One [long term] inconvenience
Works perfectly well except for a very flakey touch screen, which means it’s way too easy unintentionally to start an episode. This is particularly frustrating because the app quite slow, meaning you have to wait while it whirrs its way back to the Home Screen.
Two ⭐️ because this fault has been pointed several times over the last few years. Surely such an unnecessary inconvenience can’t be that hard to fix ??
Two ⭐️ because this fault has been pointed several times over the last few years. Surely such an unnecessary inconvenience can’t be that hard to fix ??
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AppleTV app Download Options Confusing
When trying to “get” this app on AppleTV, it would not recognize my active paid Subscription to your streaming service obtained within the AppleTV app on my AppleTV for the same AppleID. It appeared that I would have to “subscribe” again, plus pay for the app and be subject to “InAppPurchases”. Had to explain this three times to AppleCare Agents as they got confused with their own overlapping product names. When “getting” the Britbox app after previously Subscribing to BritBox on the AppleTV app on AppleTV device, it should first ask if the account holder has a paid-up Subscription to the streaming service on AppleTV APP, or better yet, recognize the fact and then state that the account holder will “get” the App Free and without “InApp Purchases”.
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QOL features needed
The app is functional and stable. It’s easy to navigate and works well for the simple task of watching content. Chromecast support is extremely appreciated.
There are some features missing though, which detract from the overall experience somewhat:
- PIP support is essential for me, and is a tremendous omission. This adversely affects the experience every single time I use the app; I always want to search various things when watching… Please add PIP in the future.
- There is no way to select or restrict video quality; this is the other major omission. There needs to be a setting to prefer high resolution streams (to minimise blocky streaming on unrestricted and/or fast connections) and the inverse, an option to restrict stream quality for mobile connections. Preferably this would be settable for each WiFi & Cellular.
- Closed Captions appearance cannot be changed beyond size. The default font is somewhat too thin for comfort, and the text outline is also somewhat too minimal. Text shadow or full background colour fill are sometimes desirable as well.
Otherwise, the app can be very slow to load content pages.
There are some features missing though, which detract from the overall experience somewhat:
- PIP support is essential for me, and is a tremendous omission. This adversely affects the experience every single time I use the app; I always want to search various things when watching… Please add PIP in the future.
- There is no way to select or restrict video quality; this is the other major omission. There needs to be a setting to prefer high resolution streams (to minimise blocky streaming on unrestricted and/or fast connections) and the inverse, an option to restrict stream quality for mobile connections. Preferably this would be settable for each WiFi & Cellular.
- Closed Captions appearance cannot be changed beyond size. The default font is somewhat too thin for comfort, and the text outline is also somewhat too minimal. Text shadow or full background colour fill are sometimes desirable as well.
Otherwise, the app can be very slow to load content pages.
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Chromecast symbol inaccessible and very poor captions
The Chromecast symbol is hidden by the white bar of the last show you watched creating needless bother when you want to use it. Avoid completely if hard of hearing as the captions are atrocious and clearly computer generated with no human oversight. They sometimes cause laughter (character dying of heroine overdose) which distracts from the show but often they imply each actor is having a stroke and mumbling random words instead of making sentences. If a character has a strong accent you will just see [unintelligible] a lot. I expected better, not worth the cost to our chrome casting deaf household but if neither of those apply to you the selection of shows is great.
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Response from developer
Hi, We have made significant improvements to the casting feature. Please upgrade to the latest version of the app and try again. Thanks.
Plays up after free trial ends
While I had a few minor bugs during the 7 day free trial, I was able to work through them easily enough. I decided to proceed with the payment. It’s now 2 days after my annual subscription started and I can’t play a single program. “Can’t play program now…” I’ve logged out and in, nope, chosen other programs, won’t play, deleted and downloaded the app, nothing, used a different device. It will not play anything. I have several other streaming services and they work as advertised. How is it this app struggles so much? I used the free trial to decide if worked well enough to proceed, but apparently the real trouble starts once they receive payment. Please don’t apologise, just get some decent IT people to fix the bugs.
