Freeview Channels Without Aerial?

[kingleygate]

Just got a BT Pro box today and have BT fibre to the home.

Don't have an aerial currently just 900MB Fibre.

was expecting to be able to get these channels

https://www.bt.com/help/tv/guide/ip-freeview-guide

Unfortunately and the link doesn't mention this...to get these you have to subscribe to BT TV.

Is there any way you can see these channels via an alternative method using fast internet?

[Les-Gibson]

https://community.bt.com/t5/YouView-from-BT/BT-TV-Pro-Box-without-subscription/m-p/2296103#M71952

[Weerab1983]

Until Freely comes next year, other than using the BT IP channels (signing upto a BT TV contract and getting the BT TV Pro from BT, or Sky Stream from Sky) you can get live streams of the majority of Freeview channels with the main free catch up apps (Iplayer, Itvx, channel four, my5, uktv, discovery plus (where you can get the free discovery group channels without signing up to a paid contract ) ).

You can also get a load of FAST channels with the free pluto TV, freevee, plex and rakuten apps.

CBS are relaunching their CBS UK app (to be called watch free) on 22nd November and maybe they might include live streams of their channels on that. 

Paramount will be launching a combined my5 and pluto app in the second half of next year. 

[kingleygate]

OK thanks.

[Midnight_Voice]

@Weerab1983 @kingleygate 

Some of these apps on the BT Pro box, and on several makes of TV, tend to come without the Live capability included. (The BBC iPlayer is a shining exception, as the BBC refuse to offer a cut-down iPlayer without Live).

The best way to get round this is to buy a Roku Stick, Roku Express, or Amazon Firestick, plug it into a spare HDMI input on your TV, and get the live channels from the Apps on those, which always come with the Live option.

One of these devices can be had for somewhere between £20 and £50 while Black Friday is on, 4K costing about £10 more than HD if you want that.

My personal strong preference is for the clean UI of the Roku devices.

Though it was startling, when wanting catchup, to point a Firestick remote at a TV showing a broadcast programme, press a button and say “I’m a Celebrity” and having it almost work, opening itvX, navigating to the programme, but showing the one from a couple of years ago. Pretty good going, though. Maybe next time, I’ll specify the series and episode, or say “Continue watching…”

[Weerab1983]

I've got roku and fire sticks for my TVs. 

I like to keep my choices open...