# Uk tv



## Rosemary (Aug 14, 2009)

Anyone, any recommendations for getting UK TV. Don't want Sky as no room for a dish. These dream box things seem to be problematic. Any one using something that actually works?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rosemary said:


> Anyone, any recommendations for getting UK TV. Don't want Sky as no room for a dish. These dream box things seem to be problematic. Any one using something that actually works?


We use an Android box for TV over internet. It depends on how good your adsl line is as to whether you get a lot of buffering. If you are going to go for an Android box I suggest you do as we did, get it direct from a place in UK such as Goopi for about £70 rather than the self same thing from a reseller in Spain for about 200€ plus and annual fee.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

You could try viewtelly - Watch UK Television (TV) Online Anywhere - Any-time FREE which covers most of the UK terrestrial channels plus some others. Either view on a laptop and plug it into your TV with the correct device or use a smart tv. Of course, it will depend on your internet connection and available bandwidth.


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## Rosemary (Aug 14, 2009)

thrax said:


> You could try viewtelly - Watch UK Television (TV) Online Anywhere - Any-time FREE which covers most of the UK terrestrial channels plus some others. Either view on a laptop and plug it into your TV with the correct device or use a smart tv. Of course, it will depend on your internet connection and available bandwidth.


sorry if this sounds dim. what is a "correct device" and if I connect via my laptop which is wifi, this presumably means the laptop cant be used while someone is viewing TV?


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## bRod (Dec 15, 2014)

I bought a Samsung smart tv and I subscribe to Unotelly. I have all the catchup services ITV C5 etc and live BBC TV (iplayer) work perfect atm ..


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## Wibs (Apr 1, 2015)

Rosemary said:


> sorry if this sounds dim. what is a "correct device" and if I connect via my laptop which is wifi, this presumably means the laptop cant be used while someone is viewing TV?


These internet services need to connect to a screen so you can actually watch them. So the options are:

1. Use a PC or laptop connected to the internet and watch on the monitor or laptop screen .

2. Use a Smart TV that is able to connect directly to the internet

3. Use a box that sits between, and connects to, your TV and router (either via an ethernet cable, or via wi-fi). Just go onto Amazon and search for IPTV boxes. The Mag 254 is a popular choice.

Wibs


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## RichieF (Jul 15, 2015)

Just to add to Wibs first option (1). Most laptops these days have a HDMI out connection and with a HDMI cable you can connect them directly to your TV. Even a half decent PC will probably have a HDMI out connection. If your PC doesn't have HDMI out then a new graphics card installed would be all that you need (and the cable).

In the end it's down to personal choice.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

The HDMI option
How to Use HDMI* to Connect Your Laptop to Your TV


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## Wibs (Apr 1, 2015)

RichieF said:


> Just to add to Wibs first option (1). Most laptops these days have a HDMI out connection and with a HDMI cable you can connect them directly to your TV. Even a half decent PC will probably have a HDMI out connection. If your PC doesn't have HDMI out then a new graphics card installed would be all that you need (and the cable).
> 
> In the end it's down to personal choice.


Quite true. But as HDMI cables that most people have hanging around the house, that was maybe included when they first bought their laptop or PC, are usually only around 1 - 2 metres long, it would mean having to buy a much longer HDMI cable, or having your PC next to your lounge TV (not many people do that), or the more common - take your laptop to the TV and connect with an existing supplied HDMI cable. However, the OP was worried that using the laptop at all to watch IPTV (either on its monitor or via an HDMI cable to the main TV) would mean that no-one else could use the laptop if someone was watching IPTV via the laptop.

I think the solution for her, if her TV is not a smart TV, is to get a dedicated IPTV box (if she has reasonable broadband available, 2Mb at least), which would free up the laptop. I would recommend getting an IPTV box that had Kodi, and was fully loaded.

Wibs


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

One thing you can do is buy a second hand PC base unit and plug it into your telly (most modern tellies have a PC monitor connector), they don't cost a lot and free up your laptop; combine with a cheap wireless keyboard and mouse and your in business (plus your TV has full access to the internet).

