Catchup TV
- Thread starter Nitell
- Start date
Basically you catch up on programmes you have missed over the past month. You need a smart TV or a TV stick to watch it unless you connect your pc/laptop/tablet or smartphone to your tv.
https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/technology/home-technology/film-tv/get-up-to-speed-with-catch-up-tv
https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/technology/home-technology/film-tv/get-up-to-speed-with-catch-up-tv
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There are so many, and our BluRay player did allow some catch-up, also built into some TV's, however they seem to change it from time to time, so now BluRay player does not work with catch-up and some you need a PC or phone to register, we have SkyQ, and it is built into SkyQ we click on program we want and it down loads it, I would wait for @Lucid to answer he seems to know all the options, what I have noticed with SkyQ many of the catch-up programs have no adverts, as to if any of the others strip out adverts I don't know.
The link that @Mottie posted covers most of the basics pretty well.
What I would add is...
* Catch Up is delivered via an internet connection. @Nitell, it looks like you're online, so you have one of the required components which is some way to access the internet
* not every channel has a catch-up service, and of those that do, there's only a relatively small portion of each day's TV content that makes it on to the service. Think of it more like a library service of what could be classed as the best bits. The content is curated by each channel provider to include what they think are the most important and/or most popular programmes
* the content is also subject to any additional rights agreements, so whilst a major feature film might seem like a perfect candidate for inclusion in catch-up, there may be some rights restrictions that prevent it being made available to the service
I know there are people who are giving up watching live TV channels as a way to stop paying the TV licence. The way I see it though, Catch-Up is a useful add-on to the full broadcast package that you currently enjoy rather than a replacement for it.
Speaking of TV licences, the BBC had a change made to include iPlayer under the same umbrella as watching live TV. IOW, you need a TV licence to watch BBC content via the iPlayer catch-up service.
There's a lot of content available via the online streaming services that include Catch-Up. Much of it is fragmented though depending on the features and capabilities of the hardware. For example, I have a 2019-model Panasonic smart TV. It includes the enhanced catch-up service for Freeview called Freeview Play. Here, the TV Guide lists programmes that have already aired but are available to watch via Catch-Up. Via gthe TV, I can also access the individual applications for each channel's catch-up service. It's two different ways of getting to the same content. My Amazon Firestick also offers Catch-Up services. These are accessed by going to each channel's catch-up application. There's some commonality between the catch-up channels offered on the TV and those on the Firestick. BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, Ch4 and Channel 5. However, the TV offers me channels that I haven't yet found via the Firestick, and similarly, the Firestick offers me channels that aren't available via the TV.
The advice you've had here and in the other posts in the thread may cover what you need, or there could still be questions that you need to ask. By all means, feel free to ask.
If this or any other reply was helpful to you, then please do the decent thing and click the T-H-A-N-K-S button on the posts you found helpful. The Thanks button appears when you hover the mouse pointer near the Quote Multi-quote buttons. This isn't a big thing to ask of you, it takes a couple of seconds to do and it costs you nothing. This is the proper way to show your thanks for the time and help someone gave you, and doing so will help to ensure that you continue to receive help and advice.
What I would add is...
* Catch Up is delivered via an internet connection. @Nitell, it looks like you're online, so you have one of the required components which is some way to access the internet
* not every channel has a catch-up service, and of those that do, there's only a relatively small portion of each day's TV content that makes it on to the service. Think of it more like a library service of what could be classed as the best bits. The content is curated by each channel provider to include what they think are the most important and/or most popular programmes
* the content is also subject to any additional rights agreements, so whilst a major feature film might seem like a perfect candidate for inclusion in catch-up, there may be some rights restrictions that prevent it being made available to the service
I know there are people who are giving up watching live TV channels as a way to stop paying the TV licence. The way I see it though, Catch-Up is a useful add-on to the full broadcast package that you currently enjoy rather than a replacement for it.
Speaking of TV licences, the BBC had a change made to include iPlayer under the same umbrella as watching live TV. IOW, you need a TV licence to watch BBC content via the iPlayer catch-up service.
