iPlayer on Fire TV

vaderag

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I've just purchased a Fire TV Cube to upgrade my 4k stick and I'm having real issues on iPlayer

The iPlayer app has only just been updated so I'm trying to work out if this is an issue with my new cube or simply a but in the new app

Basically I'll start playing something and within the first few seconds to minutes (it changes) it'll pause.
Sometimes I can just resume and see a brief resolution drop, but sometimes it's will completely mess up and act as if I've watched the entire program giving me the next button

It does this on pretty much everything on iPlayer, and sometimes incessantly

Anyone else experiencing this?
 
Looks like it may be a known issue

Still not convinced it's not the Cube since I'm having all sorts of funky behaviour with it...
 
I have the Fire TV Cube.

One of the main reasons i bought it recently, was that the BBC support it for iPlayer UHD playback.

I have just discovered today, that it plays back UHD bitrate on my 1080p Sony tv @ up to 31mbps, nice.

Still not a fan of the DOG's though. Even the new smaller one does't line up on content, especially BBC Sport.

Thus, i don't really use it for iPlayer that much and haven't noticed any more buffering than normal.

YouTube HDR content looks great though, better than Prime content and the only box i know of, apart from the MacBook, that seems to do it for me, bonus.
 
4k Firestick Max which was on offer last week for £39 will do BBC i-player in UHD where the standard current 4k firestick won't.
 
FWIW, iPlayer is working faultlessly on my Fire TV cube.
 
Does that include HLG HDR on iPlayer UHD ?
My comment was referring to the pause glitch mentioned by Vaderag.

I use a 1080p projector so I don’t need HDR or UHD.
 
Just got a FireTV cube in the Prime Day sale. Having major issues with UHD / HDR / HLG content, either doesn't play at all or a stream will kick in for 20 seconds and then cuts to black (which sets off the LGs "no display detected" mode). Sometimes signal comes back, sometimes it doesn't. Any ideas what's going on?

Forcing standard definition in the settings has fixed it but now obviously lost all the benefits of HD / 4K HDR.
 
Just got a FireTV cube in the Prime Day sale. Having major issues with UHD / HDR / HLG content, either doesn't play at all or a stream will kick in for 20 seconds and then cuts to black (which sets off the LGs "no display detected" mode). Sometimes signal comes back, sometimes it doesn't. Any ideas what's going on?

Forcing standard definition in the settings has fixed it but now obviously lost all the benefits of HD / 4K HDR.
YES - Another person!

I have been arguing with BBC that this is an issue for MONTHS...
See the comment thread here - you are not alone...

You can fix it (temporarily) by switching from Automatic res to fixed resolution (4k 60 fixed will work), but that setting will reset itself at some point too

The issue is exclusive to iPlayer but they don't want to take responsibility, instead blaming Amazon...

I suggest you reach out to iPlayer support to raise this issue, I have literally provided them every troubleshooting step, every log, videos, feedback etc and they say they can't replicate.
The only way this is going to get solved is with noise...
 
Very interesting. Can confirm switching the fire TV cubes main setting to 2160p 60hz also fixed it as well (as does setting iPlayer app to only display in SD) and can confirm that Fire TV Cube doesn't store this setting indefinitely for some unknown reason.

Definitely an iPlayer + Amazon problem but very repeatable and obvious cause of display modes not aligning.

That link you sent also has people reporting "buffering" issues which is 100% a different issue. Maybe the iPlayer support people got confused that this is a a display issue not a connectivity/ cache issue?

What's the best way of reaching them?
 
Very interesting. Can confirm switching the fire TV cubes main setting to 2160p 60hz also fixed it as well (as does setting iPlayer app to only display in SD) and can confirm that Fire TV Cube doesn't store this setting indefinitely for some unknown reason.

Definitely an iPlayer + Amazon problem but very repeatable and obvious cause of display modes not aligning.

That link you sent also has people reporting "buffering" issues which is 100% a different issue. Maybe the iPlayer support people got confused that this is a a display issue not a connectivity/ cache issue?

What's the best way of reaching them?
Yeah, the thread has a few others with different issues but iPlayer support should definitely not be confused, I've explained the issue to them in depth with all sorts of evidence and steps to repeat.

Best way to reach them (best is a relative term here) is via live chat, but that didn't get me as far as via the email web form, so honestly I'd do both

Btw, iPlayer SD will do it, it just takes a lot longer and less frequent
 
I thought there are 2 versions of the Cube and only one is supported by the BBC, for UHD?
 
I thought there are 2 versions of the Cube and only one is supported by the BBC, for UHD?
UHD doesn't have anything to do with it specifically..the issue occurs on all media they're both supposed to be supported anyway
 
I'm having the same issue on my new firestick, can someone tell me how I can switch resolutions for Iplayer please?

Thanks
 
I'm having the same issue on my new firestick, can someone tell me how I can switch resolutions for Iplayer please?

Thanks
You have to do it across the board.
Settings -> Display & audio > resolution
 
i-player in 4k will not work on all 4k firestick, I know the current one and possibly the previous version will only do I player in 1080 it has been taken off the 4k firestick by amazon 1-2 years ago. Earlier 4k firesticks can do UHD BBC.

The only current firestick that does BBC 4k is the 4k Firestick Max and they are on offer today as a prime deal at £32 down from usual £54.
 
Right I did what was suggested and even went as low as 720p 50hz and still the same.

I also tried resetting the device every time I changed the resolution and still nothing.
 
Are we using wi-fi or lan?
 
Right I did what was suggested and even went as low as 720p 50hz and still the same.

I also tried resetting the device every time I changed the resolution and still nothing.
Sounds like you have a different issue then I'm afraid
 
My Cube came with a Internet LAN wired connection adapter.

Seems to help my connection.
 
These are the two fixes for the display mode issue:

IMG20220715202639.jpg
  • FireTV CUBE settings - set to 2160p 60hz other than Automatic.
  • Benefits: allows iPlayer to play UHD/HDR content
  • Downsides: FireTV Cube forgets that you've done this and reverts to automatic again. Infuriating.

IMG20220715202731.jpg
  • IPLAYER settings - set to standard definition.
  • Benefits: fixes iPlayer display issues. Setting is saved indefinitely.
  • Downsides: potato-quality television

Neither of these are good workarounds which the BBC tech support have admitted to me. They write:

"This is a known issue and our engineers are in discussion with Amazon to try and fix it but unfortunately, there is not a time frame for when this will be done."

Just hope and pray!
 
These are the two fixes for the display mode issue:

View attachment 1725117
  • FireTV CUBE settings - set to 2160p 60hz other than Automatic.
  • Benefits: allows iPlayer to play UHD/HDR content
  • Downsides: FireTV Cube forgets that you've done this and reverts to automatic again. Infuriating.

View attachment 1725118
  • IPLAYER settings - set to standard definition.
  • Benefits: fixes iPlayer display issues. Setting is saved indefinitely.
  • Downsides: potato-quality television

Neither of these are good workarounds which the BBC tech support have admitted to me. They write:

"This is a known issue and our engineers are in discussion with Amazon to try and fix it but unfortunately, there is not a time frame for when this will be done."

Just hope and pray!
I didn't find that SD on iPlayer worked but I didn't test it for long. I don't want to watch in SD, so the other fix has become habit before we watch iPlayer

I think the only way BBC prioritise is with reports so I would very anyone with this issue to report it like you have! It's still not listed on their known issue page
 

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