Connect your freeview device to the internet for more great free tv

[Gazzamagoo]

THAT is the message I see when I bring up CH 269 (Film Stream, and a few others  besides) yet I am connected to the internet, as confirmed with Openreach who attended last week. 

He found an issue with my internet speed, found a broken cable in the box up the street, fixed it, but it made no difference to my access issues NOW I'm due a TalkTalk Engineer, my THIRD TT Engineer, why 3?

Because Engineers 1 & 2 (could be the same guy) both failed to show.

The first visit was due between 09.00 & 12 noon on tuesday, but I received a call at about 09.20 (on the day) to advise the engineer wasn't coming, as he was ill, and no replacement could be found, so it was rescheduled for thursday, between 3 & 6. I received a confirmation email that he was on his way at about 1pm, but AGAIN he didn't show up.

I did receive a call from TT, as I have an ongoing complaint about this issue, and she was following up on the outcome of the engineer visit (she thought he'd been) she put in a call, found out he was sick...again, so NOW I'm due a visit this thursday, between 7 & 9, so at least TT can't *@#][!![]'#[@#]!* up another of my days.

Oh well, gives me time to check out the Ofcom site, re-compensation...third time lucky?   

[Gazzamagoo]

BANG ON.

But then? I get (got) the message on CH 269...as was, about "connecting to the internet to receive great free TV" 

Put in a call, thinking I have a fault, was made to jump through some hoops, and (long story short) ended up with an Openreach engineer

AT NO TIME have TT CS OR Tech said "sorry, but we don't support that station", and the rest? is in the other posts  🙂 

[ferguson]

OK, so you have been advised that TalkTalk boxes do not support it. It seems your TV doesn't either. The confusing thing is that the channel options will appear on the Freeview EPG regardless of whether your device can actually support them, or not. 

[Gazzamagoo]

It's not the TV that is the issue, it's the set top boxes. It would seem that the set top boxes TalkTalk use (the system) doesn't support certain channels, oh and BTW, 269 is no longer Film Stream? it has moved to 257....for me. 

My friend can get it on her smart Samsung TV, but I can't get it on my 2024 Smart HISENSE TV, OR (and this is the issue) either of my TalkTalk boxes, 4K or older. 

[ferguson]

Take your Hisense TV to your neighbour and see if it works. As others have said, only a limited number of devices support Internet TV, it is absolutely nothing to do with your ISP. By the way, I can get Ch269 Filmstream on my LG TV, via TalkTalk, I checked. But the streaming quality is appalling.

[Gazzamagoo]

And as I have explained, I believe TalkTalk SHOULD be aware of what it is/it can deliver, or more to the point, what it can't deliver.

I was told it was a fault with my box it wasn't, as OLD OR NEW, TalkTalk boxes (as you say) are not compatible with the stations in question.

I was told I needed the new 4K box, I don't...but was charged for its delivery.

I was given 3 appointments (each having 3 hour windows) 2 with a TalkTalk engineer, and the TalkTalk engineer has fail to attend, both times.

True, he wouldn't have made any difference, but that doesn't excuse the poor service OR the fact that TalkTalk would have hit me for a £75 fee if I hadn't been in.

"Sorry, but the facts are, none of your devices are capable of receiving these channels and it is Not TalkTalk s fault" ?

Sorry, but I disagree.

Perhaps I should put your point regarding responsibility, to Ofcom (first thing tomorrow) and  see if they feel the same way you do. 

[fr8ys]

As I explained its all internet supplied channels.

The article i referenced gives you a full explanation and your ISP makes no difference. I have a BT box and this cannot receive these channels either on TalkTalk or BT. Look at the BT forum for confirmation.

TalkTalk makes no guarantee on the channels you can receive.

Many in more rural areas cannot get the full spectrum of even Freeview Channels.

Sorry, but the facts are, none of your devices are capable of receiving these channels and it is Not TalkTalk s fault.

[Gazzamagoo]

Why so vague Karl?