There's a lot of content available via the online streaming services that include Catch-Up. Much of it is fragmented though depending on the features and capabilities of the hardware. For example, I have a 2019-model Panasonic smart TV. It includes the enhanced catch-up service for Freeview called Freeview Play. Here, the TV Guide lists programmes that have already aired but are available to watch via Catch-Up. Via gthe TV, I can also access the individual applications for each channel's catch-up service. It's two different ways of getting to the same content. My Amazon Firestick also offers Catch-Up services. These are accessed by going to each channel's catch-up application. There's some commonality between the catch-up channels offered on the TV and those on the Firestick. BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, Ch4 and Channel 5. However, the TV offers me channels that I haven't yet found via the Firestick, and similarly, the Firestick offers me channels that aren't available via the TV.
The advice you've had here and in the other posts in the thread may cover what you need, or there could still be questions that you need to ask. By all means, feel free to ask.
If this or any other reply was helpful to you, then please do the decent thing and click the T-H-A-N-K-S button on the posts you found helpful. The Thanks button appears when you hover the mouse pointer near the Quote Multi-quote buttons. This isn't a big thing to ask of you, it takes a couple of seconds to do and it costs you nothing. This is the proper way to show your thanks for the time and help someone gave you, and doing so will help to ensure that you continue to receive help and advice.
I have a new Smart TV. It may sound hilarious that I do not even know how to access what you both tell me. I stick to the basics, and it is the licence fee which sent me here, so, Lucid, you are correct.
I want to stop paying for TV, but do it in a 'safe' manner, meaning not to be caught out by 'the Law'. So I will start doing what you suggest, but I found that some of those sites want to capture personal info via cookies.
Some years ago, a TV technician converted his TV so it could not receive BBC, thereby not being subjected to paying a licence fee. He got caught out by 'the Law'.
Before he did, I thought of doing so, too, because there were 'bits and pieces' which were available from electronics shops. BBC took him to court and the judge ruled against him. How?. He was not using the service?. 'The Law?'.
I want to stop paying for TV, but do it in a 'safe' manner, meaning not to be caught out by 'the Law'. So I will start doing what you suggest, but I found that some of those sites want to capture personal info via cookies.
Some years ago, a TV technician converted his TV so it could not receive BBC, thereby not being subjected to paying a licence fee. He got caught out by 'the Law'.
Before he did, I thought of doing so, too, because there were 'bits and pieces' which were available from electronics shops. BBC took him to court and the judge ruled against him. How?. He was not using the service?. 'The Law?'.
The law is explained here https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home
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The requirements have changed, on the building of Sizewell 'B' I was living in a caravan at the same time as my family were living at home, so although you can use the home licence to watch TV in a caravan you can't do it at the same time as using it at home. I did not want to watch TV however I wanted to use the TV as a monitor for my Amiga computer, so I made enquiries as to what was needed to make a TV classed as not a TV, my thoughts were putting a blank over the aerial socket.
So I found out that in Norfolk an old lady had been given a video recorder, and she had a black and white TV so a black and white licence, and she was taken to court for using a colour receiver with a black and white licence as the video received in colour even if she only watched in black and white, I actually talked to the magistrate who ruled on the case, she was found guilty as if he had dismissed it then a common law ruling would have resulted, but only fined £5.
Since that date we went digital and all set top boxes receive in colour so you can't have a black and white TV any more if going by the above, yet a black and white licence is still sold, so clearly to be able to use a black and white licence the law must have changed, and the wording of the licence has changed as it referred to apparatus used to receive the broadcast signals, which has to be the aerial not the TV, that has now changed.
The change would have included any computer capable of connecting to the internet which would mean every firm using computers would have required a TV licence it talks about broadcast TV it does not need to use radio waves, so cable TV still needs a licence. Now there was, don't know if still there a website called Catch-up TV, this web site allowed you to watch through the computer live TV, so in spite of the name is was broadcast not peer to peer, so it still needed a licence.
So it is the "Broadcast" bit that matters, I can as a radio ham send TV signals to another radio ham and receive signals from another radio ham without a TV licence, just my amateur radio licence is required, but as a radio ham I am not permitted to broadcast, it has to be peer to peer, the rules seem odd some times, it is the same with CB radio, so if I call another ham and make contact and say there is an accident on M6 junction 10 that's OK, but if I simple key the mic and say hay guys there is an accident on M6 junction 10 without first making contact with some one, I have broadcast so broken the law, even though I know loads have listened in when I made contact first so result is same, one is classed a peer to peer the other is broadcast.
