Questions

Your questions answered

1. What is YouView?

   YouView brings you all the plug-in-and-watch simplicity of Freeview, plus the UK’s leading Internet catch-up and video on-demand services.

   That means you’ll get the digital TV you love, plus BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, Demand 5 and SeeSaw, all instantly available on your TV, through one simple set-top box.

   For the first time, your on-screen programme guide will go backwards in time as well as forwards. You can discover and watch great programmes whenever you want – even ones you thought you’d missed.

   Of course, YouView will also have High Definition, as well as the choice of pay-TV channels and on-demand programmes from TV providers such as BT Vision and Talk Talk TV. It’s also a personal video recorder, so you can pause, rewind and record live TV whenever you like.

   Basically, you’ll get all the best bits of 21st Century TV, without having to grapple with complicated technology or pay any TV subscription fees.

2. Who’s behind YouView?

   YouView has been jointly developed by the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, TalkTalk, Arqiva and Channel 5. To find out more about the partners, click here.

3. How will I get YouView?

   All you’ll need is a YouView set-top box, and broadband Internet. There’s no contract or monthly subscription.

   The boxes will be sold at the usual high street stores (just like Freeview and Freesat boxes). You may also be able to get one as part of a broadband package from an Internet Service Provider. You just plug your aerial or satellite dish, and your broadband, into the box, and then the box into the TV. (Without the Internet connection, you’ve basically just got a Freeview box.)

4. So when’s it coming?

   We will have a YouView product in trial by the end of this year, with a full consumer launch planned in early 2012.

5. Will I need a new TV, a new dish, or an upgraded aerial?

   If you can already get digital TV, you shouldn’t have any problem getting YouView. If your TV doesn’t get digital, or you need aerial signal boosters to get a digital signal, you’re going to have to upgrade for the digital switchover anyway.

   Obviously you’ll need to buy the YouView box itself. But if you’ve already got Freeview or Freesat, your current kit will carry on working just the same, and receive all the services it gets now.

6. What about accessibility?

   We want as many people as possible to enjoy YouView. So we’ve worked hard to make sure they can, and have built in some first-class accessibility functions.

   We’ve worked with charities like the RNIB, RNID and Mencap to look at the different needs of various audiences, and how we can help. The result is a programme guide that’s both high quality and highly accessible. A result indeed.

   For more about accessibility and YouView, click here.

7. What about parental controls and online security?

   YouView is for the whole family. But we realise not all TV is suitable for everyone. So you’ll be able to lock away anything you want with a PIN number system.

8. Will I be able to get pay TV?

   For those who want more, there'll be a huge choice of on demand and pay TV - including films, sports and US drama.

9. Do I have to get my broadband from a particular Internet Service Provider?

   Nope: any broadband connection will work.