It's not JUST the 1 channel that is unavailable, it looks to be a good few, as I'm sure you are well aware, or at least you should be, as a staff member, on a TT Community forum.

And it's not JUST the new 4K box is it.

You (TT) look to have gone for the cheaper (I suspect) Tech...again, "again", because my other (pre 4K) TT box has the same issues. 

My new Hisense Smartish TV can't get the channels (via it's built-in TV tuners) either, where as my friends Smarter TV can, and she only accesses her programmes via it. Oh, and BT Internet. 

M 

[Gliwmaeden2]

The circumstances in which you would be compensated for no show from an engineer are explained here, @Gazzamagoo:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/About-your-auto-compensation-credit/ta-p/2326583

[Gazzamagoo]

I suspect I may have asked  karl of TalkTalk, a Support Team staff member  an awkward question (below)

It went like this....

"So,Karl, may I ask...

If we fail to keep an appointment, TT may charge us £75, so what if TT fails to keep an appointment?  giving notice as late as within the appointment window, or no notice at all"

Gliwmaeden2 was kind enough to supply the link that answered the question for me PERfectly, and I thanked/thank Gliwmaeden2 for it.

Yer know Gliwmaeden2, sometimes...JUST sometimes? I like to ask questions of a certain person/people, staff members for example  (when I've already found the answer) 😉   just to see if an honest unbiased answer is forthcoming.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Karl.

How unfortunate that is, considering I was only SENT the 4K box because I couldn't get that (and a few other) programmes, and my older style box was SAID to be faulty.

It was also the reason an Openreach Engineer was sent out to me, and the reason I was scheduled to have a TT Engineer come out after that...TWICE in the past week, with "both" (could be the same guy) failing to turn up on the days.

The 1st notification I received that Engineer Nr1 wasn't going to arrive? was some 20 minutes in to a 3 hour window.

The 2nd? simply didn't show, without notice, but I DID get a text...to advise me of the appointment, an hour or two B4 the start of THAT window of 3 till 6.

So,Karl, may I ask...

If we fail to keep an appointment, TT may charge us £75, so what if TT fails to keep an appointment?  giving notice as late as within the appointment window, or no notice at all.    

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

This channel is not available via the TT 4K TV Box.

You can check https://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview-channel-checker for freeview channels at your location including IP channels however the 4K TV Box will not currently show channels such as 269 via freeview.

Karl.

[Gazzamagoo]

I didn't notice the supplied link (can't think how I missed it, given it IS in BRIGHT BLUE) but it made perfect sense.

You have (I suspect) explained the problem, but I still plan to connect one of my boxes to my neighbours BT internet, and her older smart TV, just out of curiosity. My newer Hisense (Hisense = lower spec? and a EPG that is an hour slow) TV has the same issue as both TT boxes, another reason I put it down to TT, since the TV is connected (wired) to a TT router.

Should this prove (as expected) to be the issue, I can absolutely "lay it at TalkTalk's door" because TalkTalk should be aware of it, and when you are on-line, or on the phone with TT Tech, as I've been, and they have you jumping through hoops? "Power off/power back on, check your connections, check the BT socket, remove the cover of the BT socket, what does it look like" etc...etc.

Now I am ABsoLUTEly looking forward to the TT tech's visit on Thursday, I only hope he's feeling better, and as for the follow-up call from Precious @ Complaints? Oh DEEP joy. 

Roll on Thursday  😉

[Gazzamagoo]

Interesting idea, to connect my box (either of them) to my friends tv, via her BT internet, and not a problem, especially the tiny 4K. I just thought that what I could find in the TT EPG SHOULD be viewable, but in any case, I'd expect TT to know what could (or more to the point, what couldn't) be accessed by us.

This is not something you can lay at TalkTalk's door ? Well, I'd expect them (TT) to have an understanding of the product, so that when I say "I can't get CH 269 FILMSTREAM"  the reply should be  "Correct, this is because we don't support it" ,

[fr8ys]

No I can't and I have 2 variants of YouView boxes.