The problem is you on the receiving end don't really know if broadcast or not, little like the music sharing, in the days when you could down load an app to share music there was a problem in only the person uploading knew if copy-write or not, but it was the person down loading who was considered as stealing the music, it is same using catch-up, you the user does not really know if you are getting a broadcast program which may be broadcast every 5 minutes and your linked to one broadcast slot, or if true peer to peer, and your downloading independent of anyone else.
As to if the BBC will take you to court is another story, but they are in trouble with the licence fee, they are not getting the revenue they need, so if they find some website has been broadcasting then they could in theory fine anyone without a licence who has down loaded from that site.
It seems there is only one way to ensure you have not broken the law, and that is not to watch TV. You may find a loop hole, but problem with loop holes is once found they are sewn up, there will be an amendment to the law.
So back in those Sizewell 'B' days I used an old BBC monitor for my Amiga computer as I did not want to be a test case. I have had enough problems moving house, I had to change the licence address, and I thought I had done it, when I got threatening letters I phoned up to complain and found the records had not updated and the licence did not cover this house, it was still registered to last house, I did not even realise the address was so important, I thought if I got a knock on the door I could show licence and that would be that, seems I was wrong. It was then moved to new address.
If you have never had a licence then you could be OK, but in the house we moved from, but still owned by us, in spite of telling them there was no TV in the house, we started getting those threatening letters, as I say law has changed, but it use to say apparatus for receiving broadcast TV they did not have to catch you using it, having it on the premises was enough, as to if a satellite dish or TV aerial is considered as apparatus I don't know, but what I do know, I do not want to be a test case. Now son has moved in to house, so house has licence again.
So I found out that in Norfolk an old lady had been given a video recorder, and she had a black and white TV so a black and white licence, and she was taken to court for using a colour receiver with a black and white licence as the video received in colour even if she only watched in black and white, I actually talked to the magistrate who ruled on the case, she was found guilty as if he had dismissed it then a common law ruling would have resulted, but only fined £5.
Since that date we went digital and all set top boxes receive in colour so you can't have a black and white TV any more if going by the above, yet a black and white licence is still sold, so clearly to be able to use a black and white licence the law must have changed, and the wording of the licence has changed as it referred to apparatus used to receive the broadcast signals, which has to be the aerial not the TV, that has now changed.
The change would have included any computer capable of connecting to the internet which would mean every firm using computers would have required a TV licence it talks about broadcast TV it does not need to use radio waves, so cable TV still needs a licence. Now there was, don't know if still there a website called Catch-up TV, this web site allowed you to watch through the computer live TV, so in spite of the name is was broadcast not peer to peer, so it still needed a licence.
So it is the "Broadcast" bit that matters, I can as a radio ham send TV signals to another radio ham and receive signals from another radio ham without a TV licence, just my amateur radio licence is required, but as a radio ham I am not permitted to broadcast, it has to be peer to peer, the rules seem odd some times, it is the same with CB radio, so if I call another ham and make contact and say there is an accident on M6 junction 10 that's OK, but if I simple key the mic and say hay guys there is an accident on M6 junction 10 without first making contact with some one, I have broadcast so broken the law, even though I know loads have listened in when I made contact first so result is same, one is classed a peer to peer the other is broadcast.
The problem is you on the receiving end don't really know if broadcast or not, little like the music sharing, in the days when you could down load an app to share music there was a problem in only the person uploading knew if copy-write or not, but it was the person down loading who was considered as stealing the music, it is same using catch-up, you the user does not really know if you are getting a broadcast program which may be broadcast every 5 minutes and your linked to one broadcast slot, or if true peer to peer, and your downloading independent of anyone else.
As to if the BBC will take you to court is another story, but they are in trouble with the licence fee, they are not getting the revenue they need, so if they find some website has been broadcasting then they could in theory fine anyone without a licence who has down loaded from that site.
It seems there is only one way to ensure you have not broken the law, and that is not to watch TV. You may find a loop hole, but problem with loop holes is once found they are sewn up, there will be an amendment to the law.
