TV over broadband Internet is fast becoming the next ‘big thing’ in UK broadcasting.
We take a look at the various Internet TV services and how to get them.
What is Internet TV?
In the UK, we’re seeing an increasing number of digital TV services being delivered over a Broadband Internet connection – Services include the BBC iPlayer, YouView, BT TV, Sky Anytime+ and Virgin On Demand.
These online services offer TV programmes and movies “on-demand” for viewing on your TV set, on your computer, or on a mobile device. The content is most commonly delivered (or “streamed”) using something called IPTV, which stands for Internet Protocol TV.
To access online TV services, you will need a broadband connection, and to be able to connect a suitable Internet-enabled TV, or set-top box to your Broadband line. Many services can be accessed from a computer or a smartphone.
The Internet TV options:
Here is a brief summary of the various Internet TV services on offer in the UK:
| YouView | Summary: On-demand TV content on your telly over Broadband
The YouView service gives you access to a large library of on-demand TV shows and films. You can view on-demand content on your TV either on a pay-per-view basis or with a monthly subscription. You can get a free YouView box from BT, and get access to 4 Freeview HD channels, plus a decent collection of movies in HD to watch via Broadband on your TV. |
| Virgin Media | Summary: TV via Cable
Availability: Limited to Cable TV areas If you’re served by cable TV operator Virgin Media, take a look at their digital TV service as this offers a huge library of movies and programmes that you can access whenever you like in addition to your normal telly channels, with some content available in high definition.
For more details, go to www.virginmedia.com |
| TalkTalk TV | Summary: Live TV channels on your telly over the Internet
Availability: Selected towns only
This service uses your phone line to deliver around 80 TV channels to your home. You’re supplied with a special decoder box, and then have access to digital TV, plus other services. TalkTalk TV offers over 1000 on-demand movies, over 5000 music videos, hundreds of TV series, and a TV rewind service. More on TalkTalk TV on our Talktalk TV page or at talktalk.co.uk/tv. |
| TV broadcasters / On demand | Summary: Selected content on your PC over Broadband
A number of TV companies offer their TV shows for viewing or download online. They offer a “watch again” or “catch-up TV” service. Here’s a summary.
For more, see our Catch Up TV Summary page |
| Sky Go | Summary: Content for your Windows PC or Mac
See our Sky Go page, or go to the Sky Go site for full details. |
| Apple TV |  Summary: Stream video and TV to your telly
Apple TV is a small box from Apple that plugs into your TV and streams movies, TV shows plus content from iTunes. Supports wireless and HD! More details on our Apple TV Information page. |
| Blinkbox TV | Summary: Films and TV shows on your PC
Given that some of their content is free (if you don’t mind sitting through an advert first), then Blinkbox is a good choice, and we’d encourage you to take a look. More on our Blinkbox page. See what Blinkbox offers at www.blinkbox.com. |
| LoveFilm | Summary: DVDs through the post, as well as online
The choice of films and TV shows is decent, and when used in combination with their postal DVD rental service (with no late fees), this option is a good one for many film enthusiasts. We have more detail on how this works on our LoveFilm DVD and Online page. More details on what the service offers at LoveFilm.com. |
| Netflix | Summary: Streaming Movies and TV Shows online
For a monthly fee of £5.99, watch all the movies and TV you want on your computer, games console, Internet TV, mobile phone or tablet computer. An impressive line-up of shows – this is set to be a serious rival to Amazon’s LoveFilm. More details at www.netflix.com, or on our dedicated Netflix UK Review page. |
| NOW TV | Summary: Movies from Sky without a contract
See our Now TV page, or go to www.nowtv.com for full details. |
| iTunes | Summary: Content for your PC, iPod or iPhone
Go to www.apple.com/itunes to see what’s on offer. |
| TVCatchup.com | Summary: Watch live free-to-view channels on a PC.
With a slightly misleading name, this service lets you watch 30 UK TV channels from your PC. Channels are all free-to-view in the UK. Sign up at www.tvcatchup.com. You can also watch some Freeview channels live on your iPhone by going to iphone.tvcatchup.com from the iPhone web browser |
| Slingbox | Summary: Watch live TV from another location on a PC
For more, see our Slingbox page. |
| TV from other countries | Summary: Worldwide TV on your PC
JumpTV has partnered with more than 180 television broadcasters from over 60 countries to provide live broadcasting of TV stations from around the world. If you’re outside of your native country and are looking to keep in touch with TV from back home, it may well be worth looking at JumpTV. More details at www.jumptv.com. |
| Other solutions | We’ve also heard of a couple of software applications that allow you to watch TV over a broadband Internet connection, with shows streamed from around the world.
If you’re keen to try, take a look at PCShowBuzz (read our review) or NetSpan. Many of the TV channels available offered by these services can be accessed without these software applications, so before buying, you may want to visit www.webtvlist.com for a list of stations freely available. Also, check out Zattoo for over 30 channels of TV, streamed live to a special Windows application for free – zattoo.com |
YouView
If you live in one of the areas served by TalkTalk TV, formerly Tiscali TV, you may be able to get their digital TV and video-on-demand service. TalkTalk TV is available in towns including London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester, Stevenage, Milton Keynes, Wolverhampton, Salford and Warrington
Watch Sky TV without a satellite dish with Sky Go (formerly Sky Player). Packages available include Entertainment, 
The huge American streaming service that is Netflix has finally come to the UK.
