How do you update web browser on Lg smart tv?

[Tanya Schwartz]

How do you update web browser?

[George Hofmeister]

17 hours ago, tlschwartz said:

When I try to watch an episode on CBS it says I need to update my web browser.  I am using Chrome, so I guess it just needs to be updated to the most current version of Chrome?

OK, so I am guessing that CBS either uses Flash on their site or if they do not their site does not recognise the webOS browser ID string.  If it is the former then you are out of luck, LG does not support Flash and will not as it is problematic to programme for, and is going end of life in the near future.  If it is the later then CBS web masters need to up their game and get it sorted.  If CBS is still using Flash again their web master need to update their website to newer technologies.

Chrome is not the browser in webOS so you will not be able to update it to the latest version.

[George Hofmeister]

17 hours ago, tlschwartz said:

Thank you for this information.  What browser should I use then in webOS?

There is a built-in web browser that is the only one you will be able to use.  Again if you are not going to be able to view sites that use Adobe Flash or sites that do not cater for the webOS browser, in both of these cases you need to approach  the site owners to improve their site.

[George Hofmeister]

9 hours ago, slclemens said:

How can you use chrome in webos lgtv if it only uses the native browser?  And have the same problem with cbs web site not playing back full episodes.

You cannot install the Google's Chrome browser in webOS as it does not have a native port.  Currently the only web browser that can be used in webOS is the one it comes with.  Neither is Adobe's Flash supported by webOS.

[George Hofmeister]

On 31/03/2018 at 9:32 PM, slclemens said:

Thanks for the clarification.  Any chance LG is going to fix the web browser so it actually works with major sites like cbs?

It depends what you mean by fix.  If you want Adobe Flash support, then no that is never going to happen.  If you want to view a website that does not recognise the webOS browser or is incompatible for some other reason (excluding Flash) then it is probably going to be down to the owner of the website to fix it.  The webOS browser is HTML5 compatible, yes it could do with some improvement but it is far from terrible.  I do not know what the state of DRM support is in the browser, this would be an issue for instance with Spotify, but this could of course be circumvented by a proper app.

[Cody k]

There are a couple of options.

• See if there is a CBS app in the LG webstore. I do not believe there is, but I have not checked recently. There is CBS All Access, which is a pay service.  It has some great content, new and old, for just a few bucks per month, and will have a lot more than is available on their website.
• Get a Chromecast. This would be my number one suggestion. With it, you can use the CBS app on your phone/tablet to cast right to the TV, or from a Chrome browser on your desktop. the Chromecast does all the work, with the mobile device just acting as a remote, so you can continue to use it while casting. There are other devices, like Roku and Amazon Fire, but I am not familiar with their specific app or casting support. I can tell you that, last I checked, Chromecast is the only device that supports screen-mirroring from both iOS and Android devices.

[George Hofmeister]

11 hours ago, netaji sathe said:

How webOS can say not supporting the Adobe Flash, may site are using Flash player for video content, I am also facing same problem, for better experience the content platform must be user friendly. I am not able to run Zee5 on web saying browser to upgrade. 

I am not aware of any non-Google Android Smart TV's web browser that supports Flash, and as it is being killed of by Adobe in 2020 it is not in anyone's best interest to keep using a hideously outdated, bloated, bug ridden, resource hungry piece of software that was superseded by much better technologies many years ago.  It should be noted that while Google currently produces Pepper Flash for Chrome they to will be dropping support in 2020. 

link hidden, please login to view

As for not being able to watch Zee5 in the browser I would suggest contacting them to ask them if they are either planning to release a webOS app and when or when they are going to update their website to run with HTML5 (one of those much more modern technologies I alluded to earlier) which would be compatible with the webOS browser.  Upgrading their website would be their best route, even Hotstar has upgraded their site recently to work with the webOS browser are many users contacted them to comment on not being able to view it on their LG TVs.

Sadly companies that run large cumbersome websites reliant on out-dated software packages are loathed to spend the time and monies need to keep up with current technology, this is sadly their own fault and not that of LG.

[George Hofmeister]

16 hours ago, Tanya Schwartz said:

 

How do you update web browser?

What do you want to update it to?

[tlschwartz]

14 minutes ago, George Hofmeister said:

What do you want to update it to?

When I try to watch an episode on CBS it says I need to update my web browser.  I am using Chrome, so I guess it just needs to be updated to the most current version of Chrome?

