This topic

BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

123Moray321 — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:26:12 GMT

Does a BT Pro Box work to access live TV without a BT subscription?

I have BT Fibre broadband with a smart hub 2. I want to be able to access Freeview channels. I do not have an aeirl so will be connecting by wifi only. I want to be able to record as well as access apps when required. I do not need now tv or sports and I already have Netflix subscription.

Any response as to whether this would meet my needs or an alternative solution would be great. thank you.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

NigelB72 — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:35:58 GMT

IP delivery of Freeview channels is only available with an active BT TV subscription.

Also, any Pro Boxes that are bought through a third party retailer aren't being sold by BT and won't have any after market support or warranty. Your warranty will be with whoever sold you the box.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Anonymous — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:37:08 GMT

Not without an aerial, you need some form of BT TV subscription to access the IPTV channels, even the Freeview based ones.

BT TV is the only option in the marketplace currently that allows you to access a base level of channels delivered over the internet and record them. Something they really should market properly.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

123Moray321 — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:42:47 GMT

It’s just a shame they don’t seem to offer a basic IPTV package as I don't want the NowTV etc I just want a recorder box that works via wifi. Never mind. Thanks anayway.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Pip601967 — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 21:27:18 GMT

So you can get the freeview channels with an aerial, can you record them as well. Can i also log into any of the streaming apps with my own accounts too.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

NigelB72 — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 01:58:49 GMT

At the moment yes but this could change in the future as the retail version of Youview winds down.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Pip601967 — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:56:09 GMT

So any ideas when that may happen and what that will mean.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

NigelB72 — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 19:03:13 GMT

@Pip601967 just speculation but Youview is officially dead as a retail platform and I think BT are now the only one of the original partners left on board. They're also loaning the Pro Box now as standard with BT TV subscriptions so I can see at some point support for the older boxes stopping so they become redundant and Pro Box's authenticating against a BT TV subscription before they do anything......

Youview retail customers will be nudged towards a new Freeview retail box as their retail Youview boxes become more and more useless.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

wellfan — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:01:00 GMT

Bit late to this thread. My BT TV contract expires in October 2024, just had email from BT to confirm. We have no aerial reception so rely on broadband or satellite for tv services. Quite happy paying £7 per month for access to 'entertainment' package, we only watch Netflix and BBC, ITV and other free channels. This will increase to £20!! My query is to confirm what you stated, ie. that we will lose access to the free channels over internet on our BT TV Pro box?

Happy to pay for a Netflix subscription to cheapest provider, but really do not want to lose the ability to record BBC and ITV channels. Seems crazy to need to pay £20 per month to record free channels.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Brucemeister5 — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:35:16 GMT

Have you checked MyBT to see what the renewal offers are on there? When we entered the final three months of our contract I found that we were not able to flex our tv package and we had offers on all of the EETV packages on MyBT. The strange thing was that the Entertainment, Big Entertainment and Sport renewal prices would fluctuate depending upon the time of day that I checked, whereas the offers for Big Sport and Full Works were constant throughout. I’m pretty sure that you’ll be able to get a renewal offer to beat £20 one way or another if you check MyBT or call to ask for a better offer.

You do need a current EE TV subscription to be able to continue watching the free IP delivered channels, but I believe that you will be required to return your Pro tv box if you received it since 19th December 2019 if you don’t renew your EETV subscription ( I’m not sure how this applies if you have been sent a replacement box for a subscription taken out before that date)

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

wellfan — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:59:33 GMT

Thanks for reply. Yep, I have done all the things you mentioned prior to posting, and will continue to monitor 'offers'. Can you confirm that you do need a current BT/EE TV subscription to be able to continue watching the free IP delivered channels? 20 quid, or even 10 quid a month is a joke just to watch and occasionally record a 'council' tv channel considering I already pay a pretty penny for my full fibre 500 broadband. Anyway, as a business, BT/EE can charge what they like, but I will be out if this is best they can offer. Already binned Sky for charging 15 quid per month just to record 'council' channels.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Brucemeister5 — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 17:16:50 GMT

Yes, 100%.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Midnight_Voice — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:41:50 GMT

@wellfan

£7 will barely buy you Netflix alone. I don’t know why you haven’t got an aerial, or can’t have one; but if you had Sky, then you should be able to get Freesat.

For catchup, a one-off £30 or £40 will get you a Roku or Firestick with every app you could want; or you might find you have the apps on your TV anyway.

But, unlike the Freeview or Freesat channels, the IP channels aren't just ‘there’; it costs money for BT/EE to provide them, and to provide the equipment on which to watch them, which is reflected in the £20.

You also seem to have forgotten, or glossed over, the £15 a month you pay for the ‘privilege’ of watching the BBC, whose careful husbandry of that income is well known.

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

wellfan — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 08:34:27 GMT

Feel better after that? WTF?

I got the answer to my specific question, so no need for any of your stuff as you know absolutely nothing of my present situation other than what I shared on here. You just wanted to be all smug and superior.

Anyway, for your interest, I have no aerial as I am surrounded by hills on all sides. I do have a recordable Freesat in another room, as I did in this room prior to BT, I do have a Smart TV, and Firestick and Roku 4K stick.

BT TV box having a bluetooth remote enables me to control the box from my bedroom as connected via splitter and HDMI cable to bedroom, so can watch recorded stuff in bedroom.

I merely asked about recording facility on the BT box after contract end, and got the answer. I would have paid the charge to keep the box, or bought a cheaper used one if the recording feature would still be available.

I will merely have to use my other unused Freesat recorder in place of BT now, no big deal, just need to reinstate the wiring and switches and magic eye.

But as I do not intend telling my life story, that is enough for you. As for TV licence, so what!

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

Midnight_Voice — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 09:22:28 GMT

@DarrenDev

Thanks!

Re: BT TV Pro Box without subscription?

NigelB72 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 19:24:31 GMT

@wellfan Hiya, there is an IP delivery version of Freeview available now called Freely. It's is subscription free but is just in the early phase of it's launch. That could be worth looking in to buy it looks like you'll need to buy a new TV that has the software built in...

There's also Freeview Play. You can download an app for that for Android and iOS but I don't know if you can cast and it won't have any recording facilities.