I was also a tester of YouView products and it has always been the case that YouView boxes cannot receive such channels 

Did you read the article I referenced?

Many manufacturers do not include the hardware required to view these channels. I suspect it keeps the cost down.

This is not something you can lay at TalkTalk's door. Yes they supply the boxes but do not manufacture them.

They utilise Freeview, which is free over the air channels, not additional internet related services.

The staff you spoke to may not be conversant with the technology required to run these channels and I have raised this with forum staff as it may be a training issue.

As you are adamant that it is something to do with TalkTalk as your neighbour can get these channels via BT internet, would they be willing to allow you to attach your box to their TV for you to test and see if you then get them?

As I said, I have asked staff to comment on your thread.

[Gazzamagoo]

Reconsider the engineers visit? what, and accept false messages on the screen, and no channels.

More a case of dump TT methinks.

The message on the screen (as above, and for a few channels) is suggestive of me not being connected to the internet, whereas I am. 

TT told ME I had a fault, and a fault was found/fixed by Openreach, outside, but he couldn't see why I still wasn't getting the stations in question, so TT said it had to send out a TT Engineer.

TT supplied a new 4K box, telling my my current box is faulty.

I have/had explained the problem (clearly, I believe) to a few CS agents, yet even with the new box, I'm not getting the service I'm wanting/expecting.

IF the channels in question don't form part of the TT TV package, all TT had/have to do is say so, but I find it interesting that my neighbour, who only has internet (from BT) can receive CH 269 FilmStream on her smart TV. BTW, may I ask, can you receive that channel?

The way things are looking? it may well be time to put a call in to Ofcom...on Thursday.  

[fr8ys]

You may wish to reconsider the engineers visit on Thursday, as normally, if no fault is found external to your property by Openreach an engineers fee may be levied to your account.

I've escalated this for a staff member to review.

I no longer have a 4k box myself so can't comment on the 200 range channels, but I do recall this box has additional channels, I think in the 800 range, that are internet delivered and are exclusive to this box.

[fr8ys]

If your devices are not compatible, no engineer visit to test your line will resolve this issue.

It's a hardware issue with some devices.

Please see here for a full explanation under point 3.

https://idaffodil.co.uk/blogs/freeview-boxes-tv-aerial-news-1/connect-freeview-device-to-internet-er...

Your neighbours TV is probably compliant to receive these channels, unfortunately yours are not.

[Gazzamagoo]

Well, I NOW have 2 boxes, AND a smart TV.

I can, and have had channels in the 200 range, no problem. I've explained what I've been trying to do, to TT, and would have expected them to have told me if I couldn't access the channels in question.

I had (still have) an old  DN373T.01.03.P

TT told me it was faulty, and said it had to be replaced, so sent me a 4K box. I also have a Hisense TV 

Hisense 55 Inch ULED Mini-LED Smart TV 55U7KQTUK - 144Hz VRR, HDMI 2.1, Quantum Dot Colour, Dolby Vision IQ, VIDAA, and Youtube, Freeview Play, Netflix and Disney+ (2023 New Model)

I was able to access CH 269 (Film Stream) via my neighbours smart TV, and she only has internet, with BT.

I don't think it unreasonable to expect to play what is in the EPG, surely?, and I'd certainly expect TT to have told me if CH269 wasn't an option.

TT's 3rd attempt at an appointment (having failed to arrive the previous 2, and without notification the 2nd time, and notification 90 minutes B4 the 1st) is set for Thursday, between 7am and 9am, it should be interesting

[fr8ys]

Hi,

Which box do you have, or is it another Freeview enabled device such as a smart TV?

If you have a YouView variant like the TV Hub, these channels are not available. They require a separate decoder that the YouView boxes do not have.

These boxes utilise the Freeview network, and whilst not available on all devices, Freeview broadcast their channel numbers as part of their overall service.

Not all devices, smart TVs included, have the capability of showing these "internet"  channels, mostly in the 200 range.

Sorry but there is nothing an engineers visit will do to allow you to see these channels if your watching device will not decode them.