Freeview has announced the arrival of an additional three streaming channels, available via any compatible connected Freeview device.
- Growth of streaming channels threatens to fill channel number range allocated to such services.
- New services assigned a Freeview channel number include one dedicated to horror and one showing episodes of Robot Wars.
Freeview has confirmed it’s allocated channels 288-290 to three new streaming services.
- 288 Amazing Facts
- 289 NYX
- 290 Mech+
Horror channel NYX previously launched within the Channelbox streaming portal on channel 271. It has become the latest streaming service to opt for its own channel number, which will allow viewers to directly access the channel from the main channel list.
MECH+ is the home of Robot Wars, the hugely popular robot combat competition series that sees amateur and professional roboteers clash with destructive remote-controlled robots in a steel arena patrolled by the legendary “House Robots” including Sir Killalot, Matilda and Dead Metal who keep the competitors in check.
Other titles on the channel will include spectacular Olympic-style robot competition Techno Games, automotive reality show Car Warriors and Rescue Robots, a children’s show featuring robots performing explorative missions.
Mech+ has experienced a rapid growth in recent months, having already launched on Samsung TV Plus and Rakuten TV this year.
Amazing Facts is a religious channel.
The new services are facilitated by Global Distribution Services, who has worked with many of the other streaming channels that have launched on Freeview over the past year.
▶ How to watch
- Freeview Play TVs and boxes connected to the internet are compatible with these streaming services. Viewers may need to retune to add the latest channels to their channel list.
The addition of the three channels means there are fewer than 10 slots still available for streaming services. Platform manager Everyone TV (formerly Digital UK) will need to allocate an overspill area if the growth continues.
The 300 channel range is for IP channels connected to existing on-demand services. The BBC is already using some of this channel range to broadcast HD channels to compatible TVs.
Marc Thornham