This topic

Aerial or IP TV

Sonic1978 — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:38:18 GMT

I currently have our BT pro box connected via aerial but see there is an option for Internet TV instead , I believe you can only record two channels through internet instead of four but not sure on whether the picture quality is better if I have a good aerial signal and also fast fibre connection. Curious to know whether others have made the change from one to the other?

Re: Aerial or IP TV

andydenyer — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:54:37 GMT

I set mine up for IP TV as if I want to watch something via the aerial than I can still do that directly via the TV itself. The advantage of IP TV is that you get more of the channels available on Freeview in HD so, yes, the picture will be better. The disadvantage is that not all Freeview channels are available via IP TV, so therefore won't be recordable. You can check here what's available via IP TV mode versus aerial mode: https://www.bt.com/help/tv/learn-about-tv/tv-channel-guide

Re: Aerial or IP TV

WSH — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:21:14 GMT

One thing to be aware of is that it does substantially increase the data you use. I started using IP TV, (with Sky, not BT), about 10 months ago and it has increased my data usage to about 1 ¼ TB per month.

Re: Aerial or IP TV

TimCurtis — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:04:02 GMT

@Sonic1978

One important factor is that in IP Mode you can't skip adverts on ITV certainly , not sure about the other commercial channels.

Also I believe it doesn't actually record BBC programmes but links them to the iPlayer - I could be wrong about this though.

And I also believe that anything you record via IP Mode is only available whilst using IP Mode - again I could be mistaken here.

Re: Aerial or IP TV

zulu17 — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:00:35 GMT

@TimCurtis the irony is that recording of BBC channels does occur in IP mode so does use space on the Box Pro hard drive for a recording and utilising one of the two live IP streams the box is permitted but you will not as it stands be able to play that recording as the options made available to the user do not include play recording but rather as you mention it provides a linkage to the programme to watch if available in iPlayer. This is due to BBC requirements for providing the live IP channel stream.

Re: Aerial or IP TV

zulu17 — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:39:48 GMT

@Sonic1978

A few observations

You could switch to IP mode on your Box Pro (hdmi feed to TV) and use your aerial connection direct into your TV and have option to view Freeview channels via the TV's own tuner. (You SHOULD be able ro retain access to any historic aerial recordings by selecting the right reset options to preserve your recordings when switching.)

If you remain in aerial mode on your box pro you still can benefit from some of the apps on the box that provide good quality video streams of live programming. For example iplayer BBC UHD content .. i would recommend that you explore the apps available for alternative streaming of high quality broadcasts ...(assuming you are not constrained by broadband speed and contention from a busy household.) I think Channel4 and STV apps have had significant improvements in the past year. Potentially for apps that are missing or have reduced functionality on the Box Pro you may find that your TV may have an app versions that provide more.

Re: Aerial or IP TV

chrisjp — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 17:35:17 GMT

If you have a functioning aerial my advice is to use it.

It gives you the ability to watch all the Freeview channels and to record any programme on them and watch it later with the ability to fast forward through all the ads.

You do not get this freedom when receiving TV channels via your broadband internet with, as has been said, the BBC converting "recording" a programme to a link to iPlayer, and a lot of the other channels restricting the ability to record and/or fast forward through the ads.

Anyone who has access to an aerial and is not using it is depriving themselves of a lot of flexibility.

Re: Aerial or IP TV

Hunter2660 — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 20:57:52 GMT

@chrisjpwrote:
If you have a functioning aerial my advice is to use it.
It gives you the ability to watch all the Freeview channels and to record any programme on them and watch it later with the ability to fast forward through all the ads.
You do not get this freedom when receiving TV channels via your broadband internet with, as has been said, the BBC converting "recording" a programme to a link to iPlayer, and a lot of the other channels restricting the ability to record and/or fast forward through the ads.
Anyone who has access to an aerial and is not using it is depriving themselves of a lot of flexibility.

It's a trade off. If you want a quality picture streaming is the way forward. If you're happy with the picture quality Freeview serves up, then fine, but don't expect a striking picture (other than the HD mux) on a large screen TV.