Explainer | Smart TV users miss out on Freeview or Freely streaming channels, even though they are connected to the internet and their TV supports Freeview or Freely.
- Different technologies used by streaming services.
- Still dependent on terrestrial TV coverage, despite being streamed via the internet.
You’ve got an internet connection. You can stream various channels via your smart TV. But you’re still missing out on some streamed channels that are available on TVs that support Freeview Play or Freely.
The reason?
Hybrid streaming channels. These were introduced on Freeview in the early 2010s, back then to a relatively small number of compatible TVs. Adoption of HbbTV by both TV manufacturers and channel operators in the late 2010s means most TVs sold today support hybrid streaming services.
The catch?
You still need to be able to receive a TV signal via your aerial, even though the channel is streamed via the internet.
The app that opens up the streaming channels is broadcast over the airwaves of the digital terrestrial TV (DTT) network and accessed via a Freeview or Freely channel number. Once selected, your TV will run the app and load the streaming channels via your internet connection.
The problem?
Access to these channels via Freeview or Freely is dependent on your local DTT signal. Not all channels are carried on every transmitter. The issue is more noticeable if you’ve got a newer smart TV that supports Freely instead of Freeview. Without an aerial plugged in, you can stream some channels, but you won’t see hybrid streaming channels in your channel list.
A growing number of hybrid streaming channels are also only distributed in areas served by a local TV channel. They use a small amount of bandwidth alongside the local TV signal. However, that means around a third of Freeview homes can’t access those streaming channels, despite having a connected smart TV.
Why hybrid streaming?
As second-generation digital TV services were emerging, combining linear and on-demand TV, hybrid streaming services were a quick and easy way to give viewers access to extra content. Having a TV not connected to an aerial or dish wasn’t really a thing as recently as the early 2010s, unless you had it hooked up to external receiver or used the TV as a monitor for a PC or console.
The advantage?
Broadcasters didn’t need to seek deals with TV manufacturers to get their streaming apps added to devices. They simply used the existing terrestrial TV signal to send the data TVs needed to access the stream. Some channels, particularly from abroad, use hybrid streaming to get around Ofcom regulations. That’s why you may see warnings when you access certain streaming channels on Freeview or Freely.
The alternative…
Next generation TV platform Freely utilises an HbbTV OpApp, which can override various aspects of the TV’s native functionality. Streaming services are centrally organised. The Freely OpApp is configured to retrieve the Freely channel list and programme guide data via the internet and link official streams of channels to a specific channel numbers. However, this is currently a UK specific solution. Other countries are looking at DVB-I as an alternative, open platform solution to deliver streaming channels. In the meantime, Freely is subtlety discouraging hybrid streaming services. It’s placed them much further down the channel list than they would be if they were delivered as official Freely streams.
Where to find hybrid streaming channels on Freeview and Freely
- You can find most hybrid streaming channels between Freeview channels 251 and 299 or Freely channels 552-599.
- Some channels broadcast a limited number of hours each day as a traditional linear channel. For the rest of the day, they broadcast as a streamed channel. Because of this, you will find these channels alongside regular broadcast channels on the channel list. Examples include GREAT! mystery (Freeview 61/Freely 57) and Together TV (Freeview 83/Freely 52).
- Freeview and Freely group children’s streaming services with regular broadcast channels. You can find them within the children’s TV sections on Freeview channels 201-229 or Freely channels 350-370.
Full list
| Channel Name (Freeview/Freely channel number) | Restriction |
|---|---|
| POP (205/353) POP+1 (212) Tiny POP (206/354) 3ABN (268/572) Trace (255/591) It Is Written (286/592) Global Arabic+ (283/588) | These channels are only available if you live in an area where a local TV channel is available on Freeview channels 7 or 8, or Freely channels 8 or 9. |
| GREAT! mystery (61/57) GREAT! romance mix (62/58) GREAT! player (63/265) Together* (83/52) Together+1 (90/266) POP Up (207/355) POP Player (208/359) Ketchup TV (209/356) Ketchup Too (210/357) Yaaas! (211/358) Moochi (213/360) Al Jazeera English (251/557) Al Jazeera Arabic (252/558) Trailblazer (253/586) On-demand 365 (254/554) France 24 (255/556) Odyssey (256/587) Euronews (257/559) Real Crime (258/560) My Binge TV (259/562) ASHARQ NEWS (260/563) AL ARABIYA (261/564) shots! (262/565) SonLife (263/552) Alaraby Network (264/568) ROK (265/569) Revelation (266/570) God (267/571) New Media TV (269/573) Together TV IP (270/574) Channelbox (271/561) NHK World (272/575) Newsmax (273/576) Amazing Facts (274/575) wedo movies (275/589) CNA (276/579) UK RADIO PORTAL (277/566) Nosey (278/581) Purpose (279/582) Talk (280/583) GIGS (284/590) | These channels are only available if your local transmitter carries the full set of national multiplexes. |
By: Marc Thornham | Updated 28/03/2025 with new services.