This topic

BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 20:15:43 GMT

Hi,

I recently signed up for BT Sport Monthly Pass and purchased a new "Google Chromecast with Google TV" which connected fine. When I try and watch football on BT Sport Ultimate it will buffer after a while and when I come out of it I can't get back in to 4K only HD.

When I run the BT Device checker it sometimes has a cross for 4K sometimes has a tick, but can only get back to 4K by restarting the chromecast and even that sometimes won't work.

BT Sport Ultimate always works when logging in on my phone which is connected to same WiFi, all other apps work fine.

Is there anything I can do to help this? Or do I need to return it and try an Amazon firestick or Roku streaming stick?

Thanks

Scott

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 20:51:15 GMT

Chromecast with Google TV has a known bug - it decides on the capabilities of your display when it boots up. If your TV isn't switched on when it boots, it'll fail to offer full features in the BT Sport app.

I can't think why you wouldn't be able to get into Ultimate immediately after leaving the stream and trying to rejoin though, unless the event you were watching had just finished.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 20:59:53 GMT

Thanks Darren, TV is always turned on before booting it, so not sure what's causing it. But I guess the BT Sport app thinks my connection is not good enough for 4K so doesn't allow me to view it just HD. The Man Utd game tonight, was working fine then came out of the app at HT when I went back in for second half could only view BT Sport 1 HD 😞

Ran a speedtest from an app downloaded on the Chromecast and it showed 47mb download and 20mb upload, the dongle in my TV is about 3m from my router so should be fine.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 21:57:53 GMT

It never uses network speed when deciding whether to offer Ultimate or not. It's based on device capability, account eligibility, and event availability. It's there on the device checker as an indication of whether it's likely to work or not.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:02:00 GMT

Hmmm, wonder why I sometimes can't access BT Ultimate then?

Could you check everything is ok with my account please? I have PM'd you my BT ID.

Thanks

Scott

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:10:49 GMT

On the device checker there are 3 columns indicating availability. If the account column is ticked there then your account is ok.
I'll not be at my desk until Tuesday. I can ask the team then if there are any potential reasons for it not being offered for the second half.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:16:47 GMT

OK thanks, appreciate the replies, yeah if I run the device checker again and again, the only one that changes is the 4K column, which is usually ticked but sometimes shows a cross. So thought it was not being offered due to this.

Are you saying BT Sport Ultimate should always be avaiilable even if the cross is shown under 4K, it may just buffer etc, but should always show BT Sport Utimate in bottom corner not BT Sport 1 HD (obviouly assuming its a game thats on Ultimate)

Will test again with the Man City game on Tuesday night.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:46:22 GMT

In the 4k column there are 3 rows - which rows are showing a cross against 4k?

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:50:22 GMT

Only ever this one, but if i run it again and again sometimes it will be a tick sometimes a cross, but only ever that one changes. All other 8 are always ticked.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 23:02:27 GMT

Ok so nothing that would stop the app from offering you Ultimate.
I'll see if our logs can offer any indication as to why you weren't prompted.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 23:14:17 GMT

Great thanks Darren, I couldn't get BT through my Sky Q subscription as wanted to view the games in 4K on BT Sport Ultimate despite the 20-30 second delay, without this, the dongle/monthly pass would not be needed, so really need this to work.

It worked fine for Che/West Brom and Utd/Brighton when first turning on the dongle and viewing from pre-kickoff, albeit with some rare annoying buffering, not sure why once I came off and went back on could only access HD though.

Not sure why the connection X is showing at all though due to my high speeds, I could try an Amazon 4K Firestick/Roku Streaming Stick+ to see if any different but went with this one at your recommendation 🙂

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:14:47 GMT

@DarrenDev did you manage to find any reason for the issue I was having?

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:37:28 GMT

Ah yes, sorry. Forgot to update here.

Our ops teams are continuously monitoring all our channels, especially during major events. On Sunday, it was spotted that Apple TV devices were experiencing an extremely high failure rate towards the end of the first half of the Man U v Brighton match. A quick decision had to be made, and it was to disable anyone else from joining the BT Sport Ultimate channel - a rare occurrence. Anyone who was already watching would have continued as normal, but anyone who dropped at half time was then blocked from re-joining it again. This is why you'll have lost it specifically for that event.

