topic Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors in Speakers and Displays

Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Jhelper — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 18:46:23 GMT

Like some other users, for the last few weeks, I keep getting errors when I try to play YouTube on the Google nest hub. This is weird: If I ask it to play MSNBC on YouTube TV, it tells me this video requires payment to watch and tells me to open the YouTube TV app and send feedback report and ID (I don’t see the option to send feedback when I look in settings). The funny part is, if I ask you to play CNN on YouTube TV, it does so, and then, if I ask you to play MSNBC, it goes right in the head and does it no problem. I have the same problem on to Google nest hubs. Never had problems like this with either of them for the last two years I’ve used them. This is crazy and quite maddening.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Siparo — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 13:58:35 GMT

I’m having this problem on all 4 of my Google home hubs. It works fine on appletv and iPads.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

LovelyM — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 22:23:05 GMT

Hi folks,

Thanks for reaching out and I'm sorry for this experience.

I'd like to dig deeper into this. Is this only happening when playing MSNBC? If not, what other channels are experiencing this issue? Have you tried any troubleshooting steps before?

Keep me posted.

Best,
Lovely

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Jhelper — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:32:18 GMT

I’ve only noticed it with MSNBC, but I imagine it would probably happen with other commands as well? (Ok, I admit it, that’s pretty much all I watch.)

I have tried unplugging the Google nest, hubs and waiting a while and plug them back in and that never helps. I figured out how to send a screenshot to Feedback and I’ve done that to ton of times now but haven’t gotten a response. It’s very weird that this started happening on both the Google nest hubs at the same time so it can’t be a device specific thing I figure. I’ve tried to check to see if maybe I was on the wrong profile, but it seems to be on the right one. Any other troubleshooting you’d like me to try?

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

LovelyM — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 18:38:45 GMT

Hello Jhelper,

Please check with another channel so we can isolate this issue. Try changing the Assistant language to either English US, CA or UK and see if the command to play MSNBC now works or not.

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks,
Lovely

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

jjay — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:09:45 GMT

I have the same problem on my 2nd Gen Nest Hub. (Playback error This video requires payment to watch 2: F4PP P7PM QPYS)

I have gone through 5 Google support techs. One recommended uninstalled the Youtube TV app from my Nest Hub, yet they could not tell me how to do it. I don't believe that's possible.

I've factory reset the hub a bunch of times. No change. I've uninstalled and reinstalled everything on my phone. No change.

Interestingly, if I launch YouTube TV on my Pixel and cast from there to the Nest Hub, it starts the app and streams correctly.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Jhelper — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:15:24 GMT

Ok, I tried 20 other channels. Some of them work, some of them say they “ok, playing [that channel]…” but then give me playback error, some of them say “ok…” but then give me a black screen with the YouTube logo and “ready to cast” on the bottom of the screen, and then some of those that at first worked then give me a playback error when I try them again. It seems some channels, like CNN, always work, some channels like MSNBC almost always don’t work but once in a while they do, and other channels will work sometimes and not others. I can’t imagine that’s very helpful information, but it is what it is. Any idea what the heck is going on?

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

jjay — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:26:17 GMT

Your comment about CNN is funny. That has been my test channel and it almost always fails.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

jjay — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:30:29 GMT

I just received this information from support which might help someone.

This is Mark with the YouTube TV Team. I'm taking a moment to follow up on our chat about the error message you’ve reported.

I've heard back from our team, who let us know in order for the command to work, you need to have the YouTube TV app installed on the device where you want it to play. 

You can check your NestHub if it has a YouTube TV app, if none, you can go to the App Store to download the app, and then sign in to the app. After that, you can try to command NestHub to play YouTube TV to it.

Please use this email to reach me if you have questions and if you need further assistance. I'm always here to help! Otherwise, you can always reach my team 24/7 by phone, email, or chat if you’re needing immediate assistance.




