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Message 1 of 25

BT set top box

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Currently deciding on a new TV setup and favouring a Samsung OLED.  However Samsung don't include Freeview Play in their TVs so I might need a set top box, which I was hoping to avoid.  Seems the BT STB is highly thought of but to get it you have to subscribe to BT TV, which I don't want to do.  Can the STB box simply be purchased outright?

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Message 2 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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It is not available for purchase outright, at least not from BT/EE anyway. You may find some for sale on  some well known online retailers. I have even seen some of the new EE branded Pro tv boxes on one such website. However, I’m not sure where these have been sourced from, as they remain the property of BT/EE, and even if you do buy one you are not entitled to claim ownership.

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Message 3 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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You can't buy a BT/EE set up box through official sources without a subscription.

Manhattan boxes could be an alternative 

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Message 4 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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As I thought then, but thanks for the info.  I did have the Manhattan, great initially but, as with many others, it became completely unusable after a month or so.  I understand there is an unexpired delay introducing the TVR4.  Not an option currently.

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Message 5 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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Samsung have their own system called Samsung TV Plus. So if you plug a standard aerial in, it'll pull through the Freeview channels and integrate them into their own EPG which also includes hundreds of FAST channels. Or if you have a Sky satellite dish, you can connect that and it'll pull through the Freesat channels and integrate them. 

The satellite option isn't available on all models though. 

We've got a Samsung QLED and it's an excellent TV...

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Message 6 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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Thank you Nigel! Didn't know about that at all but if it's as easy to select a catchup programme as it is a live TV programme it would completely solve my quandary.
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Message 7 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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@Earthling 

You can find YouView boxes on eBay, or, if you would like a guarantee, on CeX.

YouView boxes since December 2019 have remained the property of BT, so the latest box, the Pro box isn’t available to own, even for BT subscribers. However, you can become the unregistered keeper of one 😛

The previous flagship box was the DTR-T4000, which can do 4K on suitable apps. Below that, the DTR-T2xxx boxes are all much of a HD muchness, though the DTR-T2000 box was YouView retail, and has a different form factor. 

But YouView boxes aren’t Freeview Play either, and in fact don’t support some of the Freeview IP channels, so the Samsung may be closer to Freeview Play than a YouView box.

If you want an OLED with Freeview Play, then LG should be your choice, IMHO. The sweet spot is the 2023 C3, at whatever screen size you prefer, though there are some cracking deals on the outgoing 2022 C2s, which also have Freeview Play. But they don’t support DTS-X like the C3s now do, if that matters to you.

The G3 is gorgeous, but quite a price hike from the C3, and is meant to be wall hung.

We’ve just hung a 48” C2 in our bedroom, to complement the 65” GX in the lounge; when we want DTS-X, the GX soundbar will supply it 😛

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Message 8 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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@Earthlingwrote:

Currently deciding on a new TV setup and favouring a Samsung OLED.  However Samsung don't include Freeview Play in their TVs so I might need a set top box, which I was hoping to avoid. 


Only one company makes OLED panels and that's LG, even if it is in a Samsung, Panasonic or Sony TV. The brand manufacturer then adds their own processing etc. on top. Is there a particular reason you prefer Samsung? Bad experience with LG?

If you buy an LG they include Freeview Play, support Freesat and Dolby Vision (which is better supported across streaming platforms than HDR10+), have LG Channels etc.

To be fair, the point may be mute all round with Freely launching next year on TVs, as the next evolution of Freeview Play.

I assume you are "Solver" who asked the same question on AV Forums?

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Message 9 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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@stereohaven 

I suspect Freely is going to be a lot like IP Mode on the Pro boxes, with just the main Freeview channels, and lots of more obscure ones you can’t get.

And though it might not be able to pull the ‘gotcha’ that itvX has to stop you skipping ads on recordings, I bet it will come with a few new gotchas of its own.

I was holding my breath for full Freeview over IP, but from the careful wording around Freely, I don’t think I’ll be holding my breath, or holding off buying a new TV, for that 😢

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Message 10 of 25

Re: BT set top box

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I read that freely was going to be an app, not a direct replacement for Freeview play straight away 

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