FAQs

Can I use the outside the UK?

Do I need to use the HDMI cable provided with the ?

We recommend using the HDMI cable supplied with your T4•R for the best performance.

Using an older or lower-spec HDMI cable (e.g., HDMI 1.4) may not support the bandwidth required for 4K HDMI 2.0 signals, leading to issues like picture freezing, picture loss or HDMI-CEC features not working.

If Using a Different Cable, ensure it’s a high-speed HDMI cable rated for HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1

Can I watch Freeview channels without an aerial?

You’ll need an aerial to watch most channels on your T4•R. 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 T4•R 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 T4•R 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.

Can I use multiple Manhattan boxes in the same room without remote interference?

Yes, you can use multiple Manhattan boxes in the same room without the remotes interfering with each other. Each box in our T4 and S4 ranges can be paired with its own remote control to ensure it only responds to that specific remote.

To learn how do this, please see: https://​man​hat​tan​-tv​.com/​s​u​p​p​o​r​t​/​m​o​d​e​l​s​l​u​g​/​y​o​u​r​-​s​h​o​r​t​m​o​d​e​l​-​r​e​m​o​t​e​/​r​e​m​o​t​e​-​p​a​iring.

Can I browse the web on my ?

How do I hide or delete channels from my ?

You can manage unwanted channels on your T4•R by either hiding or deleting them:

1. Go to Home → Settings → Channels → Edit Channels
2. Highlight a channel you want to remove, then:
   • Press to hide the channel
   • Press to delete the channel
3. Repeat for additional channels
4. Press EXIT when finished and choose Save Changes

Navigation Tips:

• Use P+ and P– to skip through pages quickly
• Type channel numbers directly using the number pad
• Filter channels using to find specific ones more easily

Restoring removed channels

To unhide channels:

• Return to Edit Channels
• Highlight the hidden channel
• Press to unhide it

To restore deleted channels:

1. Go to Home → Settings → Channels → Auto Retune
2. Choose one of these options:
   • Retune & Keep Preferences: Keeps your favourites, hidden channels, recordings, reminders and region settings. You can choose whether to restore deleted channels.
   • Retune & Clear Preferences: Clears all settings and restores deleted channels. Use this when moving home.

Can I transfer recordings from my old Manhattan recorder to the ?

No, it’s not possible to transfer recordings from one Manhattan recorder to another. Due to content protection restrictions, recordings are tied to the device they were recorded on.

Using both recorders together?

If you plan to keep both your old Manhattan recorder and T4•R, you can prevent remote control interference by pairing your T4•R with its remote. To learn how do this, please see: Remote Pairing.

Can I transfer recordings from the to a USB device?

No, it’s not possible to transfer recordings from the T4•R to a USB stick, external hard drive or other USB storage device.

UK platform content protection requirements mean HD recordings must be protected if they are copied or transferred. This requires specialist technologies for secure transfer and storage, such as DTCP-IP and AACS, which would also need to be supported by the device playing the recording.

The T4•R doesn’t support transferring recordings in this way.

While SD recordings are not subject to the same restrictions, the T4•R treats all recordings consistently, so SD recordings can’t currently be transferred either.

How can I check the space remaining for recordings?

To quickly check the available recording space on your T4•R, press the RECS button on your remote to open the Recordings menu.

The available space is shown at the top of the screen as a percentage.

This percentage includes space used by programmes in Recently Deleted, as these can be removed automatically when space is needed.

If you don’t see the available space, press the Zoom button on your remote to zoom out. The available space is not visible when zoomed in.

You can also view detailed storage figures in Information → Storage. For more information, see: https://​man​hat​tan​-tv​.com/​s​u​p​p​o​r​t​/​m​o​d​e​l​s​l​u​g​/​f​a​q​/​h​o​w​-​i​s​-​s​t​o​r​a​g​e​-​c​a​p​a​c​i​t​y​-​s​h​o​w​n​-​o​n​-​t​h​e​-​s​h​o​r​t​model.

How is storage capacity shown on the ?

You can view detailed storage information in the Settings menu:

1. Press Home on your remote.
2. Go to Information → Storage.

This screen shows the total space available for recordings, used space and free space in gigabytes (GB).

