topic Re: External output is blocked in Sky Go

External output is blocked

Micdeb — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:49:35 GMT

Hi all, I'm getting a message on my sky go app on my mobile saying: External display output is blocked, what do I need to do to get this sorted, I have tried installing the app a dozen times as advised but same thing keeps happening, would be very grateful if anyone could help, thanks Mark

Moderator note: subject of thread updated to better reflect the conversation

Re: Message

caesarome — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 08:40:43 GMT

Are you trying to connect the device the Sky Go app is installed on to a TV, if so and you are using a mobile or tablet then it isn't possible to do this as the message says so you will need to disconnect it,

Re: Message

Micdeb — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:30:15 GMT

Hi , It has been connected to my sky box for years, never had this trouble before, I've had it on my phone for years now all of a sudden it giving me that message, I'm totally confused to why, thanks for the message

Re: Message

TimmyBGood — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:48:35 GMT

@Micdeb

The message is referring to an external display (i.e. a television screen) rather than to the 'sky box'.

Do you currently have your phone set to 'cast' or 'mirror' content?

Re: Message

caesarome — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:50:14 GMT

If it is your phone connected to your TV then you have been fortunate that is has worked previously as this is usually blocked due to rights reasons so I'm afraid there is no way to get it working.

If you have a laptop you can install the Sky Go app on it and connect it to a TV as this will work as this is not blocked.

Re: Message

Micdeb — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:44:00 GMT

Thanks for the help much appreciated

Re: Message

Micdeb — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:10:03 GMT

Hi I've just had a new TV which my boy set up for me, can I stop it from blocking me, if so how would I go about that

Re: Message

caesarome — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 15:12:59 GMT

If you want to watch Sky Go via it then as stated above you will need to install the app on a laptop and connect it to the TV otherwise there is no other way to do this.

Re: External output is blocked

Micdeb — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 15:29:09 GMT

Thanks, I use my phone to watch football at work mainly, thanks anyway

Re: Message

Annie+UK — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 15:30:54 GMT

@caesarome wrote:

If you want to watch Sky Go via it then as stated above you will need to install the app on a laptop and connect it to the TV otherwise there is no other way to do this.

Games console (Xbox, Playstation) 😉

Re: External output is blocked

SengaZiggy — Sun, 07 May 2023 23:46:19 GMT

Hi,

I had the same issue but have fixed it.

I went to the skygo app on my phone, held down and went to permissions.

On mine, access to pictures and videos wasn't allowed, I changed this to allowed and presto the app began working.

Device is a Samsung 23 Ultra.

Hope this works!

Re: External output is blocked

BogeyNights — Tue, 30 May 2023 08:05:08 GMT

I've just discovered this "feature" and it's pretty disappointing! We are going on holiday soon, staying within the UK. I was hoping to take my iPad and connect it via HDMI to the TV where we are staying so we can continue to watch Sky TV. I tested it last night and got the external output blocked error.

I don't understand the inconsistency - if I can do this from a laptop (as per an earlier post) why stop me doing it from an iPad? I'm not even screen sharing, I have an HDMI cable going from my iPad (via a dongle) directly to the TV.

We spend a lot of money every month with Sky, I think customers should be entitled to watch content on which ever device they choose. All of Sky's competitors allow it. Seems like another nail in Sky's coffin.

Re: External output is blocked

TimmyBGood — Tue, 30 May 2023 09:52:39 GMT

@BogeyNights wrote:

I don't understand the inconsistency - if I can do this from a laptop (as per an earlier post) why stop me doing it from an iPad? I'm not even screen sharing, I have an HDMI cable going from my iPad (via a dongle) directly to the TV.

We don't know, and Sky won't say (my personal guess is it's a revenue-protection device insisted upon by the executives in charge of the satellite platforms to push extra subscription uptake). All we can do is state that this has always been the case with Sky Go from phones and tablets.

Re: External output is blocked

BogeyNights — Tue, 30 May 2023 10:20:42 GMT

Appreciate the feedback - wasn't expecting an answer, more hoping that this adds to any feedback Sky see/hear. I doubt they particularly care to be honest, but you can live in hope!

I'm not sure how this could drive additional subscription, unless they are trying to stop people casting to the TV down the pub and/or force them to subscribe. But with such a simple workaround as using a laptop (MacOS) rather than phone/tablet (iOS) that seems unlikely or shortsighted.

Sky are losing their grip on subscription TV, the only thing that keeps me there is the sports channel but Prime and BT Sport are drawing level and football has finished for a couple of months. I'm not generally one to flounce, but the upsides to Sky are getting smaller and smaller. I'd be interested to see what their churn rate is over the last 5 years, is that available anywhere?

Re: External output is blocked

TimmyBGood — Tue, 30 May 2023 11:48:27 GMT

@BogeyNights wrote:

I'm not sure how this could drive additional subscription

It prevents subscribers from using Go on phone/tablet as a no-cost version of Multiroom/Multiscreen/Whole Home, which are a considerable revenue source for Sky.

Re: External output is blocked

BogeyNights — Tue, 30 May 2023 12:11:15 GMT

Interesting thanks. Not a very elegant way to do it IMO, rule out a perfectly valid use case (display on a TV when travelling) just to squeeze money out of people.

Re: External output is blocked

TimmyBGood — Tue, 30 May 2023 12:17:45 GMT

@BogeyNights wrote:

just to squeeze money out of people.

Well, that is kind of the point of being in business ; )

Like I said, Sky never confirms such things, but I think it's possible to extrapolate from the requirement for Xbox, Playstation and Apple TV hardware to have the additional subscription in place.

Re: External output is blocked

BogeyNights — Tue, 30 May 2023 13:01:17 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:
Well, that is kind of the point of being in business ; )

Yes but no. Businesses that openly squeeze people earn no loyalty, which is fine if you have little competition but that is changing fast. Better to find the right balance.

Like I said, Sky never confirms such things, but I think it's possible to extrapolate from the requirement for Xbox, Playstation and Apple TV hardware to have the additional subscription in place.

But no requirement for laptops and PCs? Inconsistent. I think you're right though, consoles and ATV are an opportunity for them to capture new business through kids in their bedrooms. They probably can't figure out how to differentiate between an external screen (TV) attached to a laptop/PC and a monitor, so it's easier to leave that be (and no doubt a far smaller problem to have to worry about).

Problem is, there's little that Sky offer that others don't now. We are maxed out on Sky Q boxes in our house so I bought a Roku stick for my son to use in his bedroom. It's brilliant, and if he goes to stay at a friends house he can take it with him (along with all of our other subscriptions) and they can watch movies etc there.

Re: External output is blocked

Annie+UK — Tue, 30 May 2023 13:10:00 GMT

It's harder to restrict HDMI out on a PC than a mobile device

Re: External output is blocked

TimmyBGood — Tue, 30 May 2023 13:37:43 GMT

@BogeyNights wrote:

@TimmyBGood wrote:

Like I said, Sky never confirms such things, but I think it's possible to extrapolate from the requirement for Xbox, Playstation and Apple TV hardware to have the additional subscription in place.

But no requirement for laptops and PCs? Inconsistent. I think you're right though, consoles and ATV are an opportunity for them to capture new business through kids in their bedrooms. They probably can't figure out how to differentiate between an external screen (TV) attached to a laptop/PC and a monitor, so it's easier to leave that be (and no doubt a far smaller problem to have to worry about).

As @Annie+UK indicates, detecting and blocking external HDMI output is a built-in function of Android and iOS, and so trivial for an app developer to implement. Doing so on Windows or OSX is considerably more problematic.