Sky Glass Air wants to sign into BBC iplayer but I'm already signed in

[groupcaptain]

About every 3 times I want to view a BBC programme, the Sky Glass wants to sign into iPlayer for no reason. I'm already signed in. Why is this?

[Fothergill1]

Hi @groupcaptain and welcome to the forum.  There are a couple of things that might resolve the problem a reset of your Glass TV and refresh of the apps.  I would suggest doing both but do the restart first so that it does not interrupt the App refresh.

To do a restart go to Settings > System Management > Resets & Updates > Restart device.  It takes a couple of minutes to completely reboot and you will have a blank screen for a couple of minutes before the Sky logo appears.

To refresh the Apps you need the same menu but select Refresh Apps.  This can take a few hours to finish but is done in the background so you can continue using the Glass TV.  I tend to do an App refresh overnight.

Good luck.

[groupcaptain]

Thanks. I've given this a try. As the performance is unpredictable, i cannot tell if it has helped so far.

[Gincap]

Iplayer requires you to sign in very frequently unlike other apps it is just a requirement of iplayer.  

[groupcaptain]

Thanks. The issue is not just having to sign in. When I select a BBC programme, if iPlayer wants a sign in, it forgets what programme I have selected and once signed in, I am at the iPlayer opening menu. I then have to either navigate to my programme from there or go back out to the Sky menu and find my programme again. Then it decides to do a preview of something else which I have to cancel, then I get my programme (by which time I've got fed up!). I have a Sky Glass Air TV and a Puck; the behaviour is the same on both.

[Gincap]

With Glass & Stream if the iplayer app is closed and you select a program from the Sky menus you are right in that it just opens the iplayer but not direct to the program you've selected. This I believe to be a "feature" between Sky and iplayer processing. 

If the iplayer is open so in effect you can see it open on the top rail home menu and select a program from the Sky menu it then does go directly to the program selected and plays.  

Iplayer nearly always play trailers ahead of the program you've selected but you can skip this. 

What you are describing is the way it is sadly but I do think there is a glitch in my first point above, this does not happen with my firestick or Apple TV.  

[groupcaptain]

Thanks for that. How do I make sure the iPlayer stays open? I was unaware that the system could keep apps open like a Mac or PC.

[Fothergill1]

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@groupcaptain wrote:

Thanks. The issue is not just having to sign in. When I select a BBC programme, if iPlayer wants a sign in, it forgets what programme I have selected and once signed in, I am at the iPlayer opening menu. I then have to either navigate to my programme from there or go back out to the Sky menu and find my programme again. Then it decides to do a preview of something else which I have to cancel, then I get my programme (by which time I've got fed up!). I have a Sky Glass Air TV and a Puck; the behaviour is the same on both.

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Hi again @groupcaptain There is currently an issue with the iPlayer which as of yesterday is being investigated by Sky.  It sounds as though (other than the constant signing in) that you are encountering this issue.

When you select a BBC programmed from your Playlist, continue watching or watch from start you are being taken to the iPlayer home page instead of the actual programme you want.  If you get out of iPlayer and select the programme for a second time it takes you direct to the programme you selected.

As far as signing in all the time that is definitely sousn't sound right.  I had my puck replaced last July and had to sign back into all my Apps again on the new puck and I have not had to sign into iPlayer again since then.  If the refresh apps doesn't help and I was in your position I would try deleting my iPlayer account and set it up again but that seems a bit drastic..

[groupcaptain]

Thanks. Let's hope Sky get this fixed. I am new to this product having just switched from Sky-Q so my initial reaction was to think it was me that was at fault but beginning to learn that this new tech cannot be trusted which is a bit dissappointing. If it continues like this, it seems I might need to consider just using a Smart TV and manually navigating apps?

[Fothergill1]

Hi @groupcaptain  You mention you have just moved from Sky Q so i'm guessing you might still be within your 31 day cooling off period. If that is the case you are not happy can cancel within 31 days and return to Sky Q.

Glass/stream is certainly not perfect and there is a significant learning experience but I don't have any more issues than I had with Sky Q.  @Gincap who is also replying to your posts on this thread actually gave me a lot of assistance when I first moved to Glass in July 2022.

[groupcaptain]

Thanks. I am now beyond the 31 days and had considered reverting to Sky-Q whilst in the cooling off period. However, as I understand it, the satelittes used will be retired at some point and another method will be required so judged it better to move now than be forced to when older and less able to adapt to a new technology than I am now (if that's possible...).

Do the apps like iPlayer update themselves automatically or is the rebuild option required to be run?

Can the revision level of each app be displayed?

You and Gincap have been of great assistance and it is really appreciated.

[Gincap]

Generally apps have a version no. Under settings my iplayer is currently 40.12.2.0 with a build date of 16th Dec at 14:50.  I'm running the beta version. 

Generally updates just happen  but you can run the refresh apps in the Sky settings menu to flush changes through but it all works in the background with no info of updates if any.  

You're right as regards streaming being the future so it's worth getting in early. Sky has improved since the early days but the system is still surprisingly flaky in places which can drive a user to dispair 🙄

[groupcaptain]

Thanks. Is that iPlayer in the Sky system or on a computer? I cannot find versions on the Sky kit.

[Fothergill1]

@groupcaptain  I see I am on the same iPlayer version as @Gincap

Theses updates occur automatically but you can check your version of iPlayer by opening the App and moving to the menus on left hand side.  Move down to setting at the bottom and the Syste info (again at the bottom).

[Yoghurt]

@groupcaptain  Mines been fine hopefully I don't get that issue