About BBViewer Chrome Extension

Due to changes on the Paramount+ (previously) CBS website, US Live Feeds may no longer be available in the BBViewer application.

To continue to enjoy the features we have enjoyed for years, I have developed a Chrome extension to transform the Paramount+ live feeds page player, add some familiar features and some new ones to enhance your feed watching enjoyment.

Install

BBViewer Chrome Extension is not an app, but a browser extension that enhances the Paramount+ Live Feeds site. Find your browser below to learn how to install the BBViewer Chrome Extension

Disclaimer

YOU MUST BE A Paramount+ SUBSCRIBER FOR THIS EXTENSION TO BE USEFUL.

This chrome extension is not endorsed or associated with Paramount+/CBS/Viacom. DO NOT CONTACT PARAMOUNT+ SUPPORT WHILE USING THIS EXTENSION as the extension modifies the website and could cause issues unrelated to the live feed player. Disable the extension and use the standard Live Feeds player to see if any issue is still occuring before contacting support.

Supported Browsers

Follow the steps below, or hold tight until the extension gets approved in the Chrome web store.

Note: If you previously installed in Developer Mode, you should remove the existing extension before installing from the Chrome Web Store. Make sure you redo any extension settings you might have changed

Click your preferred browser for installation instructions:

Chrome

Install the BBViewer extension from the Chrome Web Store.

Brave

Brave supports installing Chrome extensions from the Chrome Web Store:

Install the BBViewer extension from the Chrome Web Store.

Firefox

The Firefox addon is now available at: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/bbviewer/

Opera / Opera GX

Opera supports Chrome extensions:

  • Install the BBViewer extension from the Chrome Web Store.
  • I will look into publishing the extension to the Opera addon store directly soon

Microsoft Edge

The "New" Microsoft Edge supports installing Chrome extensions from the Chrome Web Store:

Install the BBViewer extension from the Chrome Web Store.

Kiwi for Android

You can use Kiwi Browser on Android devices, which supports installing Chrome Extensions.

Install the BBViewer extension from the Chrome Web Store.

Note: The extension has not been tested properly for mobile devices, so appearance and navigation may be a little difficult at the moment

Install via Developer Mode

If you want to try the most up to date version, you can download the extension zip and run it in Developer mode:

  • Download bbviewer-chrome-ext-0.9.2.zip
  • Click the '3 dash/dot' settings menu and click Extensions
  • In your browsers Extension page, enable 'Developer mode' (look in the top right of the page)
  • Drag and drop the zip file on the Extensions page
  • You should see the BBViewer extension, make sure it is enabled
Note: You will need to update extensions periodically when they are manually installed this way

Post Install

Once installed, visit the Paramount+ CBB or BB Live Feeds page. You will see a large button below the player to open BBViewer mode.







Some icons on this page provided by icons8.com

Features

Extension Settings

Like other Chrome extensions, you can modify some settings through the plugins settings:

1. Click the plugin (puzzle piece) icon in Chrome to show installed extensions:

2. Click BBViewer and the extension settings will be shown:

If you want quick access to launch the live feeds or change settings, you can pin the extension so the icon always shows in the toolbar at the top right of your browser:


The following settings are available:

Known Issues

0.9.6

FAQ

Why are the feeds no longer available in the BBViewer application?

Due to the use of Widevine DRM, it is not currently possible to play the content as a third party application. I'm looking into possible solutions, until then you will need to install the chrome extension and directly access the live feeds website in your browser.

Can I use this on browsers other than Chrome?

Yes, go to the Install page and click your preferred browser for install instructions.

Can I use this on mobile?

For Android devices, yes. You can use Kiwi Browser on Android which allows Chrome Extensions. Once the extension is installed, you need to access the Live Feeds page and switch the site to Desktop mode.

As far as I know, iOS does not support Chrome extensions.

I am getting 'dash.js Error. Type = download, ID = manifest, Message = Unknown'

This is an error with the Live Feeds player, not the BBViewer extension. It seems like this may just be a load issue on their servers, try waiting a bit and refresh until it works again. You might also try exiting your browser and restarting it, or try another browser.

I'm getting 'An unexpected condition was encountered. VCI error initializing ICO ...

This is an error with the Live Feeds player, not the BBViewer extension. This is typically caused by some ad blocker or web security software being detected and causing the player to not work. Try disabling any adblock, if that doesn't work, try another browser and see if the error still occurs. If it does, it may be some security software system wide that is causing the issue.

Quality control doesn't seem to be working?

Switching qualities is not immediate, the player will use the buffer you have before switching to a new quality. If you want to check, you can toggle on the 'CBS Player Debug' in the menu (gear icon). Look at the 'current index bitrate' to see it switch.

What Hotkeys are available?

Any way to make the extension work like the app?

The feeds will always be stuck in the browser, but if you use Chrome you can create a desktop shortcut to simulate a BBViewer app-like experience:

Unfortunately, the shortcut to the live feeds page seems broken, but you can fix it by editing the shortcut target property and changing the app-id that is being launched:

The correct app-id is lnpiknmkfdlbgjnbgjpnpldoomephhcm

Once you fix the shortcut, just make sure you enable Autostart in the chrome extension options and you now have a dedicated BBViewer window, separate from your browser.

Can I get in trouble with Paramount+/CBS/Viacom for using this?

This extension is not affiliated with Paramount+/CBS/Viacom in any way, but there should not be any issues with using it. The extension only modifies the display of the live feed website and uses the local javascript code to control the player. If Paramount+/CBS/Viacom has any concerns or requests to modify anything, they should contact me at liquid8d@gmail.com.

One thing I do ask as users of this extension is that you do not contact Paramount+ support while using the extension. Please understand that the extension could cause issues unrelated to the live feed website, and they cannot and should not have to deal with support inquiries unrelated to their player. If issues arise, please first disable the Chrome extension and test that any error or issue still occurs before contacting them.

Is this extension safe to use?

The extension must pass through Chrome Web Store policies. It does not access any personally identifiable information and does not perform tracking of any kind with the exception of server logs accessing BBViewer content like getting and posting bookmarks. Obviously some extensions that make the Chrome store can still be suspect, so a partial issue of trust is required. If you have concerns, reach out to me at liquid8d@gmail.com. If you feel it is necessary, you can report extensions on the Chrome store for suspicious activity.

Why can't I capture screenshots or video?

Sites using copyright protection tech such as Widevine prevent you from copying screenshots or recording video. You might be able to avoid this by disabling hardware acceleration in your browser. Check google for a description on how to do this for your browser.

Changelog

0.9.8:

0.9.7:

0.9.6:

0.9.5:

0.9.3

0.9.2

0.9.1

0.9.0 - initial release

Get Help

You can contact me on Twitter @liquid8d or via email at liquid8d@gmail.com.

If you want to talk BBViewer or BB in general, feel free to visit my Discord server.