Knowledge Base
Can I watch Freeview channels without an aerial?
You’ll need an aerial to watch most channels on your short-model. However, a small number of channels can be streamed over the internet, but these cannot be recorded.
Freeview Play internet channels #
When connected to the internet, the short-model can stream these channels without an aerial:
- 301 BBC Three
- 302 BBC Scotland
- 303 BBC ALBA
- 501 BBC News
- 502 BBC Parliament
These channels will appear if you connected your short-model to the internet during setup and selected to receive them. If you didn’t have the internet connected at that time but do now, you can perform a retune by going to:
Home → Settings → Channels → Auto Retune → Retune & Clear Preferences.
Please note that Freeview Play Channel Management must be turned on to receive these internet channels. It’s enabled by default, but if you turned it off, you can switch it back on by going to:
Home → Settings → Channels → Freeview Play Channel Management.
Learn more about Freeview Play Channel Management here.
Live TV through apps #
You can also find additional live channels from the BBC in the BBC iPlayer app. Additional live TV options are planned for ITVX and other apps in future updates.
Hybrid channels (aerial and internet needed) #
Some channels in the 200 range are hybrid channels, streaming live content via apps. For example, 254 On Demand 365 provides Crime, History, and Nature channels, while 255 France 24 streams multiple versions of the news channel. However, you’ll need an aerial to tune these hybrid channels first, before accessing their internet streams.
Important note about aerials #
For reliable reception of most Freeview channels, we recommend using a rooftop or loft aerial. Indoor aerials typically don’t provide adequate signal strength or quality.