than the model beneath it but would not have simply been exactly the same model but with Smart features.
Even now the manufacturers add the Smart TV functionality in to the range along with other improvements to the TV. Chances are that the TV you bought also likely had a higher quality screen, better picture processing, more connections for additional equipment, nicer design, better speakers etc, all of which would have made up the vast majority of any increase in price when compared to the most highly spec'd non Smart TV. Also at the time of purchase an additional device to get smart TV features is likely to have been significantly more than they are now, possibly making up the difference in price between a non-smart & smart TV at the time anyway.

BTW, I'm affected by this issue myself on 2 TVs.