Sony TVS, and YouTube app being terminated on the 20th April

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mattwnz

20141 posts

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#168533 17-Mar-2015 13:28

My parents have got a sony TV and one of the reasons they purchased it over other tvs, was because it was advertised as having youtube built in, so they could watch youtube on it, without needing any addon box. But it looks like the sony app for you tube will stop working on the 20th April. The TV is a little over 2 years old. Apparently their newer tvs don't have this problem, as they have a newer youtube app. But doesn't look like sony are going to update older models with this new app. The newer models apparently have 2 youtube apps, the older version and the newer one. So now to watch youtube, they will need to buy an addon box like an appletv or chromecast. I am wondering what the legal rights are with this sort of thing, as it was advertised as having youtube built in, and 2 years isn't a long life for it. Anyone else affected by this? Does totally turn you off smarttvs, if the apps stop working this soon after purhcase. I notice that the NZ sony website don't mention that youtube is being phased out at all, but the tv does have a note by the app that youtube will cease work on the 20th of april, and to go to the youtube website for more information. But the youtube website doesn't give any info on a solution, and it looks like sony are putting the responsibility onto youtube for it.

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#1261038 17-Mar-2015 13:45

Are you sure the app can not be updated?
Have you checked under the settings that updates are enabled on the TV?

Personally I would not pay extra for a 'smart' TV as I would not expect the manufacturer to release software updates for all that long.
Probably better with your own separate 'smart' device - A laptop or media computer.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

mattwnz

20141 posts

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#1261053 17-Mar-2015 13:49

Yeap, it has all the updates, and it was probably the update that pushed the termination message to it. There is a newer youtube app, but sony aren't providing it to older models. Their tv is on the wall, so they don't have space for boxes, and have it connected via the LAN. But 2 years is a pitiful small amount of time. Youtube still works on on old ipod touch, and that is 5 years old, so I would think 5 years would be the minimum support time for something like youtube.

hio77

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#1261058 17-Mar-2015 13:55

20th of april is when google is meant to be pulling support for the Youtube API 2.0 which was deprecated March 4th 2014.

The app will need to be updated to 3.0 or it will, stop working indeed.

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mattwnz

20141 posts

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#1261062 17-Mar-2015 13:58

hio77: 20th of april is when google is meant to be pulling support for the Youtube API 2.0 which was deprecated March 4th 2014.

The app will need to be updated to 3.0 or it will, stop working indeed.

So looks like sony have known about this for a while. Sony do have a newer app, but the problem is that they aren't providing it to older models. I believe new models have both the new and old app.

hio77

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#1261065 17-Mar-2015 13:59

mattwnz:
hio77: 20th of april is when google is meant to be pulling support for the Youtube API 2.0 which was deprecated March 4th 2014.

The app will need to be updated to 3.0 or it will, stop working indeed.

So looks like sony have known about this for a while. Sony do have a newer app, but the problem is that they aren't providing it to older models. I believe new models have both the new and old app.

one sure way to get another purchase outta people eh? ;)

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n4

959 posts

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#1261070 17-Mar-2015 14:03

Hmm better check my Sony Bluray player then. Not that I care about Youtube really, we only use it for Netflix and Vudu.

Samsung Note20 Ultra, on 2degrees

mattwnz

20141 posts

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#1261076 17-Mar-2015 14:05

hio77:
mattwnz:
hio77: 20th of april is when google is meant to be pulling support for the Youtube API 2.0 which was deprecated March 4th 2014.

The app will need to be updated to 3.0 or it will, stop working indeed.

So looks like sony have known about this for a while. Sony do have a newer app, but the problem is that they aren't providing it to older models. I believe new models have both the new and old app.

one sure way to get another purchase outta people eh? ;)

Does turn you off the sony brand. Especially as you can't install third party apps on the TV which may provide a solution.

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wellygary

8312 posts

Uber Geek

#1261078 17-Mar-2015 14:09

Basically Google giveth and Google taketh away,

They have depreceated V2 af the Data API,

Sony can't/won't re write their App,, but the fact Sony advertise a white and a black app, and only the black app will die

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/content/cnt-hn/prd-tvhc/youtube-app-announcement

makes me think it is a case of can't rather than won't.

