BT TV Mini Box - no channels

[stevendt]

Hi,

I have just signed up for BT TV - well, I say "just", but I took out the contract in September and Openreach STILL haven't connected me to the full fibre that I signed up for! Currently, I'm using a 4G mini-hub to get some level of internet connection. 

BT sent me the wired router and TV hardware in October but since I don't have a wired connection, I never bothered unpacking it until now. 4G coverage isn't great where I am and wireless coverage in the house isn't ideal either - too many think walls, but I'm hoping to get some BT TV services working. Since the TV boxes are supposed to support wireless, I'm just trying it out now.

I have the main box set up, since it has an RF input, I can get the Freeview channels on it, but I can't get any Freeview channels on the mini box (it has no RF connector). Retuning as per the help pages obviously doesn't help. Streaming services such as iPlayer and my5 are working, so the internet connection is working.

Can someone confirm whether or not I should be able to access the free to air channels, e.g., BBC, ITV on the mini box and if so, what I need to do to get it working?

regards

Dave

[belsey12]

HI unless this has changed recently I believe that the mini boxes only work over aerial could be wrong they might of changed it when they changed it on the pro box. The mini Box`s have to be plugged in directly over ethernet as they don`t work over WIFI. 

[stevendt]

Hi,

thanks for trying to help, but the mini box can't work over aerial  as it has no RF connector!

If it wasn't going to work over Wi-Fi, why would the firmware allow you to configure that connection method? The manual also describes how to configure it for Wi-Fi.

regards

Dave

[garybs29]

If it's the new box it only works in internet mode but probably doesn't with 4g hence the issues you're having

[stevendt]

Again, thanks for the reply, but if you don't know for sure, then the reply is not helpful

" probably doesn't with 4g hence the issues you're having"

regards

Dave

[Hunter2660 · Accepted solution]

BT's channels use multicast so won't work over 4G. You can still connect to BT Sport and Now channels using the apps on the Amazon Firestick, Roku, Apple TV etc. as they use unicast.

[stevendt]

Hi,

thanks a lot for the reply.

Not what I wanted to hear, but at least it's a definitive answer.

Off to read up about "multicast" and what it means 🙂

regards

Dave