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BBC iPlayer fault: viewers told to check for update

The BBC’s streaming services may not work as intended on a number of Freeview Play TVs as the broadcaster tells viewers to check for a software update.

  • 2019-2021 model TVs built by Vestel, but sold under various brands affected by the fault.
  • BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds may not play content if affected.

The BBC has notified users of the iPlayer and BBC Sounds of a technical issue that may stop the play back of content on their TV.

Engineers have identified an issue that affects specific models built by Vestel, a major Turkish manufacturer of TVs. Vestel doesn’t sell TVs under its own name, but manufactures TVs under licence to various brands, including Hitachi, JVC and Toshiba.

Is my device affected?

If you’ve got a 2019-2021 model TV that is struggling to playback the iPlayer or BBC Sounds, you may be affected.

The device model should be listed in the settings menu of your television. If it’s one of the following, then it’s affected by this particular issue:

vestel-tv_2021_mb180_g31_fvp
vestel-tv_2020_mb18x_fvp
vestel-tv_2020_mb180_fvp
vestel-tv_2019_mb23x_fvp

The ‘fvp’ suffix at the end of each line indicates “Freeview Play”. “x” represents a number, so for example “mb18x” could be mb180, 181, etc

▶ Can’t find the device model? Some devices don’t make it easy.

  • You may find a clue by going to Freeview Play channel 100.
  • Along the top menu navigate across to [Help & Settings] and select [OK].
  • In [Help & Settings], a line of five boxes appear. Select the middle box called [Get Help]. At the bottom right of the screen, you’ll see a device ID. The device ID “V19-MB230“, for example is the same as ‘vestel-tv_2019_mb23x_fvp’ on the list above.

What to do next…

If playback of BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds isn’t working properly, you should check for a software update.

An option for software updates may appear in the settings menu.

However, if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer of your device.

UPDATE 30/10/2023: The fault is now deemed ‘resolved’. Viewers should check for software updates if they continue having issues.

Marc Thornham

Updated 30/10/2023

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