Essentially the pre 2012 devices cannot run the new software,

Welcome to the world of Software as a service and everything is at the whim of the provider.

Whether you could argue that the TV is no longer fit for purpose under the CGA is probably a stretch.

cb1

336 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1261081 17-Mar-2015 14:12

There is actually some info on Sony's website, but you seem to need to go to the support page for the specific tv model e.g. for the KDL-32CX520. All affected Sony models are listed here

Also, it's not just Sony - Panasonic are in the same situation. http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/info/yt/en.html

It appears it's Google /Youtube not supporting the old version any longer and the manufacturers not changing to the new version

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1261090 17-Mar-2015 14:26

cb1: There is actually some info on Sony's website, but you seem to need to go to the support page for the specific tv model e.g. for the KDL-32CX520. All affected Sony models are listed here

Also, it's not just Sony - Panasonic are in the same situation. http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/info/yt/en.html

It appears it's Google /Youtube not supporting the old version any longer and the manufacturers not changing to the new version

You have to wonder why they haven't put it on their main news page. Looks like a lot of models maybe affected.

The strange thing is they have only notified it in Jan 2015, but as per a post above, they would have known about it nearly a year ago.

From the panasonic website, they are saying that it is youtube who is terminating access. But really isn't it the manufacturer who is not updating their app to run the new API, or their older devices not being compatible to run that newer app? Or is it a licensing thing, where the newer API needs a new license for the device. There isn't a great deal of detail on it.

This will probably make the news when the apps on peoples tvs stop working, and the kids can no longer access youtube. Certainly it is a very handy feature, and it works really well. Wonder how long the life will be for other apps on it like quickflix, ziln , netflix etc.

Bung

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#1261137 17-Mar-2015 15:38

I had a problem with a feature on a 2013 LG tv. The LG product manager strung me along for about 4 months saying that LG were working on a fix before he had to admit that the 2014 models had a completely new OS and any work on old apps was dead. The app in question still didn't work properly on the new models. Everything built in is probably a pipe dream.

hio77

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#1261160 17-Mar-2015 16:11

Hate to say it, but this is kinda why im not keen on 'smart tvs'

Media streaming is generally the point that gets me, Although TVs may support it, they often lack features like DTS which atlest IMO, makes them useless for it and the console sitting next to it should be used instead.

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Glassboy

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#1261167 17-Mar-2015 16:33

mattwnz: Yeap, it has all the updates, and it was probably the update that pushed the termination message to it. There is a newer youtube app, but sony aren't providing it to older models. Their tv is on the wall, so they don't have space for boxes, and have it connected via the LAN. But 2 years is a pitiful small amount of time. Youtube still works on on old ipod touch, and that is 5 years old, so I would think 5 years would be the minimum support time for something like youtube.

Any properly wall mounted TV has space for a Roku in a bracket. Likewise if it has USB and HDMI ports you have room for many types of streaming devices.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1261168 17-Mar-2015 16:36

hio77: Hate to say it, but this is kinda why im not keen on 'smart tvs'

Media streaming is generally the point that gets me, Although TVs may support it, they often lack features like DTS which atlest IMO, makes them useless for it and the console sitting next to it should be used instead.

I don't disagree. Although my parents could have saved a couple of hundred, and purhcased a regualr TV and spent the difference on an apple TV. I could imagine the uproar if youtube just stopped working on an apple TV. These TV manufacturers have created these smart features as a point of difference to sell their devices over their competitors. So they really need to stand behind the smart features and continue to support them for the life of the device, especially as they are advertised features,and the advertising doesn't mention that they have an expiry date on them.

heylinb4nz

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#1261169 17-Mar-2015 16:36

I gave up on Smart TV apps, for $130 extra on price of your TV the Roku 3 is so much better in terms of speed, reliability and all the other features you get. I run 2 of them !!!.

As i've said before a major TV manufacturer needs to team up with Roku and start shipping them either built in or in the box with TV.

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