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LG, Sony, Sky, Virgin & other TVsEasy1 min read

How to watch live TV without an aerial

If you cannot, or do not want to, use an aerial, there are other ways to watch live channels. Here are the honest options, with their trade-offs. You still need a TV licence to watch live TV.

Satellite

Freesat and Sky both use a dish. Freesat has no monthly bill for the main channels. Sky is a paid service. A dish needs a suitable position and installing by a professional.

Broadband-based TV

  • Sky Stream, Virgin Media TV, BT TV and EE TV deliver channels over your broadband. They are paid services and need decent broadband.
  • NOW is a streaming service from Sky with paid passes. Different passes give different channels.

Freely

Freely is a free live-TV service delivered over the internet instead of an aerial. It is only on certain newer TVs and boxes. Check the Freely website to confirm that your TV supports it before relying on it.

Free apps on a smart TV

  • BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5 and UKTV Play all show live channels and catch-up through apps. These are free but, for live viewing, you need a TV licence.
  • Your smart TV, Roku, Apple TV or Chromecast with Google TV can run them.

What you need

  1. A TV with internet or a streaming device.
  2. A reliable broadband connection.
  3. Enough data. Heavy streaming uses a lot of it.

What you give up

Streaming is liable to buffer when your broadband is slow. Weather and busy evenings can also affect it.

When to get more help

Get help choosing between options, running a dish or setting up apps. Some smart TVs are too old to run today's apps. A streaming stick is the cheaper fix.

Did this help? If you are still stuck, email Vision Tech and tell us what you can see on the screen. Menus and button names can differ slightly between versions and makes. If something does not match, stop and ask rather than guess.

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