4K UHD not working on new Chromecast With Google TV (CCWGTV)

[aostang]

This is the newer Chromecast unit that comes with a remote.

*** All other 4K services (YouTube, Netflix, Amazon etc.) all stream 4K content just fine. *** - This is NOT a device chain nor hardware misconfiguration issue.

These new devices just replaced Apple TVs and Chromecast Ultras that were able to stream UHD on Vudu just fine in the past 30 days. *** This shows that this is also not an account nor service-linking issue. ***

I have 3 different TV/AV entertainment center setups with varying hardware, all 3 using the new Chromecast, and I absolutely cannot get UHD to stream to any of them, neither directly from the native app installed on the device nor trying to cast from a phone, tablet or browser.

Directly on all 3 devices if I start to play any UHD purchase all I get is the spinning loading indicator and then the message "Unable to start playback. Please try again later, or contact Vudu customer care for help." I have no option to try to start playing lower resolution directly from the devices.

Attempting to cast to the Chromecast from the Vudu app or a browser just down-converts to HDX to start playing and if I try to switch to UHD from any of the devices it will either just completely stop playback or only the audio will continue playing.

Vudu HDX content plays fine on these devices.

There is literally no way for me to watch any of my Vudu UHD content now on these TVs. I have over 1,800 purchases and this is a major issue for me.

[aostang]

FYI Vudu customer support got back to me and said there was some kind of outage and my problem should be fixed, but it is not. The problem still persists on all 3 devices.

[aostang]

Can someone from Vudu team please reply to this and help escalate?

I have been going in circles with support already and they have a second time now asked me for a screenshot of the error that I have already provided, along with all the debugging info I also already provided here. This is definitely a device-specific issue, not something else with any of the 3 setups that I have a Chromecast with Google TV hooked up to.

An additional piece of information - I also was able to test one of my TVs that I was able to get the Vudu app directly installed to. While I could not test audio because this bypasses the audio receiver on that setup, I was able to successfully play a UHD movie with Vudu directly on that TV. This eliminates both this being an account issue and also this being a network issue. Also, before it is even suggested, one of my 3 setups does not have an audio receiver and has the Chromecast plugged directly into the TV, so that is also not the problem.

[lujan]

Vudu has never been very "big" on fixing issues with Android devices. I don't know why but it seems to two clash. I remember speaking with a Vudu manager years ago, before they switched over to Fandango and he assured me that they were working on the android/vudu issues and they would be fixed within a few months. I'm still waiting. I don't like to use Vudu with TV shows on an android device, because it will not keep track of the episodes like it will on other devices like Roku and Apple TV.

848 UHD
836 HDX
5 SD

[aostang]

Vudu has never been very "big" on fixing issues with Android devices. I don't know why but it seems to two clash. I remember speaking with a Vudu manager years ago, before they switched over to Fandango and he assured me that they were working on the android/vudu issues and they would be fixed within a few months. I'm still waiting. I don't like to use Vudu with TV shows on an android device, because it will not keep track of the episodes like it will on other devices like Roku and Apple TV.

848 UHD
836 HDX
5 SD

I specifically moved my entertainment centers away from Apple TV because I no longer had anything else in the Apple ecosystem and wanted to shift back to the full Google ecosystem. I understand the minimalistic approach of Apple but it has gotten to a point that it actually hinders usability.. I actually like the Google TV UI. I had also recently switched from DirecTV Stream to YouTube TV which made the Google TV integrations more desirable.

Not being able to access my Vudu library of over 1,800 purchases with a majority of those being UHD is an absolute deal killer though and I wish I realized this before I already sold all 3 Apple TVs and was beyond the return on the Chromecasts. Not that I should have to go back anyway - this is Google's own flagship streaming device and Vudu really needs to step up and fix this issue. Literally every other streaming service works just fine on it (Netflix, Google Movies, YouTube TV, Prime Video etc) - this is something specifically that Vudu isn't doing right with these devices.

[aostang]

Update - Just received a response that first level support would finally escalate the issue to the next level of support to take a deeper look at things.

[aostang]

An update that I have not heard anything back from support since they said they would escalate. I have replied asking whether this is still being looked at and I have not received a response.

As of now I still cannot watch most of my 1,800+ movie library anymore. This is making Vudu look REALLY bad.

[aostang]

Latest Google OS update came today. Checked and Vudu UHD still not working. Haven't been able to get a response from support since last week. I don't even know what to do at this point. Any Vudu support here that can try to get some answers for me?

[aostang]

Hi, I have not been able to get a response from support for 3 weeks now. Can someone from Vudu please reach out to me so I can find out what is going on?

[aostang]

I have still heard nothing back from support and they will not respond to my ticket inquiries.

FelipeF, you've had a message from me in your inbox asking for help with this matter for 2 weeks now. Please respond.

[rdawg]

FelipeF please assist aostang with their issue...appears it's been ongoing for quite some time. Thanks in advance!

[aostang]

FelipeF please assist aostang with their issue...appears it's been ongoing for quite some time. Thanks in advance!

Nothing still. I have no idea why I am quite literally being ignored by both FelipeF and support. I have over 1900 movie purchases. This just isn't right.

[aostang]

I'd just like to report that this was silently fixed sometime in the past 30 days. I had been conversing with another person with the same issue and this is now working for both of us. Was definitely a fix on the Vudu side because neither of us changed anything on either of our setups (I have 3 different setups myself) to suddenly have this start working again.

The unwillingness to work with us toward a solution and especially the lack of communication (literally being ignored) is still not a good situation. Customers should not be treated the way we were. But at least this problem is resolved, for now.