All the best,

Mark T.
The YouTube TV Team

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

jjay — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 20:52:01 GMT

and then:

Thank you for writing back and the additional information on the device.

I'm afraid the feature of playing the YouTube TV app from the Nest Hub won't work without the YouTube TV app installed or linked on the device. The casting will work if the device is cast-ready, but having it to play from the device by not casting will be dependent on the device. You can visit the supported devices on YouTube TV to get an idea of what devices can install the app.

I'm not sure if the device has the feature of adding apps, but I'll refer this case to the Google Home team to see if adding the YouTube TV app on the device is possible. If so, then you should be able to play the YouTube TV app from the Nest Hub.

The team will reach out to you via email with the answer if the Google Nest Hub can add or link the YouTube TV app so you can play the app directly from the device.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Siparo — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 01:25:05 GMT

I generally notice it with CNBC.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

SqueakyWheeler — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:21:03 GMT

This happens to me, frequently, on Nest Hub 2nd Generation and Nest Hub Max.

First I wake up in the morning and say "watch MSNBC". 50% of the time I get a black playback error screen showing the same error in the original post about requiring payment.

The workaround I've found is then saying "what's on TV" so it will show the YouTube TV channel list. Then if I tap a channel from there, 75% of the time it works, 25% of the time the same error happens. If I repeat this with different channels eventually one will work.

Once one of them works and the channel is playing, NOW if I say "watch MSNBC", it works.

It's kind of like whichever channels I watch the most are the ones most likely to fail with the error.

This is incredibly annoying that the Hub cannot do the one thing that I always want it to do. This has been happening for 1-2 months.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Jhelper — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 02:59:21 GMT

Thank you to everyone who has joined this conversation to help joust at the windmill! Special thanks to jjay for reposting the response he got from Tech-support. However, feel free to tell that tech (and the world) that I checked, and YouTube TV is indeed one of the apps installed on my Google Nest because I see it under “See all” [apps]. When I clicked on it, it gave me a selection of shows it thought I might like. When I clicked on the first show, from MSNBC, it then gave me the same playback error! When I tried it again (scroll up from bottom, hit “See all,” click on YouTube TV, which is the 2nd to last app), it went straight to the playback error without giving me a choice of shows to choose this time. So, although the tech who emailed you had a suggestion that was nice in theory, in practice it’s not at all true: I have the app installed, and it doesn’t help avoid the error.

Ok, Google, what’s next?

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Jhelper — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 02:59:50 GMT

EXACTLY!!!!!

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

SqueakyWheeler — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 14:58:55 GMT

I have found another workaround for this which definitely points to YouTube TV being to blame.

If I experience the problem, saying "close YouTube TV" seems to force shutdown the app and then if I ask to watch the same thing that just failed it works. So I guess I need to train myself to say that every time I'm done, and not just "stop".

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

jjay — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 15:01:39 GMT

running to the kitchen to try this out right now! thanks for sharing

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Oakman2002 — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 01:06:45 GMT

I am having the same problem, but with Fox news.

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Scott402 — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 22:34:39 GMT

Thanks everyone. Google, what changed?

I've been having this same issue for 3-4 months across 7 TVs (6 Samsungs, 1 Sony) and 7 Google minis. Everything worked great for years, then I started getting the "Playback error...requires payment...report ID" message. Almost any initial request to play results in the error. I then request a second channel which works, and I finally request the original channel which works like it should. It happens with systems that turn on/off with voice commands and those that only run YTTV with voice commands. Maddening. OK with upgrading to Nest devices if I'm sure it will be fixed...which based on this thread I'm not sure it will. Google?

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

Oakman2002 — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 22:46:53 GMT

Can we get an update from Google on this?

Re: Google nest hub YouTube playback errors

jjay — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 23:03:51 GMT

I have had some luck lately saying "ok Google, stop YouTube tv" and then asking the Assistant to play a channel on YouTube tv.

Your mileage may vary.