Product Support for EETV (BT) recordable Boxes

[zulu17]

I believe that the minimum support for BT products are listed in

https://img01.products.bt.co.uk/content/dam/bt/storefront/pdfs/terms/bt-product-support-may-2024-iss...

Whilst I appreciate it is the minimum support periods it is of some concern that recordable TV boxes have  or are wihin the next 9 months reaching the end of the minimum support period.

Can we get clarification and reassurance that there will be continued support  and development once this occurs please   or will the boxes simply be maintained at their status  they are currently at ?

[Weerab1983]

Definitely agree.

If the pro box support ends next March, it would need to be extended unless they are intending to bring out another product to replace it.

If freely does become the UKs preference to terrestrial TV, I am not sure the current boxes would support it.

But as Youview also provide the software for freely, it's interesting times ahead. 

[Kodikid]

I think the days of pvr's are numbered. Even Sky that pioneer and bastion of set top pvr's have abandoned them focusing almost entirely on streaming. 

It's possible the pro box will make way for apple tv in the not so distant future on EE.

[Weerab1983]

Freely also does not let you record and is using watch lists, which have recently appeared on EE apple TV.

[Kodikid]

 Wouldn't read too much into Freely 

Literally the only only way to access it is by purchasing a low end supermarket tv.

Surely a app would have mass market appeal. 

Also EE already supplies tv over the Internet, although it seems to have been forgotten since it's inception as it's never been advanced any further 

[Weerab1983]

Tivo are apparently making freely boxes which could be available by Christmas.

I have a Hisense QLED freely TV in my living room and it's perfectly fine. 

The one thing that freely has over EE IP TV is the uktv channels and aerial support for freeview channels where there are no IP alternatives available.

[Hunter2660]

The hybrid Freely EPG is a bit of a pigs ear at the moment. Not all ip channels are given preference, the U channels, True Crime, Legend and PSB America are a case in point, they are the over the air versions.

Then there is the ITV1 HD macro channels problem. (Here in the West Country the HD region is Central West). That is given preference over the IP version, even though the ITV1 HD IP West Country region is available. So you end up with ITV SD on LCN 3 and, the incorrect HD version on LCN 61. Unless of course you ditch the aerial and then all the current IP channels stream as they should in HD or better quality SD. But you then lose the over the air channels? See what I mean!!!!

[Weerab1983]

@Hunter2660 that's the case of a fixable update I guess. After that is corrected it should be all good.

[Hunter2660]

Actually I contacted Freely about the ITV1 HD issue a year ago, and asked could they provide an otion to replace the over the air version with the IP version. The reply was to contact ITV about the incorrect over the air ITV HD region. As ITV haven't bothered to regionalise their HD channels as the BBC did over a year ago, I'm not hopeful. Interestingly it wouldn't be so bad if you could use ITVX to stream your local ITV1, but guess what................. that uses the same macro regions as ITV1 HD. DOH!!!!

[Anonymous]

Could it simply be the demise/EOL of BT branded hardware? Given that the Pro Boxes are now branded EE & new customers seem to be receiving EE branded routers. Is there a similar page for EE devices?

The date of that doc is also when the BT brand was to be deprecated for residential customers, so could yet be updated/extended .