[tlschwartz]

Thank you for this information.  What browser should I use then in webOS?

[slclemens]

How can you use chrome in webos lgtv if it only uses the native browser?  And have the same problem with cbs web site not playing back full episodes.

[slclemens]

Thanks for the clarification.  Any chance LG is going to fix the web browser so it actually works with major sites like cbs?

[slclemens]

LG sells us a large screen smart tv with a web browser as a prominent feature, it is implicit that it works with major web sites like cbs so we can use it. And there is no app or add on.  It is LG’s responsibility. 

[Shashikant Gogawale]

yes

 

[Skullborous]

Tanya,

The web browser is built in as others have stated. And it sucks. Try projecting from your computer to the tv screen. It is easy to do and will allow you to run what you wish as the tv presentation is just a mirror of your computer screen.

 

[Dave Barry]

My browser will download an update but wants to know if I need the Debian/Ubuntu version or the Fedora/open suse version.  Any idea which I should use? 

[Dave Barry]

I just found the answer on another forum ---  On 1/13/2019 at 12:35 PM, George Hofmeister said:

Ignore the option of trying to download, basically the website is trying to read the browser identification string, failing and then offering you the nearest equivalent it has available.  The reason you are being told Chrome is not up to date is that the LG webOS browser is based on WebKit which is Apple's basis for its Safari browser and is used (or soon to be used, I'm looking at you Microsoft Edge) by pretty much every other major browser out there apart from Mozilla's Firefox.  Yes webOS is 'nix under the hood, but this does not mean that you can just install a Linux app on the system, it would have to be written and compiled especially for the platform.

Thanks, George

[William Hersman]

This is becoming more of a problem.  I am being warned by several websites that my browser is out of date and soon I will not be able to view the site.  It has nothing to do with Flash.  Perhaps they are not reading the browser id string, I don't know, but why should all LG TV users have to contact all webmasters to change their code?  Seems to me it that LG needs to come up with a solution (besides connecting my computer to my TV).

[Rich Sue]

I just checked CBS All Access Help Center. According to the help center, "Which LG TV models are supported by CBS All Access? The answer posted is, "We support LG smart TVs running Web OS 4.0 and higher on 2018  to current models." I have a LG OLED55BPUS TV (2018 model using WebOS version 4.1.4-5xxx) . Unfortunately, I am getting the same error message, "update your web browser". Yes, I am able to watch Star Trek Picard using my laptop connected to the TV via an HDMI cable as suggested. But that defeats the purpose of owning a high end OLED smart TV. So far, the discussion above is circular with customers complaining about not being able to watch streaming video from various website and LG saying there's nothing wrong their WebOS. Being that there are a number of website not supporting the current LG WebOS browser, I would suggest that perhaps LG should look into  the problem instead of saying to your customers, "too bad - so sad, there is nothing wrong with our WebOS browser. What do you think LG?

[Rich Sue]

It seems to me like the dialog above is circular with LG customers complaining that many streaming web sites issue the same error instructions, "upgrade your browser" and LG basically saying, "Not our problem. Contact the website and tell them to fix the problem." That is not an answer. That is basically a cop out saying, "to bad so sad, it not our problem".

I really love my new LG TV. S  But I didn't buy the TV to stream movies from my laptop via a HDMI cable. What's the point of purchasing a high end smart TV if the only solution the vendor offers is to either use a "work around" (stream content from another device) or tell the steaming vendor to fix their problem. Come on LG. Have your really checked to see what the problem really is with your TVs not being able to stream  CBS All Access? Is the problem with CBS All Access that they are streaming with Adobe Flash. I really find this hard to believe. What I do believe LG should be doing is checking out what the problem is and then coming up a a viable solutions for your customers. Do you know why I can stream movies from Disney Plus and not able to stream from CBS All Access? Step up to the plate and give us some answers. If the CBS All Access problem is because they are still using Adobe Flash, then tell us that so we can direct our complaints to CBS to stop using Flash. 

 

[Leandro Damasio]

On 3/31/2018 at 8:58 AM, George Hofmeister said:

You cannot install the Google's Chrome browser in webOS as it does not have a native port.  Currently the only web browser that can be used in webOS is the one it comes with.  Neither is Adobe's Flash supported by webOS.

The sad truth is that trusting in LG webos was a bad move. I wish I had thought better and choosen a TV with a more dynamic and supported OS.