The total space shown here is the space available for recordings, not the full advertised capacity of the storage device. It is normal for this to be lower than the storage capacity shown on the product box or specification.

There are a few reasons for this:

• Storage manufacturers define 1GB as 1,000,000,000 bytes, while computers calculate 1GB as 1,073,741,824 bytes.
• Some space is used by the storage format and file system.
• The T4•R reserves some space for system use and to help maintain the health and reliability of the storage.

The free space shown in Information → Storage does not include programmes in Recently Deleted. This means it may look different from the percentage shown in the Recordings menu, which includes Recently Deleted space because those programmes can be removed automatically when space is needed.

Does the support Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos?

The T4•R supports Dolby Audio formats, including Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus. However, it does not support Dolby Atmos. Currently, none of the Freeview channels or apps available on the T4•R offer content in Dolby Atmos.

How do I watch a recording while it's still being recorded?

You can start watching a programme while it’s still being recorded on your T4•R:

1. Press RECS on your remote
2. Find the programme currently recording (marked with a red recording icon)
3. Press OK to start watching from the beginning

While watching:

• The playback bar shows:
  • A white dot for your current position
  • A red bar showing how much has been recorded
  • A grey section for the remaining recording time
• You can fast-forward up to the current recording point
• You can’t skip past what has been recorded

Tip: This feature is great for starting to watch long programmes like sports events or films before they’ve finished recording.

Does the require Wi-Fi or an internet connection to work?

No, the T4•R can function as a standard TV recorder without an internet connection. You can set it up and use core features like watching and recording live TV without Wi-Fi.

However, connecting the T4•R to the internet enhances your experience by providing:

• Software Updates: Receive the latest updates for improved performance and new features.
• Programme Images: View images associated with programmes for a richer browsing experience.
• Additional Programme Information: Access detailed information, including secondary titles, series, and episode numbers.
• Search Functionality: Search for both live broadcast programmes (up to 7 days ahead) and on-demand content.

If you prefer not to connect to the internet, you can perform software updates using a USB stick.

What apps are available on the ?

The T4•R offers a subscription-free experience with access to a variety of popular UK on-demand apps:

• BBC iPlayer
• ITVX
• Channel 4 (All 4)
• My5
• U (formerly UKTV Play)
• YouTube
• GREAT! Player
• Watch Free UK
• PBS America
• POP Player
• BBC Sounds
• STV Player
• S4C / Clic
• Explore Freeview Play

These apps provide a wide range of content, including catch-up TV, box sets, and exclusive programming. Please note that app availability is subject to change, and new apps may be added in future updates.

Can I use the with a satellite dish?

No, the T4•R is designed to be used with a rooftop aerial to receive Freeview terrestrial broadcasts. It is not compatible with satellite dishes used for services like Freesat or Sky.

To receive TV broadcasts with the T4•R, you’ll need to connect it to a suitable aerial. If you’re looking for a Manhattan box that works with a satellite dish, take a look at our Freesat boxes.

How do I customise HDMI-CEC features on my ?

The T4•R supports HDMI-CEC features, which allows TVs and connected devices to control each other through the HDMI cable. You can adjust these settings by going to Home → Settings → System → HDMI Control.

Here are the options available:

1. Activation Sync (Default: On)

   • Automatically turns on TVs and connected devices when the T4•R is used
   • Puts the T4•R into standby when the TV is switched off

2. Turn Off Devices (Default: Off)

   • Turns off TVs and connected devices when the T4•R is switched off

3. Input Activation (Default: Off)

   • Turns on the T4•R when you switch to its HDMI input on your TV
   • Turns on the T4•R when the TV is switched on, as long as the T4•R’s input was last selected

Important: HDMI-CEC must also be enabled on your TV and other connected devices.

Manufacturers use different names for HDMI-CEC, such as:

• Samsung: Anynet+
• Sony: BRAVIA Sync
• LG: SimpLink
• Panasonic: VIERA Link
• Philips: EasyLink
• Toshiba: Regza Link
• Sharp: Aquos Link

Check your TV or device’s manual for instructions on enabling HDMI-CEC features.

What is the USB port on the used for?