As for content providers there is as said viewtelly, filmon, also sites like Putlocker which is not a live streaming site but have thousands of films and TV series to watch and seems reliable.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> One thing you can do is buy a second hand PC base unit and plug it into your telly (most modern tellies have a PC monitor connector), they don't cost a lot and free up your laptop; combine with a cheap wireless keyboard and mouse and your in business (plus your TV has full access to the internet).
> 
> As for content providers there is as said viewtelly, filmon, also sites like Putlocker which is not a live streaming site but have thousands of films and TV series to watch and seems reliable.


The problem is the PC Monitor connector is video only, there is no audio so you have to use external speakers connected to the light green socket on the PC


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

No, you'll find most TV's have audio input jacks as well as VGA, its not a problem, at home I've got six TV's plugged into base units. Most of our tellies are 'smart' still not as good as using a PC.

That said, the sound quality on many tellies, even expensive ones often benefit from external speakers or a sound bar.


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## euge (Aug 29, 2015)

use your mobiil phone, connect the tv by DLNA and watch channels from your phone.


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## musie (Dec 23, 2014)

Don't buy IPTV is rubbish ,buffers,breaks up we watch uk tv ,link computer to tv and Google filmon.tv completely free,good connection in mallorca don't know about mainland


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

musie said:


> Don't buy IPTV is rubbish ,buffers,breaks up we watch uk tv ,link computer to tv and Google filmon.tv completely free,good connection in mallorca don't know about mainland


I thought the technology for IPTV and TV via the internet (IP) to watch filmon.tv was the same? That being the case, won't the issues be the same?


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## musie (Dec 23, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> I thought the technology for IPTV and TV via the internet (IP) to watch filmon.tv was the same? That being the case, won't the issues be the same?


Yes you would think but filmon TV,miles better hardly any break up up buffering it's weird, we had IPTV at 60 odd euros a month with phone and wifi from movistar,rip off


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## amespana (Nov 10, 2009)

What are the best options on a Spanish smart tv.Are UK apps blocked?


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## samthemainman (Aug 15, 2012)

IPTV is any type of TV over the internet and doesn't have to cost you 60 odd smackers. Buffering may depend on a number of factors - your bandwidth and traffic. I've not found FilmOn that great to be honest. There are other providers I understand like Whitelabel TV that offer a far superior service and a range of packages. I have a 30Mb line from Telefonica/Movistar and I can't really fault performance. I've never really been clear on the legality of these providers or of using FilmOn or similar outside of the UK, but I still actually pay for a TV Licence in the UK - even though I'm not there...


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

samthemainman said:


> but I still actually pay for a TV Licence in the UK - even though I'm not there...


You only need to pay the UK TV License fee / tax if you own a property in the UK and have equipment at that property that can receive live TV....

If you do not live in the UK, do not own a property in the UK, then the UK TV License fee / tax will not apply, so you don't have to pay it.


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

I use a computer plugged into the TV via HDMI. Use Unotelly as a DNS to hide location and watch UK TV on BBC iPlayer, ITV and STV player, Sky Go etc etc. I only pay for the Unotelly subs about 3 quid a month if that.

Occasional buffering issues but not enough to justify buying expensive boxes or taking out subscriptions from ex pat con merchants.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Occasional buffering issues but not enough to justify buying expensive boxes or taking out subscriptions from ex pat con merchants.[/QUOTE]


Pmsl, love it!!!!!


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## wifiuser (May 7, 2015)

you need an IPTV box


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## wifiuser (May 7, 2015)

Android is xbmc/kodi


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## deefitz (Apr 19, 2014)

wifiuser said:


> you need an IPTV box


You clearly do not 



Dunpleecin said:


> I use a computer plugged into the TV via HDMI. Use Unotelly as a DNS to hide location and watch UK TV on BBC iPlayer, ITV and STV player, Sky Go etc etc. I only pay for the Unotelly subs about 3 quid a month if that.
> 
> Occasional buffering issues but not enough to justify buying expensive boxes or taking out subscriptions from ex pat con merchants.


In light of recent posts I find this quite funny


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## calpeflyer (Mar 29, 2013)

*TV over internet*

Hello - this may help some people :
I have a Google Chromecast device that plugs into my TV ( £30 from UK or about E 35 in Spain ).
Using the Google browser on my PC with the "Google Cast " app - the screen ( and sound ) get sent to the TV via the Wifi router. My internet speed is quite good.
I am using Filmon.tv and works ok at the moment.


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