WHAT IS FREEVIEW PLUS?

So we’re all enjoying Freeview with a new digital TV antenna, and all the benefits it has to offer like a 7 day program guide, setting up timers and multitude of channels (unfortunately some channels we’ll never watch), and just as we’ve mastered this, a new technology is just around the corner, in May 2014 it is set to start, Freeview Plus , oh on not something else I hear you say, so what is it?

Freeview Plus is a hybrid technology which mean it uses a mix if the internet and free-to-air digital TV, technically it uses HbbTV (Hyper broadcast broadband TV) technology. Freeview Plus has some benefits over the current Freeview and of the main benefit at the moment is the ability to catch up on TV show that was missed, as well as all the other features like setup “favorites” and an extended EPG (electronic program guide).

Current “catch up” shows are limited but can be seen here from Freeview here.

HOW TO CONNECT TO FREEVIEW PLUS

For those that already have TV’s connected to the internet, there some channels available to us like “iview”, “SBS on demand” and “Plus 7”, this is all internet TV through a smart TV or a “smart box” connected to a TV, another form of IPTV (internet protocol TV) we featured some time ago was in our blog about NAS systems and streaming DVD and Blu-ray movie that are stored on a hard drive in your home to all the TV’s in the house that are connected to internet, no need for a DVD or Blu-ray player any more.

There are other forms of internet TV that is already here and are all in some kind of set top box form, some we would of heard of and some not, and some of the suppliers are Telstra’s T-box, Apple TV, Google TV and iinet’s Fetch TV, so internet TV has been around for a while but Freeview Plus is a new technology and it will be interesting to see how it will take off and be accepted by everybody.

Will this mean another box, more remote controls? We hate to say but most likely yes, as this is a new technology, some current model smart TV’s may be able to download and use Freeview Plus but the most of us will need a new/another set top box to use Freeview Plus.

HOW TO RECEIVE FREVIEW PLUS

As technology evolves, gone are the days where only an antenna cable is run to the TV, now with the invent of the internet, the TV’s having the ability to connect to the internet and a NAS, and now Freeview Plus, running a data cable to each TV has become the norm not an option, some TV’s do come with wireless built in and that’s great where a data cable cannot be run to, but to ensure the TV receives to full bandwidth of the network a data cable should be run, when there are many devices connected via wireless like laptops, Ipads, Iphones ect ect, this can create congestion in the network and slow the wireless down, so it’s always best to run a dedicated cable to each device if possible and if building a new house, or shop that will use TV’s as a display, this now is a requirement as to stay up to date with technology.

Custom Audio Visual Solutions can install a new digital antenna and data outlet for Freeview Plus. We service Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Hunter and the Central Coast.

http://www.freeview.com.au/freeviewplus.aspx

Freeview TV guide can be seen here.

Other source for this blog have come from:

http://www.cnet.com.au/what-is-hbbtv-339347112.htm

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/blog/gadgets-on-the-go/freeviewplus-works-with-nonfreeview-gear-20140310-346jb.html