Watching Terrestrial Channels From Your BT Box

[20-20vision]

Can this be done? I have an ethernet connection from my BT TV Box to my BT Modem, but my aerial connector goes to an external aerial. I have seen it suggested that you don't need an aerial and the BT TV Box will will supply the Freeview channels. If that's true, what do you connect the aerial socket to?

Many thanks for any help here.

[TimCurtis]

@20-20vision 

If you have the BT Pro box and a current BT TV subscription then you can get Freeview channels (mostly) using IP mode which is via the internet.

But you have to reset the box with no aerial plugged in and select IP mode (or whatever the terminology the box uses) which I think means all current recordings will be lost.

Note that not all Freeview channels are available using this method.

[Weerab1983 · Accepted solution]

The list of internet Freeview channels are here https://www.bt.com/help/tv/guide/ip-freeview-guide

The instructions how to set up your BT TV Pro to use internet channels are below

Switching modes 

The only way to swap from Aerial to Internet mode is to do a factory reset with the aerial unplugged (or vice versa to go from internet to aerial, factory reset with the aerial plugged in), this will allow the channel reception to be selected during setup.

Doing this in maintenance mode (a setting that allows advanced changes and restores to be made) will help to protect any recordings on the box. If a customer moves from Internet to Aerial, their recordings made in internet mode won’t work due to content rights issues. Any reminders will also be lost switching in either direction.

Once you’ve reset your box, follow the set up process as normal and when prompted to select the TV Channels Mode, select the Stream TV Channels from the internet option. 

[Midnight_Voice]

@Weerab1983 @20-20vision @TimCurtis 

Pro tip for the technically competent:-

The Factory Reset option, Maintenance Mode option 5, is the guaranteed clean switchover, but it loses your recordings.

It might be a bit rough around the edges, but if you make the switch in Maintenance Mode Option 2, this should preserve your recordings while still allowing the switch between aerial and IP mode, in either direction.

You may get some slightly odd results, such as recordings made in one mode not playing in the other, but it’s better than losing them.