First Channel 4, and now Channel 5

[#1]

On demand Channel 4 went AWOL from my 'newish' Panasonic smart television a liitle while back and today I note that On Demand Channel 5 has scooted off as as well.

What's going on?

Is it something to do with Panasonic helping Netflix (it's an option on my remote control) to squeeze the viewing market in their direction, or is something else afoot that we need to be told about.

It's damned annoying I know that.   

[#2]

The All4 app on my ipad changed quite a bit in the last week or two. Could it be that they have updated and either moved as as to where you get to them, or its somehow failed? I've not got a Panasonic TV, but on my Samsung Smart TVs I've got an app store of sorts. Does the Panasonic TV have something similar? Do they show up in there?

[#3]

Yes it has an app store and I'm sure I tried to get All4 back with no success.

Channel 5 On Demand I'll try later?

[#4]

Stiil seems to be on my Kindle, checked and both apps have gone from the menu on the Panasonic, and have just Googled (as you do) for some info and it seems that it is on certain platfoms on certain televisions - which tells me a little of nothing.

All I need to know is why. 

It's a bit like a report I read earlier in the week that Tesco has removed software support for those first generation Huddle's. Do a factory reset for whatever reason and that's it, the Huddle will no longer work, ever!

[#5]

Hello Everyone

Not sure if this helps but since 25-02-2019 lots of people on the nowtv website reporting problems with the app

Posted on 03-03-2019

"We are sorry to read that you have been experiencing issues accessing All 4 via Now TV. We must advise that we have been made aware on an issue effecting this model. However, we have passed on your information and feedback to our engineers who are working on fixing this as soon as possible. We would like to thank you for your patience while we work on resolving this issue.

We apologise once again for any disruption this may have caused and hope you find this information useful."

Kara Bush All 4 Support

Posted today

"All4 is a third party app so NOW TV don't have any responsibility here.

All4 are the developers and responsible for any issues so any complaints need to go to them."

Good luck

[#6]

My 2012 Panasonic only has BBC iPlayer catchup and Panasonic have never provided any other. I think that is probably more to do with encouraging people to upgrade to new TVs. But I won't do that until it conks out. I have put together a really quiet PC which i connected to my TV via HDMI so If I want to view 4 or 5 or ITV I can use that. However, I don't like adverts so I generally record on my PVR instead so as to skip them.

[#7]

Just a thought as the Mrs mentioned it, would one of those Amazon sticks give us Channel Four and Five on demand channels without actaully subscribing to Amazon.

We used to have one of those sticks but gave it to one of our daughters when we bought our smart TV only to see a few short months later those two channels going off. 

Miffed, irritated and feeling just a bit cheated but then maybe that's down to Panasonic. 

[#8]

it certainly gives you channel 4 (according to the image) so I'm assuming channel 5 will be there as well.

[#9]

@dvorak 

Without subscribing? 

They also seem to do a couple of sticks, any idea which one might be needed?

Not that comfortable with those Alexa one either.

Cheers.

PS. Maybe Chromecast or similar is the answer.

[#10]

iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4 and My5 are all available on the Amazon Fire TV devices and no you don't need to subscribe to Amazon to use them.

I'd personally buy a Roku instead though

[#11]

@DaveyH 

Thanks, will check 'em out.

PS. I just want my Ch5 and Ch5 on demand back, damn you to hell Panasonic! 

[#12]

---

@Minivanman wrote:

Just a thought as the Mrs mentioned it, would one of those Amazon sticks give us Channel Four and Five on demand channels without actaully subscribing to Amazon.

That what I have, you can get the apps for 4 and 5 and you don't have to be using Amazon Prime. Although I don't use On Demand on 4. They wanted to know not only my name etc but also address, DOB. It's a bl88dy TV channel I'm registering for, not my bank.

[#13]

Ah right.

As said I used to have both of those on 'demand channels' on my Panasonic but now they have gone and I cannot download them from the app market, which is really annoying. Also tried Amazon Prime free trial but more often than not it would jump back to the terrestrial menu when I tried to watch anything. Did the usual on/off reinstall malarky but nothing worked.

[#14]

@Minivanman  This thread on AVForums might be worth a few minutes of your time.

It seems you are not alone, and at least one person on that forum got Panasonic to buy them a Roku box afet complaining on their FB page.

[#15]

It happens to all smart TVs eventually, as APIs get deprecated etc you lose services, it's happened with YouTube and iPlayer too in the past.

The best advice is to never buy a TV for its smart features, and reckon on buying an external stick or box at some point