Does the have the Teletext function? What does the TEXT button do?

The traditional Red Button teletext service, which used the old MHEG technology, is no longer supported by new Freeview Play TVs and set-top boxes, including the T4•R. Modern devices now use HbbTV technology to power the Connected Red Button service, which requires an internet connection. For more information, please visit the BBC’s Red Button help page.

The TEXT button on your remote is required by the UK’s D‑Book TV and HbbTV specifications and is available for HbbTV apps. However, currently, there are no services that utilize it. On the T4•R, the TEXT button doubles as a TEXT/ZOOM button:

• TEXT Function: Intended for channels and applications during Full Screen TV, although not in use at present.
• ZOOM Function: When the Manhattan user interface is on-screen, pressing this button adjusts the zoom level of the interface.

How do I stop my filters resetting after standby?

By default, any filters you set (like favourite channels in the TV Guide) will reset when your T4•R goes into standby. To keep your filters active:

1. Go to Home → Settings → Menu Options
2. Select Reset Filters Automatically
3. Change the setting to Never

Now, your filters will stay active even after standby, until you clear them manually.

Keep in mind, each of the following menus has its own filter settings:

• TV Guide
• Home Screen On Now
• Recordings
• Featured
• Search Results

To manually clear a filter in any menu:

1. Press to show filter options
2. Press to clear the filter

How do I set up and use Favourite Channels?

The Favourites feature helps you quickly access your most-watched channels. Here’s how to set up and use it:

Adding Channels to Favourites

There are two ways to mark channels as favourites:

1. While Using the Guide:

   • Press to add or remove the current channel to favourites
   • A red heart icon will appear next to favourite channels

2. Using the Channel Editor:

   • Go to Home → Settings → Channels → Edit Channels
   • Use to mark channels as favourites
   • Press EXIT and then choose Save Changes

Viewing Only Favourite Channels

You can use the filter to show just your favourite channels when you’re in the TV Guide or browsing the Home Screen On Now carousel:

• Press to open Filter options
• Select Favourites
• Press BACK to apply

Quick Access While Watching TV

When watching TV:

1. Press Info
2. Press to cycle through your favourites

Keeping Your Favourites Filter Active After Standby

By default, filters reset when your T4•R goes into standby. To prevent this:

1. Go to Home → Settings → Menu Options
2. Select Reset Filters Automatically
3. Change to Never

Can I skip adverts on recorded programmes?

Yes! There are two easy ways to skip through adverts in your recordings:

1. Fast Forward

   • Press to fast forward through content
   • Each press increases the speed up to 64x
   • Press to resume normal playback

2. Quick Skip

   • Press to jump forward 30 seconds
   • Press multiple times to skip longer advert breaks
   • If you go too far, press to jump back 10 seconds

You can customise both the forward and backward skip durations by navigating to Home → Settings → Playback.

Want to learn more about playback controls? See Playback.

What is Freeview Play Channel Management and why do BBC HD channels appear twice in my channel list?

You may have noticed that BBC HD channels, such as BBC One HD, appear twice in your channel list. This is because your T4•R is required to use a new feature called Freeview Play Channel Management for tuning when connected to the internet.

Here’s what Freeview Play Channel Management does:

1. Manages channel numbers: Freeview Play allocates channel numbers based on your location, available transmitters, and any regional conflicts. It handles this automatically through the Freeview Play server.

2. HD channel swapping: For example, you will see BBC One HD on both channel 1 and 101, with BBC One SD moving to channel 611. This change is part of Freeview’s plan to make HD channels more prominent. BBC channels are the first to do this and other broadcasters may follow.

3. Internet channels: Without an aerial, you can still access five internet-based BBC channels: BBC Three (301), BBC Scotland (302), BBC ALBA (303), BBC NEWS (501) and BBC Parliament (502). More channels may follow in the future.

How do I remove the duplicates?

Option 1: Hide or delete duplicates

1. Go to Home → Settings → Channels → Edit Channels
2. Choose to hide or delete the duplicate channels

Option 2: Turn off Freeview Play Channel Management

This will restore the traditional Freeview channel numbers, with SD channels starting at 1 and HD channels at 101. It will also remove the five internet channels. However, since these channels are already available via your aerial, this shouldn’t be an issue for most users

To disable Channel Management:

1. Go to Home → Settings → Channels → Freeview Play Channel Management
2. Press OK to perform a full retune.

Important: Retuning will reset favourites, hidden channels, scheduled recordings, reminders, and regional settings. You can also choose to restore any deleted channels.

