IMDB TV

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ed
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#1 IMDB TV

Post by ed »

here's a poser

We have a full hd 32" LG tv. It's a smart tv and it's connected to the internet. We've had it for a few years now.

We have a subscription to amazon prime and regularly watch movies, some free and some paid for.

Sebastian has been watching Alex Rider season 1 on prime. He now wants to watch season 2.....
so I get the menu up on prime and select episode 1 of season 2...and

it tells me this device does not support IMDB TV, please use another device.......

anybody able to tell me what's going on?
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#2 Re: IMDB TV

Post by simon »

The first episode of the second series plays okay for me ed, if that helps any.

The second series is produced by IMDB TV, I didn't know there was such a thing till now. It's owned by Amazon apparently so I'm not sure why you've a problem. I did find an article about an app for Samsung TVs so maybe there's something not compatible? Can't imagine what, unless perhaps it's uses something like HDX which your TV doesn't support??? Clutching at straws.
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#3 Re: IMDB TV

Post by Max N »

Apparently there is an IMDb tv app and it is available for lg smart tvs. But all of the tv manufacturers stop updating the apps for any given model after a few years. If it turns out that your tv doesn’t support the app, you could look into an Amazon fire stick or similar
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#4 Re: IMDB TV

Post by ed »

Max N wrote: Sat Mar 05, 2022 11:07 pm Apparently there is an IMDb tv app and it is available for lg smart tvs. But all of the tv manufacturers stop updating the apps for any given model after a few years. If it turns out that your tv doesn’t support the app, you could look into an Amazon fire stick or similar
I could view this as controversial if I were inclined to cynicism.
I see what you mean Max. I googled lg smart tv apps and the lg website says I must update the tv firmware to add apps. I can't update the tv firmware because it tells me there is none available. I am absolutely sure there were more apps on the apps page 12 months ok. Now there are some empty squares.

I will try an amazon fire stick, what's the worst that could happen.

thanks Max
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#5 Re: IMDB TV

Post by Greg »

Yep, Firestick is good. Currently £30 from Amazon (was around £75 when it first came out) and you can even download the Radio Paradise App on it :D
Just checked my Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV is listed on the main page under ‘Your Channels’. More 4 have Alex Rider Series 1 listed, so no doubt Series 2 will arrive there eventually.
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#6 Re: IMDB TV

Post by ed »

I've done a bit more digging...

apparently IMDB Tv is only available on LG smart TVs made after 2018....oh waily.....
I plugged the ethernet into the humax box instead of the tv and a whole raft of apps appeared(some of which used to be available on the LG but disappeared), but no amazon prime or IMDB....

that's enough, I'm going to get a fire stick.
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#7 Re: IMDB TV

Post by jack »

Before you get a fire stick which is Amazon specific, think about a "Chromecast with Google TV", which is about £60 but includes all the apps and is continuously updated (it's Android), plus you can cast to it and control it from your mobile/tablet. Amazon don't sell them as obviously it's a direct competitor.

You get almost everything on a Google TV - Amazon, BT Sport, Netflix, Sky, Disney+ etc etc. No live TV or recording obviously, so use a Freesat box for that. As it's Android from Google with no third party involved, you are not beholden to some random TV manufacturer who may just drop support. Plus you get the Play Store too and it's 4K.

Most of our family have them. I chucked the firestick years ago & our main TV is a smart TV too, but we never use it's "smart" capabilities for exactly the update reasons mentioned.

https://store.google.com/gb/product/chr ... _google_tv

Edit: There was a previous Google product also confusingly called "Google TV" which was discontinued in 2014 and replaced by "Android TV"... The "Google TV" on the Chromecast is actually Android TV with the Google TV interface. Confusing to say the least! However, what this means is that "Chromecast with Google TV" is genuinely the latest and greatest and all Android TV releases by the end of 2022 will have the Google TV interface.
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#8 Re: IMDB TV

Post by ed »

toooo late, I pushed the button soon after I posted

but thanks anyway.
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#9 Re: IMDB TV

Post by pre65 »

I got a Chromecast stick a while ago and found Google had discontinued the "cast" facility from a laptop. :(

Luckily my supplier allowed me to return it. :)
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#10 Re: IMDB TV

Post by Max N »

Fire stick supports pretty much everything as far as I can see. Personally I use an Appletv because I like the interface and the privacy options, but my son prefers the fire stick.
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#11 Re: IMDB TV

Post by jack »

pre65 wrote: Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:14 am I got a Chromecast stick a while ago and found Google had discontinued the "cast" facility from a laptop. :(

Luckily my supplier allowed me to return it. :)
Certainly works now and has done for ages. How long ago was that?
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#12 Re: IMDB TV

Post by pre65 »

jack wrote: Tue Mar 08, 2022 11:51 am
pre65 wrote: Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:14 am I got a Chromecast stick a while ago and found Google had discontinued the "cast" facility from a laptop. :(

Luckily my supplier allowed me to return it. :)
Certainly works now and has done for ages. How long ago was that?
Chromecast version 3 Oct 2020.

It said on the box that casting from a PC / latop to TV was do-able but Google had disabled that facility.

*
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#13 Re: IMDB TV

Post by jack »

pre65 wrote: Tue Mar 08, 2022 12:56 pm
jack wrote: Tue Mar 08, 2022 11:51 am
pre65 wrote: Mon Mar 07, 2022 11:14 am I got a Chromecast stick a while ago and found Google had discontinued the "cast" facility from a laptop. :(

Luckily my supplier allowed me to return it. :)
Certainly works now and has done for ages. How long ago was that?
Chromecast version 3 Oct 2020.

It said on the box that casting from a PC / latop to TV was do-able but Google had disabled that facility.

*
Well, it certainly works fine from Chrome now and as far as I know, was never actually disabled.
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#14 Re: IMDB TV

Post by pre65 »

The only reason I purchased a Chromecast was to cast my laptop to my tv.

I tried it, it didn't work, and I found out it was a Google problem, so I sent it back. Full stop.

The cast facility on my W10 laptop, and my Lenovo Chromebook (Android ?) does not recognise my smart LG 55" tv, but that may be (as in Ed's case) time expired aps on the tv.

I'm not into replacing the tv, unless it breaks, so there I am. :)
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#15 Re: IMDB TV

Post by jack »

pre65 wrote: Tue Mar 08, 2022 4:53 pm The only reason I purchased a Chromecast was to cast my laptop to my tv.

I tried it, it didn't work, and I found out it was a Google problem, so I sent it back. Full stop.

The cast facility on my W10 laptop, and my Lenovo Chromebook (Android ?) does not recognise my smart LG 55" tv, but that may be (as in Ed's case) time expired aps on the tv.

I'm not into replacing the tv, unless it breaks, so there I am. :)
Apologies if this is stating the bleeding obvious, but the make & type of TV really doesn't come into it.

To cast to a TV you need a Chromecast plugged into your TV in some way - the TV can't do it by magic. The cast happens to the Chromecast which then feeds the HDMI to the TV. It's nothing to do with the TV itself (other then selecting the correct HDMI input).

(*) Chromecast apps on "smart" TVs have always been crap - generally they are not written by Google and like a lot of smart TV apps, they're crap and don't get updated often, if at all. IMHO, the whole concept of a smart TV is wrong - there is no incentive for the manufacturer to provide a decent life for the system or to invest in it's development and support - they only want to sell you another TV after a couple of years.
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