Will BT be selling future Youview boxes in retail shops?

[Joe9]

Hello,

I'm not sure if this is the best place to ask?

I'm curious to know whether BT will be selling Youview boxes direct from retail shops? Previously if you didn't want a BTTV contract, you could still use the Youview service by buying a Youview box direct from retail. Some of these retail boxes were Humax branded, and some were BT branded, but they all worked the same.

Are there any plans to sell Youview boxes again in retail? 

[-Richie-]

You can still buy direct, if you visit the YouView website this link has a list of retailers.

[Joe9]

Hi thanks for the reply.

You can no longer find any Youview boxes at retail, even though there are still links on the website. Youview have moved away from selling direct to customers or so they tell me.  At the moment there is no where to buy Youview at retail. It seems  Ebay is the only option.  I'm led to believe that Youview will soon update the website to reflect this.

I wondered whether BT will continue the tradition of selling Youview boxes at retail as they did previously?

[NigelB72]

I think Youview as a retail product is dead. 

[-Richie- · Accepted solution]

The Amazon links to Youview boxes of various models, the rest it seem no longer sell them, even the BT Shop doesn't have any listed.

Amazon, Ebay or subscribe via BT it seems are your only options, now all equipment is on loan the likes of Ebay will have less stock as previously customers could keep the boxes.

[Joe9]

Yes I fear you maybe right. Youview are still  supporting retail bought boxes with software updates, but without new boxes in the shops that will surely come to an end at some point. 

Hopefully BT will provide on option for retail Youview users? Be nice to know one way or the other 

[NigelB72]

Freeview Play is the better retail proposition but it doesn't have subscription apps. If you want a retail option with connected apps, I'd go for Freeview Play plus a streaming stick such as a Roku, Chromecast etc

[Joe9]

Yes that change of policy of ownership of the Youview boxes acquired through BTTV makes me wonder whether a box bought on eBay or elsewhere may have its functionality switched off at some point, as they remain the property of BT.

Looks like retail users are being pushed towards Freeview play equivalent, which is a shame because the Youview software and interface is very good. 

[Brucemeister5]

We’ve got a retail BT Youview DTR-T2110 box which we’ve had for nearly 6 years now. We appreciate having a recordable box that has most ( but not all) of the streaming services that we may wish to subscribe to. We’re grateful to continue to receive software updates and really like the fact that BT have very generously allowed retail customers to use the BT TV app to set remote recordings and to keep track of what’s on the box when not at home. 

However, having gone to the trouble to develop the new BT Pro TV box, I’m not expecting BT to make them available via retail. As has already been mentioned, the fact they they are only on loan to customers means that they aren’t likely to end up on eBay or Amazon. I’m considering subscribing to BT TV when we renew our broadband soon in order to get hold of one of the new BT Pro TV boxes. As far as I can see none of the other Freeview/Freeview Play recorders offers anything like the range of streaming apps that’s available on this new box. It’s one thing to own your own box, but there’s something to be said for being able to have it repaired or replaced for something more up-to-date in future by subscribing to BT TV. 

[zulu17]

Remember  that the BT DTR- T4000  initially launched several years ago never had a  retail variant launched  so it was only the earlier DTR- T1000 / 80B08530 and DTR- T2110,   DB- T2210 boxes that had a BT Retail model.

Can't see any reason for that trend to change particularly given the move by Bt to retain ownership of boxes supplied in TV packages.

I imagine there will be a lot of previously owned  Youview boxes available.

You may still find the odd refurbished Humax Youview box on the Humax link provided on the Youview website.