Freeview-play & i-Player

My TV recorder, (PVR) a Panasonic Freeviewplay device, has up to now enabled me to watch BBC i-Player, and the similar player feature offered by other broadcasters.

Now, if I select i-player, A message appears saying that soon Access to i-player will require me to sign in.

How on earth does one sign in on a PVR?

Are the broadcasters about to make tech of the last few years non functional/redundant?

Has anyone else encountered this, and managed to sign in sans a keyboard?

Have you lost the remote control for it then?

I thought that the requirement to 'sign in' to watch the i-Player had been fully implemented months ago and I have an old Sony Blooray Player which doubles as a internet streaming player and the i-Player was removed from the app list in it by Sony ages ago, but it does have a facility to sign into the streaming apps ....

I believe your device will have an ability for you to sign in, by using the same input system you use to search for content in your PVR i-Player, you use a combination of your computer and PVR remote control and what usually happens is that a code number will flash up in your i-Player and then you input that number into the registration system in your i-Player account via your computer and that registers your i-Player device

The remote does have facility to repeatedly press numeric button to get alphabetic characters. (like old fashioned texting on non smart phones)

Don't know if it would sign me in on i-player, but i-Player does not recognise such input into its search field. To enter stuff there, I need to use the direction buttons to highlight required character from table on screen, and then press enter.

Sign in page does not present me with such a table to proceed in this way.

Tommy, I know that I can sign up to I player on my computer. I did in past sign up to itv-Player on computer, but it does not yield a sign up to itv player on the freeview PVR. I suppose I will have to commence the sign-up procedural on i-Player on PVR, and see if it provides the number you describe.

The smart way

You sign in online,you only need to do it once, i had too with my youview box,think itv hub is the same, bit of a pain though, but what if you dont have any internet and your box doesnt have the means to do it.??

signin

Thanks, dave b. That will come in handy.

Yes, I had a sort of set-top box called i-Can. Not very good, as it happens, but stupendous quality picture! Real problem being that the company marketing the device, which consists of Chinese hardware, NEVER updated the software, in spite of the device having both USB, and internet provision for so doing.

So the device just fell behind developments, and became obsolescent. I still use occasionally, if all other tuners are allocated to recording stuff.

It displays i-Player as one of its menu choices.
Until a couple of years back, it was my preferred way of accessing i-Player: simplest to use, and best picture quality.

Then, out of the blue, selecting from menu still finds i-Player, but it displays message that i-Player does not recognise the device. (Had recognised it no probs for couple of years prior to this point!)

I am increasingly reluctant to spend hundreds on hardware, if content providers are going to pull the plug whenever they choose to!

A number of acquaintances have completely quit watching telly. I must give serious consideration to joining them!

Mines a HUAWEI, talktalk youview box,plenty on ebay for auction, some real bargains ,and they update via the internet.Im not with talktalk but they work just the same,really good hd picture.

priscus... I am almost at the same point as your acquaintances, watching very little tv. In fact if I had to choose between relinquishing tv or computer it would be tv that would go.

Yes, My only REGULAR viewing is the News, and even then, I prefer to let it drone away in the background whilst I get on with other stuff, confident that if they say anything of interest, it will catch my attention.

Have got hundreds of recorded films and dramas (incl. series). About 7 TB of storage. Also, extensive collection of DVDs and Blu Ray.

I just do not get time to watch them!

And all the telly programmes recorded because I was not able to view when broadcast: they NEVER get watched, so given up doing that!

Trying to live a very active lifestyle does not really accommodate much TV viewing.