Lifestyle and social channel Together is once again available on Freeview through the day without an internet connection. Meanwhile, a new streaming channel joins the platform.
Together, known for showcasing programmes including Monty Don’s French Gardens, The Hairy Biker’s Comfort Food and Restoration Man, lost its full time terrestrial slot in the summer following wider changes to the Freeview service.
But following a retune, viewers can once again watch Together through the day via their aerial on Freeview channel 83. The old Together TV slot has turned into Together TV+1 on channel 92.
Reality Xtra2
The spin-off from CBS Reality and Reality Xtra is now available as a placeholder channel. Viewers can find it on channel 69 following a retune. The service currently only broadcasts overnight.
A placeholder channel is a service that only runs for a few hours a day on Freeview, often holding a channel number for future use by that or another broadcaster.
Pet Collective
Meanwhile, Pet Collective has joined Freeview’s streaming channels. The home of trending clips, entertaining memes and funniest animal videos online is now on channel 278 on compatible devices.
Overview of the latest Freeview Updates
To retune or not to retune?
Newer Freeview devices may automatically add, move and delete new services in the background. Others may add services in the background, sometimes adding services in the 800s if the new channel clashes with a service that was previously stored in the past.
If any of the above services don’t appear, or appear in the 800s instead of their proper channel numbers you’ll need to retune. The Freeview website has further details and guidance regarding retunes.
The above services are broadcast through multiplex COM4/SDN, which means they are on the same frequency as channels including Quest and QVC. These services are not available to viewers accessing Freeview through reduced-service relay transmitters.
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Another set of changes for Together… but for how long?
Together is operated as a community benefit society, supported by all major UK broadcasters. Broadcasters and platform operators have traditionally donated airtime/bandwidth to the channel on a short to medium-term basis.
As a result, its availability on Freeview is prone to chopping and changing very frequently. In recent years, it’s benefited from temporarily filling in vacant slots on Freeview, effectively becoming the TV equivalent of those pop-up shops that fill empty retail units in shopping centres.
So far in 2022, its availability changed in March (multiplex move with a temporary reduction in coverage) and June (another multiplex move with the launch of an internet-delivered version of the channel).
Effective 26th October, Together has taken over a Freeview slot that had been advertised to commercial broadcasters back in June. Should a commercial broadcaster take up the slot in the future, Together’s availability on Freeview will change again.
Iain Hatton
Updated 11:33 – The old version of Together TV, which moved to channel 92 has morphed into Together TV+1.