So back in those Sizewell 'B' days I used an old BBC monitor for my Amiga computer as I did not want to be a test case. I have had enough problems moving house, I had to change the licence address, and I thought I had done it, when I got threatening letters I phoned up to complain and found the records had not updated and the licence did not cover this house, it was still registered to last house, I did not even realise the address was so important, I thought if I got a knock on the door I could show licence and that would be that, seems I was wrong. It was then moved to new address.
If you have never had a licence then you could be OK, but in the house we moved from, but still owned by us, in spite of telling them there was no TV in the house, we started getting those threatening letters, as I say law has changed, but it use to say apparatus for receiving broadcast TV they did not have to catch you using it, having it on the premises was enough, as to if a satellite dish or TV aerial is considered as apparatus I don't know, but what I do know, I do not want to be a test case. Now son has moved in to house, so house has licence again.
Unless its altered recently
non-payment off a tv licence is a criminal offence from the start
whereas other fines or charges are not they are civil charges although if it goes to court and you still refuse to pay you are then in contempt off court and you then come into the word off bailiffs and prisons and ankle bracelets
non-payment off a tv licence is a criminal offence from the start
whereas other fines or charges are not they are civil charges although if it goes to court and you still refuse to pay you are then in contempt off court and you then come into the word off bailiffs and prisons and ankle bracelets
The BBC TV channels also have a useful feature on the 'green button', as part of the catchup system - where if you miss the start of a BBC program which is presently showing live, you can press the green button on the remote and watch from the beginning. That seems to include all of the BBC's TV channels and TV output.
The first step is to connect the TV to the wireless router in your house. Part of this involves putting in the wireless password that is used to grant other devices such as smart mobile phones and tablets and wireless laptops access to the router. The steps themselves in establishing this connection will be covered in the TV's manual or via the built-in help menus of the TV.
Depending on your wireless router, the password may be written on a label on the back or base of the product.
Once connected via wireless, or via an Ethernet network cable if the router is close enough, then so long as you have a valid broadband connection the TV will be able to communicate with the streaming services that provide the various Catch-Up services.
What buttons you press on your remote control to access the catch up services does depend on the TV you have. Once again, your manuals are the guide, but play around with the TV to see what happens as you press buttons such as Guide, Home, Apps if they feature on your remote.
With some services you'll be able to access them immediately. Others will require some form of sign-up and log in process. For example, to access ITV Hub, the start screen for that apps asks me to either sign in or register. Registration is the process of setting up the user account for the first time. Once done, then the login process involves using an internet connected device such as a laptop, smartphone or tablet to enter a code given on the TV screen in to their website. This login process isn't required every time though, thankfully. That's because of cookies. If you decide to block or disable them though, then my guess is you're going to be spending more time logging in.
Hiding your location and details is possible by using a VPN (Virtual private network) service to mask your location. Bear in mind that if your location is set outside the UK by the VPN that some services won't be available to you. That's because of TV distribution rights. Sometimes the broadcast rights are locked to a specific country.
VPN services vary in quality and cost. Some are free but have both speed and capacity restrictions. This could make TV streaming virtually impossible as the speed limit is too slow and the daily data capacity too small to cope with streaming. Paid services are less restrictive, but you do need to know what those restrictions are. In most cases I have seen, there's a definite speed reduction going via a VPN.
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No you don't need a licence to watch licensed amateurs, short wave listening has been a hobby nearly as long as amateur radio has been going, including sending QSL cards. It is not easy to watch amateur radio, although packet and slow scan TV does send pictures, peer to peer sends resent packets for any bits missed, and also you need a program called 7 plus to reassemble the packet messages to form a picture. So you would need to be where the signal was so good no resends were required.
However you don't need a licence to receive, only to transmit.
VR2ZEP VP8BKM GW7MGW.
There is also fast scan amateur TV.
The rules must have changed. It always used to mention licensed amateurs on the licence, but I've just checked mine and it is no longer there.
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Because an amateur could be using a TV for non broadcast he was allowed to have a TV in the home without a TV licence, but without the amateur licence you needed a TV licence to have a TV in the home even if not used, that has changed, so yes there has been a change to wording of licence. However you could have used a computer monitor to pick up pictures from an amateur, rather than a TV, and you have never needed a licence for that. But can see the confusion when you needed a licence to have TV in the house.