I also see that you experienced VC019 a few times - this is an annoying bug affecting Android/Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV that I still haven't managed to get to the bottom of. I'm working on it though.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:49:17 GMT

Thanks Darren, will see how it goes tonight with the Man City game and then the 2 weekend games. Not sure why that cross appears under 4K Connection though as when I run a speedtest app on the Chromecast I get 50/20mb speeds.

Also, is there a schedule anywhere that shows which events are on BT Sport Ultimate?

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:01:36 GMT

Our logs show you've run the Device Checker 45 times in the last 3 days, and the results have been quite variable:

Apr 6, 2021 16:44:38 34.4Mbps
Apr 6, 2021 16:44:33 29.1Mbps
Apr 6, 2021 16:41:33 37.2Mbps
Apr 6, 2021 16:41:29 37.1Mbps
Apr 6, 2021 16:41:21 17.7Mbps
Apr 6, 2021 16:40:44 24.8Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 20:17:49 38.5Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 14:43:20 21.9Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 13:47:52 37.8Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 00:15:57 32.6Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 00:15:52 28.5Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 00:15:48 28.8Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 00:15:40 15.5Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 00:15:19 25.6Mbps
Apr 5, 2021 00:04:22 30.7Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 23:48:02 27.3Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:56 31.3Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:51 25.6Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:47 25.4Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:42 24.9Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:36 32.6Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:31 34Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:27 22.5Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:22 30.4Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:16 41.8Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 22:05:04 26Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:39:31 23.9Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:39:26 26.5Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:39:21 27.2Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:39:15 15.8Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:39:04 32.5Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:38:56 30.5Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:29:11 26.9Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 21:28:35 41.9Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 20:56:44 34.9Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 20:55:46 31.7Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 20:44:42 21.9Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 20:43:03 31.8Mbps
Apr 4, 2021 19:31:00 42.6Mbps
Apr 3, 2021 14:33:27 31.5Mbps
Apr 3, 2021 14:05:27 40.5Mbps
Apr 3, 2021 13:57:44 42.6Mbps
Apr 3, 2021 13:55:43 43.7Mbps
Apr 3, 2021 13:54:01 18.3Mbps
Apr 3, 2021 13:53:35 13.6Mbps

Your player stats also appear to be quite spiky - sometimes perfect, and sometimes quite high rebuffering. Are you aware of any possible local wifi interference? Or anyone else on your wifi that could be using your bandwidth?

You can view the upcoming schedule here: https://www.bt.com/sport/watch/whats-on

Events are subject to change at the last minute though - Ultimate / 4K / HDR / Atmos can be changed right up until the match starts, and in exceptional circumstances, during the match.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:10:47 GMT

Haha yeah sorry been testing it alot as the cross/tick seemed to be random. Nothing unexpected is connected to my wifi but I have today disabled the Wifi connection of my TV as don't use it so maybe that will help.

Will just see how it goes tonight and weekend I guess and come back to you.

Thanks for your help and the fast replies, very much appreciated 🙂

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 20:52:54 GMT

BT Sport Ultimate worked fine during the Man City game, only a few short buffering stops, I also received the prompt to Ultimate whenever I left the channel and returned, so that's great.

I noticed the VC019 error occurs everytime instantly when the BT coverage goes to adverts. This doesn't happen when watching in HD.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 21:03:23 GMT

Ok great. Pleased to hear it worked ok.
The VC019 only affects some devices and happens at the beginning and end of every ad break as the audio changes between surround sound and stereo. Like I say - I'm working on it.

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

SPWebb1985 — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 21:11:41 GMT

Understood, will see how it goes weekend but I normally only turn it on just before the game starts anyway so not a massive issue.

Is there any workaround as I only have the TV built in speakers no soundbar or surround sound or anything special?

Re: BT Sport App Google Chromecast with Google TV keep losing 4K

DarrenDev — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 21:26:45 GMT

Most modern TVs will advertise that they're capable of surround sound even when no system is connected. It may be possible to change the settings on your TV to prevent this, which may fix the issue. Hard to say at this point.