Satellite or IPTV with Channels UK

Channels DVR Server
#1

Hi all,

Getting frustrated with the lack of HD channels on Freeview in the UK (especially now we’re all locked inside!) and have been looking into the options of satellite or IPTV. Now I know silicon dust don’t have any satellite offerings available in the UK so I’m looking at IPTV.

Does anyone know any good IPTV providers in the uk and how that would be integrated into channels? I have seen a few threads on here about using telly etc.

I am looking at tellyhost.com for the IPTV stream but will need to know how to get that into channels.

Any help is appreciated. Stay safe.

SAT>IP Support / M3U file integration into Channels DVR
#2

The only officially supported input for UK is DVB-T (Freeview, as I believe it's referred to).

IPTV streams are not directly supported by Channels, nor are other systems such as DVB-S. (SD does make a DVB-C 4 tuner receiver, but I'm not sure if that's an option for you.)

#3

Anyone else got any ideas?

#4

@tmm1 Is there any plans to add UK providers to TV anywhere?

#5

'TV Everywhere' is more or less a US-only concept, and the Channels devs can't just add providers, especially UK providers, as they have no control over which providers choose to participate. Sadly there are no legal IPTV services in the UK that you could use with Channels. Sky, Virgin and BT all have their own proprietary apps that allow streaming most channels to phones and tablets. They have shown little interest in putting those apps on streaming boxes like Apple/Android/Fire TV (but that is slowly changing). I don't see them creating anything like TV Everywhere (i.e., 3rd party apps accessing their channels) in the foreseeable future.

If you want to watch Freesat/free-to-view satellite TV via Channels, you can do it unofficially but it involves purchasing a SAT>IP receiver (basically an HDHR for satellite), setting up Tvheadend to receive the broadcasts, then setting up Telly as a go-between for Channels and Tvheadend. It's doable if you have the right technical skills, but it's not going to give you many more HD channels beyond what's already available on Freeview.

#7

There is currently big shakeup in Freeview channels and many of them are or will in HD. HDHomeRun has version with DVBT-2 tuner because this is what normal world uses.

IPTV services you are referring to may be illegal. if you really don't want to rely on dish try Now, or Sky Stream.

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#8

What will be interesting is how ‘Freely’ develops. We have next to no information at the moment, but hopefully very soon in the new year we’ll know what the online evolution of Freeview and Freesat looks like and whether there is any chance of Channels being able to integrate it into their app.

The recently relaunched EE TV, Virgin and Sky Glass…no chance.

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#9

Sky is most advanced on the market, I don't live in UK so I am not sure but I would prefer Sky Q over Stream - dish is dish, and you can record on the device instead of cloud. That being said Sky is overprotective of its content and decoding card is paired with the device.

Freely will probably allows all Freeview channels to be streamed and let's hope it offers search and playback of VOD content in one unify interface.

if Channels won't integrate, I will write my own app for non-Americans as a competition

1 Like