This service is Sky’s rival to Netflix and LoveFilm. Now TV offers access to movies from the Sky Movies channels without the need for a dish or a long-term contract. The service is available for PC, Mac, tablets, games consoles and on 
A slightly different solution, but a really useful one. If you have Broadband at home, with a Slingbox you can access your home TV setup and watch TV or recordings over the Internet. Great for if you’re away from home and want to watch TV shows or recordings from your own home setup, or perhaps if you want to set your Sky+ box remotely.
Some useful links:
- Connecting your TV to the Internet – Help setting up an Internet connection
- LoveFilm – Movies on demand as well as DVD rentals
- View TV – A selection of online streaming TV stations from around the world
- UK TV Overseas – Details on how to get British TV abroad
- Internet TV Station Directory – Listings for Internet television channels from around the world.
- Webtvlist – a comprehensive list of online TV stations around the world
- Unofficial Guide to the BBC iPlayer – More on the BBC’s on demand service
- SeeSaw – Information on the UK on-demand TV service that closed in 2011
- On your PC – How to get TV and radio on your PC or laptop
I watch BBC Iplayer on my laptop. When watching BBC news in
real time I get London news after the main news, rather than
the news from Scotland, where I live. I have contacted the BBC about this but have never had a response. On my screen it says
“Location. Scotland.” Any ideas?
you allways get london news as the bbc news channel is not regional
good app for mobile
can I give my s/t box away to my son who is not on talk talk and expect it to work through an outher broadband supplier ??
This is great, what with all the ways they show you how to get TV on the internet. I was struggling to find my home channels outside of the UK but I came across this website which somehow manages it! Give them a try, its free too. Chuffed to bits!!!
http://www.watchallchannels.com/british-tv.html
Nice list but you are missing Viewster.com for PC and I know there is a Android app.
Free shows with no charge admittedly you are not going to get
Block busters for free but some good shows and films.
I like the 2009 cop show The Bridge or Secrets of the Universe. There is even a Queen (Rock band) film.
Forgot mention also missing the STV player on Android http://player.stv.tv/programmes/scotland-revealed/
Planet Knowledge. http://planetknowledge.tv/
USTV. https://www.ustvnow.com
Film on TV. http://www.filmon.com/download/#android
Can be watch on many platforms not just Android.
Hope it helps others.
I use this website http://www.watchfreeview.com to watch UK TV channels here in Spain, love it :)
All the free ones are no good, well they are until everyone jumps on the same channel and it stops and starts! I used Filmon and got fed up so spent some money on a VPN service and can use my Sky Go account anywhere in the world in HD and Netflix for my on demand movies. Works great with iPlayer and ITV catchup in HD too. The site I use is http://www.britishtvanywhere.com and they have many plans to suit everyone.
I pay my BBC License, SKY Sports subscription and BT Phone/Broadband so eligible for BT Sport…I spend 10 months of the year overseas and cannot watch any of the services provided that I pay for during that time. To rub salt in the wound, I don’t even have (to the best of my knowledge) the option of paying and downloading Match of the Day on a Sunday morning. So much for the digital revolution. Hugely frustrating as a Brit overseas. Any reliable and legal options ?
I am thinking of changing to BT I live in NI and would like to know are RTE (Irish TV) available?
Thanks a lot for this list on how to watch TV! In addition to this list, I’ve recently discovered a great site to watch British TV worldwide, for free and completely legal! The URL is http://www.youk.tv , check it out, I’m sure you’ll like it!
A quick question please:
IS IT POSSIBLE TO WATCH ( LIVE) BLOOMBERG TV USA IN U.K. ?
Thanks for the info.
yes just load Kodi tv, then add “whatever apps you want! Exodus ect for movies! all free! load Kodi to ur comp/laptop and hdmi cable to tv or buy a cheap £20 MBOX (android ) easy you can get everything!!!!!! Free get a vpn tooh
Yeah, and you’ll get a warning letter from your provider, like I did.
I used the MBOX to stream RTE etc …But a month in, I had a letter from Virgin Media telling me that they knew what I was doing, and I had 28 days to stop, or I would be taken to court.
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A good site to watch freeview tv online is this website http://freeview-tv.com/
Great article, nice work
Great list. Lots I did not know about but you missed one of my favs and it works anywhere.
This websites offers Streaming service over the Internet, you can watch itv live here http://freeview-tv.com/uk/itv1
I live in Spain and get all the UK TV channels, BBC, ITV, Four, Five plus movie channels and Sky News for free. The site I use is http://britishtvchannels.com and it is very easy to use without having to install anything. The menu is very easy to navigate and it also has the history of most channels and TV shows which is quite interesting.
I’m out looking for an updated list for this year ;)
You haven’t included Amazon FireTV and Fire Stick in your list. Why not, it is very similar to Netflix and the others?
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First of all, thanks to the author who is sharing this beautiful text with us. I have benefited greatly from reading this post. I hope to publish such a good post again on your website. Anyway, I liked YouView and it has done a lot of great work.
To View some of these services you need an internet connection so if you’re in a rural area you can use Satellite Broadband from https://www.freedomsat.co.uk/ if you are in the UK you can also receive 4G.
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Fantastic article including some of the major IPTV providers. Would you be able to add some of the smaller providers like the ones mentioned on thanks in advance.
I am thinking of changing to BT I live in NI and would like to know are RTE (Irish TV) available?
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