[Keith]

BBC makes full set of HD channels available via new Freeview feature
A lucky few Freeview users will for the first time be able to access every regular BBC channel in HD via a new IP add-on to Freeview.

This includes BBC News HD, which was removed last year due to a reduction in capacity available to broadcasters after a decision to allocate more of the airwaves to 5G services.

Full article: rxtvinfo.com  

BBC makes full set of HD channels available via new Freeview feature > RXTV i…
A lucky few Freeview users will for the first time be able to access every regul…
  Source: rxtvinfo.com

An interesting development for restoring access to the news channel in HD, as well as making a HD version of BBC Parliament.

[Brekkie]

Interesting, though technically guess on such devices they're already available via the iPlayer.

Doesn't YouView/BT TV have a block on the EPG from 300-599 though so will these not be available on those devices?

[CCFG]

These are only available on newer Freeview Play devices (in fact right now it's only available on LG and Hisense televisions made after 2022) so they aren't available on YouView/BT.

[i.h]

although BT TV subscribers with the new box can switch to internet mode and get these channels already via BT's multicast system.

[Brekkie]

These are only available on newer Freeview Play devices (in fact right now it's only available on LG and Hisense televisions made after 2022) so they aren't available on YouView/BT.

Does baffle me sometimes when broadcasters, especially the BBC, limit themselves to the latest technology when the functionality to provide streamed HD channels is also available on much older boxes where the 250+ streaming service and things like the QVC red button work.

Obviously the iPlayer streams available on most of these devices too.

Guess though this is effectively a test run for delivering more channels via IP. Would these be recordable on such devices?

[Keith]

Guess though this is effectively a test run for delivering more channels via IP.  Would these be recordable on such devices?

According to the FAQs on the rxtvinfo article those IP channels won't be recordable.

I sense this is a test run for a potentially wider rollout. Worth noting that multiplex B is currently due to expire in 2026 and the BBC have yet to commit to renew it.  

Additionally, depending on the outcome of WRC-23 the future of Freeview may not be be secure beyond 2030 (possibly extended until 2035 via delaying until WRC-27).

Then there is the tiny matter of the future funding of the BBC. It's worth that according to the FAQs on the article you'll need to be signed into your BBC account, as it'll be delivered via the iPlayer. This means that if future funding was via subscription it would be very easy to put the channels behind a paywall, compared to normal Freeview channels.

[Josh]

I presume you're not able to record because all of the pause & rewind features are through the iPlayer and not the TV client.

[LondonViewer]

I've got these on an LG. It's basically just a link to iPlayer.
Nothing groundbreaking.

[Brekkie]

Do you have to be logged in to the iPlayer to view them?

[IanJRedman]

Do you have to be logged in to the iPlayer to view them?

Yes.