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Enjoyable but cc is glitchy
Been a subscriber for a few years now to Britbox and Acorn. I enjoy both and find value in both. I am into the mysteries and comedy shows with the occasional history show throw in. I do wish there was more options or deeper trove of shows across UK, NZ, AUS and Canada. Especially options of shows from the late 90s early 00s. I have watched just about everything on both services except the soaps and the morning shows. I find the closed captions are quite glitchy. I have a hearing loss in one ear then add in some accents are difficult to understand to my American ear I can find it quite difficult to follow the story without the captions. Several times the wrong closed captions have appeared for the entire show in a series, the captions belonged to a different episode, they had been flipped. Other times it was clear that most of the dialogue was off script as the captions didn’t match at all what was on the screen. When I contacted them they said they couldn’t do anything about it. Which I find quite odd.
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Response from developer
Hi, Thank you for your feedback. We apologies that you have had some issues with closed captions. Please reach out at support@britbox.com with the titles where you have found problems, we will be happy to look into it.
Great content, lousy app
The available films & series on BritBox are excellent. It’s great to be able to get the older & less well known shows. However, the app is utterly rubbish. It logs me out constantly & crashes 2-3 times before accepting my login details. It doesn’t automatically play the next episode when using Chromecast. The app disconnects from Chromecast within a few minutes. You can’t save your preferences regarding subtitles.
The app on FireTV works better & will play the next episode, but there’s no option for setting subtitle settings for all programs.
The app on FireTV works better & will play the next episode, but there’s no option for setting subtitle settings for all programs.
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Would give five stars except for the “retry loop”
Brit box content isexcellent but it can make you crazy when it goes into a “retrying“ loop. Apparently this happens if it loses the Wi-Fi connection for an instant, and then even when every other app is working fine on Wi-Fi, this app is still in a
“ retrying to get information “ loop that will not let you get anywhere.
I closed and reopened the app A half dozen times and still the same message. No way out just a blank screen that says it’s retrying. I would like the developers to have a button on the screen that says “OK, time to give it up!”
Just went back after a 20 minute break and it’s still telling me it’s retrying to get the information. I just want to watch my show and I can’t now, lunch hour is over and this has been going on for at least 30 minutes maybe 40.
Why am I paying for this app that I cannot use when I want it?
“ retrying to get information “ loop that will not let you get anywhere.
I closed and reopened the app A half dozen times and still the same message. No way out just a blank screen that says it’s retrying. I would like the developers to have a button on the screen that says “OK, time to give it up!”
Just went back after a 20 minute break and it’s still telling me it’s retrying to get the information. I just want to watch my show and I can’t now, lunch hour is over and this has been going on for at least 30 minutes maybe 40.
Why am I paying for this app that I cannot use when I want it?
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Liked it the way it was
Except for two things. All the shows that promise to update new episodes. Father Brown and Sister B. Thought the tag said new episodes every other Tues. I keep going back and looking. Disappointing.
Also, I wish I could manage my own shows and have a folder to put watched shows in it. After two years, I forget. I see one, click and start watching. only five minutes in I realize I’ve seen it. I love mysteries but all the DCIs are running together. I would love a folder to put the categories I don’t watch. Having to sift thru everything is tiresome.
All that being said, I love British shows so you’ve got me!
Also, I wish I could manage my own shows and have a folder to put watched shows in it. After two years, I forget. I see one, click and start watching. only five minutes in I realize I’ve seen it. I love mysteries but all the DCIs are running together. I would love a folder to put the categories I don’t watch. Having to sift thru everything is tiresome.
All that being said, I love British shows so you’ve got me!
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Fantastic service Clumsy App
I’m new to Britbox by a few months now, and the selection of programs available is fantastic. There’s so much I look forward to watching, that’s why I signed up with a year subscription to start. My only disappointment is the lack of features with the app itself, mainly Picture in Picture for iPhone. If I need to check another app, I need to exit Britbox then go back to restart it. In the future I hope to see more comprehensive and intuitive suggestions, better categorization of available shows, added features of app control and most importantly….PIP. Still love the service regardless!
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