We know seeing only BBC HD channels twice can be confusing, and we’d likely disable this feature by default if Freeview Play Channel Management wasn’t required!

What happens when recordings overlap or are scheduled back-to-back?

How can I restart a programme?

Currently, only BBC channels support the ability to restart live programmes on the T4•R. There are a few ways to do this:

1. Press the Green Button:

   • While watching a BBC channel, press the Green button on your remote.
   • This will restart the current programme in BBC iPlayer.

2. Use the Red Button:

   • Press the Red button on your remote while on a BBC channel.
   • This opens the BBC Red Button Plus service, where you can select the option to restart the programme.

3. Through the TV Guide:

   • Open the TV Guide and navigate to the current BBC programme.
   • If the programme supports restart, a Restart icon will be displayed.
   • Press OK on the programme, and you’ll be given the choice to restart it.

Note: Restarting a programme requires an active internet connection, as it streams the content from BBC iPlayer.

Can I reorder or move channels?

Can I connect the to an older TV without HDMI?

No, the T4•R is designed for TVs with HDMI inputs, and only has an HDMI output for audio and video.

HDMI-to-analogue converters are available for older TVs with SCART or RCA inputs, but we don’t recommend them. Picture quality can be poor, and menus may be difficult to read.

Some older Manhattan products, such as the Manhattan T1, T2‑R and SX, worked with our optional Analogue AV Kit. These models had a mini-jack analogue output, which the T4•R does not have. This means the T4•R is not compatible with the Analogue AV Kit.

Does the need an internet connection?

Can I play media files from a USB drive on the ?

How do I add programmes to my Watchlist?

You can add on-demand programmes to your Watchlist from various menus on the T4•R. Here’s how:

Finding On-Demand Content

You can find on-demand programmes in several places:

• Featured: Browse curated carousels of on-demand content like Films and Drama
• TV Guide: Look for programmes marked with (especially when browsing backwards in time)
• Search: Find on-demand content in dedicated results carousels
• More Info: Access additional episodes and related content

When you highlight an on-demand programme, you’ll see:

• The on-demand icon () among other attributes like subtitles in the information area
• A hint showing you can press to play or to add or remove the programme from your Watchlist.
• A large icon next to the programme title if it’s already in your Watchlist

Adding to Your Watchlist

Simply press when an on-demand programme is highlighted. In the TV Guide, the in the programme cell will change to .

To remove it, just press again.

Managing Series

While you can’t currently add entire series to your Watchlist (due to platform limitations), there are ways to keep track of series you’re watching:

• Use the feature to find all available episodes — your searches are saved for easy access
• Press on any episode in your Watchlist to see other available episodes in the More Info menu

Adding Content from Apps

Unfortunately, you cannot add programmes to your Watchlist from within apps like BBC iPlayer or ITVX, as these apps manage their own watchlists separately and don’t provide any way for the T4•R to access them.

Can I play my own videos or media files on the ?

No, the T4•R does not support playing video or media files from USB devices, or streaming media from devices on your home network.

This includes:

• Video files stored on USB drives
• Recordings from other recorders
• Media streaming using DLNA or other network protocols

We understand this would be a useful feature, but it’s difficult to support reliably because of the many different video formats, audio formats, USB devices and file systems that exist.

Why is an internet connection needed to search the TV Guide?

The T4•R needs an internet connection to search the TV Guide because search uses programme information from the platform’s online service, not just the broadcast signal.

This gives your T4•R access to richer programme information, including:

• More detailed programme descriptions
• Programme images
• Episode and series information

This makes search more useful and accurate than relying on broadcast guide data alone.

Can I record content from apps or streaming channels?

No, recording internet-delivered content on the T4•R is not permitted by the platform or the app providers.

This includes:

• Programmes from apps such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and other streaming services
• Streaming channels delivered over broadband
• On-demand programmes, catch-up content and restarted programmes

What’s the difference between automatic and manual padding?

