HD channels

[NigelB72]

@kevez2611 if you have a Pro Box running in IP Freeview mode, there's loads of terrestrial HD channels including the full suite of ITV and Five channels. Channel Four's channels haven't joined the HD party yet but that's probably for commercial reasons but the SD channels do look a lot better than they do on Freeview. For a start, they're actually watchable...

[Andeb]

I hadn't noticed BBC4 HD is now available, that's a start.

We used to watch Flim4, ITV2,3 &4, Dave, TCM and lots more on Virgin in HD.
I now wish I'd never changed from Virgin to BT, first chance I can get out of the contract I will be going back to Virgin if BT doesn't get their finger out to compete with the other poivider's HD channels.

On another note, another reason I'll be going back to Virgin. We can't watch TV on the 2nd BT box in our bedroom, we get an aerial signal strength message popping up sometimes every few mins. Never had an issue with the Virgin boxes.

[Andeb]

Hi Nigel

This is interesting, I was led to believe from other messages and google etc. that the extended HD channel range (ITV2,3,4, Film4 for example) was not available on BT at all anymore. My son is a bit techy I'll ask him to see if our set-up is on the IP Freeview mode, if we can at least get the ITV HD channels, that would be a start.
Thank you

[NigelB72]

@Andeb that was probably via the old legacy packs. The HD ones weren't available because all the terrestrial channels were delivered via Freeview but the IP mode really cranks up the quality.

Not all Freeview channels are available but the good ones are and the picture quality is noticeably better especially on SD channels 

[davidwindle9]

Have you tried streaming your channels over IPTV if you have a Pro box? loads of additional HD channels via that way.

[NigelB72]

@Andeb oh and I've just noticed that you can't watch TV on the second box because of a flakey signal. There's also a new IP based multi-room box available now. 

You can watch recordings from your main box yet but at least it'll solve the lack of TV signal issue and you can use the various apps for streaming 👍

[BillyM]

@Andeb A list of channels available via Internet mode: https://www.bt.com/help/tv/guide/ip-freeview-guide One correction, channel 12 should be QUEST HD. And I agree with NigelB, the quality of SD channels via Internet mode is far better than via Aerial mode.

@NigelB72 I noticed that if I do an EPG search using the HD category, Legend, CBS Reality and Reality Xtra come up as HD. Do you reckon they are actually HD?

[NigelB72]

@BillyM Legend isn't because I've been recording Knight Rider but they could be future launches... 

I've noticed since the software update that enabled IP Freeview, the Pro Box has become a lot more stable and a lot of the bugs have vanished.

It's now getting close to what we were promised at launch and there should be another update in the future to add more virtual tuners 👌

[biohazardx9]

@NigelB72 agreed, all features are now working except the following which are either broken or to be implemented :-

• Netflix search integration (broken) 
• More virtual tuners (to be implemented) 
• Voice search (to be implemented) 
• More apps
• More ip channels 

I feel with ip mode, now is a good time to implement channels that weren't part of freeview but easily add able as free to air/view. (freesat for example has bbc Scotland, s4c, bbc alba, box, magic, kerrang just as an example) 

[kevez2611]

Hi.  Forgive my stupidity but how do I run my Pro Box in IP Freeview mode?! When I switch my TV on, I  press the blue button on the Guide page and switch to HD mode. I've flicked through the SD channels and watched a few programmes on Dave, but the picture quality is markedly inferior to any other HD channel. Thought I could get Dave HD via the UK Play app...but sadly not 😞 

Would I get more HD channels if I bought a Firestick?