Problems since the July 2021 update

[Peter+Pollard]

Since the July 2021 update, the Iplayer app refuses to show subtitles and I need them so badly! My neighbour five doors away also has the same problem with the subtitles. I have content the iPlayer support who say that are now responsible for a "3rd party app" and I have also spent the best part of one hour with a Sky support person who in the end sorry, I cannot think of anything else to try.

I am extremely deaf so this is important to me.

Has anyone else had this issue?

[lettice]

Firstly the BBC iPlayer app is supported by the BBC not Sky.
Are you talking about the iPlayer app on the Sky Q box?

Which July 2021 update are your referring to. Is this the Sky Q update?

[Peter+Pollard]

@lettice 

Yes, I am talking about the iPlayer app on the Home button of the Sky Q box. I am assuming that there was a July update because the way I have to turn subtitles on for all I watch, changed in July and is now slightly more complicated to achieve. I did contact the BBC Iplayer support people before I contacted anyone else and after a short exchange of emails, they said that they could not be held responsible for 3rd party apps. I thought this to be disappointing as surely they would be concerned if there was an issue with their app no matter who was using it.

I have reset the Sky Q box and have also tried to refresh the apps, all to no avail.

[lettice]

Once you are inside the Sky Q BBC iPlayer app, 
Choose something to start playing.
Then on your remote control hit the middle select button, this will pause the video.
Press the up key so it goes to the top, where you have three icons on the top right, select the second one by using the right key (it says subtitles and settings. Select the pink highlighted subtitles, that will turn subtitles on/off there.

Just tried it Myself (as I do not normally run with subtitles on) and it is working fine. 

[Peter+Pollard]

@lettice 

Thank you, I have done that countless times and all without success. It is strange that my neighbour five doors away also has the same issue with her Sky Q box.

I really appreciate you taking the time and trouble to contact me. The subtitles are working on live and recorded programmes (if of course, they are available). It is just the iPlayer app that has ceased to function. I was an enthusiastic user of the iplayer app until the problem but now if I want to watch catchup, I have to come into my computer room and watch from my PC

[lettice]

When you go back into that subtitle menu after selecting it, is it showing as ticked?

It shows a tick when it it is on, off when it is off.

You should also see a quick subtitles on flash on whan you select the pink button.

Also, 

In the iPlayer app, can you go into the main settings menu, selectable from the top menu and choose Help>System information.
What application and Big Version does it show?

[Invisiblename]

@Peter+Pollard  Do you have a smart TV? If so, you could use the iPlayer from the TV's app

[Peter+Pollard]

@lettice @Invisiblename 

Hello again,

Yes, I have just been in on the Sky Q box and it shows ticked and the words says remove. When I select it to remove and then select to add, nothing flashes on but the word changes from Add to remove.

The application is: 21.57.4.0 and Bigscreen version is: 4.19.1

I have evn tried the Beta version as well but no better result.

Because I am very deaf, I hve contacted Sky Accessibilty  yesterday and they have responded and are sending an engineer this Thursday morning.

I have a smart tv and the subtitles failed on that at the same time as they did on the Sky Q box. I usually used the Sky Q version as it was more convenient but have used both in the past. When I check the version and big settings on the TV app, they are the same.

One thing I have noted recently is that the procedure for selecting subtitles on iplayer has changed. Previously you had to go to the bottom of the screen for the subtitles and now you have to go to the top. Before this change, everything was fine.

Thank you both for you help with this matter. I am 75 but have been around computers for 40 years and this has me foxed! Let's see what the Sky engineer makes of it. My smart TV is a Sony KD55XD8599. I have a friend who lives about 25 miles away and I actually travelled over to see her and whilst she does not have Sky Q, her subtitles on the TV iplayer have also failed to work!

I will let you know what happens after Thursday's visit.

[lettice]

Ok,

That version is the most up to date BBC iPlayer version for Smart devices like TVs and Sky boxes..
Interesting its failing on your Sony TV iPlayer as well.

Sounds a very annoying problem.
Good to see you have an engineer who can have a look.

See your Sony TV had quite a big firmware update in April 2021.

The only mention of iPlayer in that firmware was;

• Resolves poor video quality on BBC iPlayer when using Watch from start feature

Firmware update to v5.457 | Sony UK

Not sure that is related though, but would not rule it out completely..

Do you have a second TV that you can plug into the Sky q box temporarily to test, just to see if the Sky Q box can display subtitles?

If you do you will need to power off the sky q box between changes. 

It may be worth a try contacting BBC iPlayer team again.

You can contact BBC iPlayer team via a  live chat or via email here;
How can I contact BBC iPlayer Support or give feedback? | iPlayer help

For live chat, any ad blocker has to be turned off in order for it to work.

[Peter+Pollard]

@lettice 

Thank you once again, the second TV is on Sky multiroom and that also fails to show Iplayer subtitles on the Sky Q box. I wonder if the fault might be with the Q box.

I really appreciate you taking all this trouble to help me. It makes me think that perhaps I should have turned off auto-updates for the TV?

Your idea to try another TV is a good one, I have other TV's and will try it and will let you know.

Thank you so much for your help.

Peter

[Peter+Pollard]

@lettice 

@Invisiblename 

The Sky engineer called this morning and after explaining my problem, he tried himself without success. After ten minutes or so of looking at different programmes on iplayer with no result, he went back to the menus at the top of the screen and accessed the middle icon which is the one to set the size of the subtitles. All he did then was press the Enter/OK button on the Sky control pad and a statement popped up to say Subtitles On. The Add/Remove icon does absolutely nothing! Everything has to be done from the middle icon, both adding and removing. What a farce iPlayer engineers have caused! Why add a button that does nothing? Needless to say, the subs on my smart TV Iplayer app are now working again.

Please accept my sincere thanks for taking the time and the trouble to offer your assistance, it really is very much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Peter

[SDR]

@Peter+Pollard  Can you help me? While my subtitles are on I can't find anymore the menu you have now found.

[Peter+Pollard]

Hello Stuart,

The icons can be found by pressing the up button on your controller after logging into Iplayer and selecting something to watch. I appreciate that you might have difficulties in seeing the icons, they are in white at the top-left of the screen.

The middle icon is the one you need to go to, once inside it you can see subtitle size choices. Once there just press the centre button on the up/down/left/right cluster on your TV controller and that will either add the subtitles or take them way if they are already working.

I took a couple of pictures but it does not look like I can attach anything to these words.

[SDR]

@Peter+Pollard  Ah thank you but I only see the one icon. The text one are these others on the Beta version I wonder. Why have they changed it without telling us