The T4•R has two ways to help avoid missing the beginning or end of recordings: Automatic padding, which is the default option, and Manual padding.

Automatic padding

Automatic padding uses broadcaster signals to determine when programmes actually start and end.

The T4•R begins monitoring 30 minutes before the scheduled start time and starts recording when it detects the broadcaster’s start signal. It will also wait for the broadcaster’s end signal, and can continue recording for up to 2 hours after the scheduled end time if necessary.

This works well when broadcaster signals are accurate, as it can adjust automatically for programmes that start early or run late. However, if broadcasters don’t send the correct signals, you may miss the start or end of a programme.

Manual padding

With manual padding, you choose how much extra time to add before and after each recording, from 2 to 10 minutes.

This gives you consistent control and doesn’t rely on broadcaster signals. However, it may record extra content you don’t need, and can still miss parts of programmes that start very early or run very late, such as live events.

When recordings overlap or are scheduled back-to-back, some manual padding may be adjusted or omitted so the T4•R can prioritise the scheduled programme content.

For more information, see: What happens when recordings overlap or are scheduled back-to-back?.

How to change padding settings

1. Go to Home → Settings → Recordings → Padding Options → Padding Type.
2. Select Automatic or Manual.

If you choose Manual, you can set both start and end padding times from 2 to 10 minutes in the same menu.

Playback start

You can also choose where recordings start playing from.

Go to Home → Settings → Recordings → Padding Options → Playback Start, then choose:

• Recorded Start: starts playback from the very beginning of the recording.
• Signalled: starts playback from where the broadcaster indicated the programme starts. This is the default option.

When playing a recording with manual padding, the playback bar shows markers where the broadcaster signalled the programme’s start and end, making it easy to skip to the programme itself.

How does auto-deletion work on the , and how can I keep important recordings?

The T4•R automatically manages recording space by deleting older recordings when space is needed for new recordings.

Auto-deletion process

When space is needed, the T4•R will:

1. First delete recordings from Recently Deleted, starting with the recordings that were deleted longest ago.
2. Then delete the oldest recordings that aren’t marked as Keep, based on when they were recorded.
3. Never automatically delete recordings marked as Keep.

Recently Deleted recordings

• Deleted recordings move to Recently Deleted.
• They stay there for 30 days unless space is needed sooner.
• You can recover these recordings before they are permanently deleted.

Keeping important recordings

To prevent a recording from being automatically deleted:

1. Go to Home → Recordings.
2. Highlight the recording you want to keep.
3. Press .
4. Select Keep.

You can mark recordings as Keep up to 80% of your total storage capacity. You’ll see a warning if you try to exceed this limit.

Important tips

• The T4•R won’t warn you before automatically deleting recordings that aren’t marked as Keep.
• Kept recordings show a Keep icon in the Recordings menu.
• Check your recordings regularly and mark anything important as Keep.
• You can remove Keep status by pressing again and selecting Don’t Keep.

To check available recording space, press RECS on your remote. The available space percentage is shown at the top of the screen.

How do I cancel a recording or series recording?

You can cancel recordings from any menu where they appear:

• Recordings menu (press RECS)
• TV Guide (press GUIDE)
• Home Screen On Now carousel
• More Info menu (press )
• Search results
• Channel Browser and while watching live TV

From the Recordings menu

1. Press RECS and select the Scheduled tab
2. For series recordings with multiple episodes:
   • Highlight the series folder and press OK
   • Select any episode and press OK
   • Choose Cancel Series to stop all future episodes, or Skip Episode for just that episode
3. For series with only one episode or one-off recordings:
   • Highlight the recording and press OK
   • Select Cancel Recording for a one-off programme
   • Select Cancel Series to stop all future episodes

From other menus or while watching live TV

1. Find the programme marked for recording
2. Press
3. Choose from:
   • Cancel Recording for a single programme
   • Cancel Series to stop all future episodes
   • Skip Episode to cancel just one episode of a series

For recordings in progress

When a recording is currently in progress, you’ll see:

• Stop Recording to end the current recording
• Stop Recording Series to end the recording and cancel the series (if part of a series)