MNers needed to try on demand TV service YouView (set-top box RRP £199) and share their thoughts on site NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We've been asked by the team at YouView to find 15 UK Mumsnetters to try out on demand TV service YouView and to share their feedback on Mumsnet.

We're looking for TV addicts keen to enjoy the usual free-to-air channels plus catch up and on demand programmes, with record pause and rewind functionality, all on your TV. Would suit a Mumsnetter looking to switch from their current TV provider or who want to add this set-top box to another TV in their home. Testers should be in the UK and have at least one child at home.

We are looking to have testers adding feedback over October half term so please only apply if you're at home in the last 2 weeks in October.

YouView says:

"YouView is an on demand TV service with over 70 live free-to-air digital TV and radio channels. It seamlessly combines seven day catch-up on BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5 with a library of on demand television programmes and films. A range of quality content is available via on demand players from Dave, Yesterday and Really imagined by UKTV, Now TV, Sky Store, milkshake!, S4C and STV. YouView has record, pause and rewind TV functionality as well as a simple search feature.

YouView is offered as part of broadband subscription bundles from TalkTalk and BT. It is also available to buy subscription-free from all major retailers and many independent electrical stores".

For more information visit: //www.youview.com, on Twitter @YouView and Facebook at www.facebook.com/youview

There are some technical requirements for this product test:

~ To set up a YouView set-top box you need to connect it to your TV via a HDMI cable or SCART lead, to your TV aerial and to your broadband router via an Ethernet cable

~ If your router is more than 2 metres from your box you'll need to use a powerline adapter, which YouView will supply with the set-top box

~ Please note that use of the YouView set-top box requires a suitable broadband speed (at least 3MBs) and coverage. Free-to-air channels are available via digital TV aerial only

YouView also says: "The service has pause, rewind, fast-forward and record functionality for live TV giving you more flexibility when enjoying your favourite TV programmes. We also offer the option to record one show while watching another, gives reminders to let you know a programme is about to start and has up to 300 hours (500GB) of storage space for your programme recordings in MyView"

Please read all about YouView here

Before you apply please ensure you check your details here - checker.youview.com/ to ensure you can receive the YouView service at home and check you have unlimited broadband as this is recommended.

If you're selected to take part you will be sent a YouView Humax DTR-T2000 set-top box worth £199 - you'll be asked to install it at home, try it and add feedback at least twice to a thread on Mumsnet. You'll be asked to add your first impressions and then to add extra feedback a week or two later to share what you've been watching, recording, pausing and how you and your family are finding YouView. We'll also ask you to add a review to the reviews area on Mumsnet.

If you'd like to take part please add your details here

If you add feedback as required, you will be able to keep the set-top box.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

[LittleLostRoeDeer]

Random question - do you need to have a TV licence to use it? We only watch online TV, so don't have one currently.

[3littlefrogs]

Oh - I would have liked to do this as I am in the process of changing provider for everything.
But - like a lot of people, we will be away over half term.

[ouryve]

Ooh, nicely timed, since our village has recently joined the 21st century and we now have fibre broadband instead of our previous erratic 1MB connection!

[ChildrenOfTheDamned]

Ah, I would have liked to have tried this, but I don't have a TV aerial, just a satellite connection. Don't suppose the Youview boxes work with a satellite connection do they?

[LittleBearPad]

Already got it. Can I give feedback?

[IAmAPaleontologist]

We did this last time, still love it. That new box looks very shiny :)

[Dinesaur]

Signed up!

[Blondieminx]

We have this already - just wanted to say its bloody marvellous!

[topsmart]

Ooh what perfect timing MN! DH and I were literally just discussing getting rid of sky but aren't sure what to move to. Perhaps this will answer that question!

[nightswift]

We have this already too and it is fantastic - mn maybe think about telling people about the wifi dongle - you don't need a cable connection to the router you can buy a wifi dongle instead for the box for ~£10. We have normal non fibre optic, not particularly fast broadband, and it works fine.

[MTBMummy]

Signed up, pretty pretty please pick us, we're desperately struggling to decide what to get, and this will help so much

[LeMousquetaireAnonyme]

Broadband not fast enough!

[AnnMumsnet]

A response for you from YouView:

@LittleLostRoeDeer

Random question - do you need to have a TV licence to use it? We only watch online TV, so don't have one currently.

YouView say "Yes you will need a TV licence to watch live TV via YouView".

[AnnMumsnet]

And for you from YouView:

@nightswift

We have this already too and it is fantastic - mn maybe think about telling people about the wifi dongle - you don't need a cable connection to the router you can buy a wifi dongle instead for the box for ~£10. We have normal non fibre optic, not particularly fast broadband, and it works fine.

YouView say "There aren’t any dongles currently available that we would recommend using to get the best experience – our advice would be to use an Ethernet cable to connect your box or powerline adaptors".

[IAmAPaleontologist]

we use powerline adaptors and it works perfectly.

[JiminyCricket]

We were forced to change from a BT Vision box, which we were previously happy with, to You View. Plus points: Can get Now TV on it; would be good to be able to get Netflix. BBC iplayer is more easily accessible On Demand. Negatives: Previously on the BT vision box you could click on a programme on the guide that you were recording, and if it had already started you could rewind to the beginning...now you have to laboriously click through to the list of recordings and start it from there. Poor film selection, unless you pay extra. The menus are a bit laborious to navigate. It always gives you an option to record in HD, where available on an alternative HD channel, but sometimes it doesn't give you the option to series record (which is a more useful option). Definitely needs improvement. (have not tried anything apart from BT vision to compare it with).

[IAmAPaleontologist]

True true, I do agree on a lot of points, the menu is a clunky on our youview box. We all fed that sort of thing back last time so would actually be kind of interesting to try this newer one and see if anything has changed. On the whole though we love it. Mind you, our old BT vision box that we had before we got this didn't stream well at all, we couldn't use the film rental on it as it just froze all the time as did iplayer but the youview box streams absolutely fine. Odd really considering both set up in the same way with the same internet etc.

Still, I don't think I shall apply this time round, interesting as the comparison will be. The dcs would KILL me if I got rid of the box that had all their stuff recorded on it. It took me until Christmas rolled around again and I could record The Snowman and the snow dog for dd to forgive me the last product test .

[ZumZee]

What is a powerline adapter? Our router is in a different room than we would put the box, is this ok?

[IAmAPaleontologist]

Yes the adaptor sends the signal round your electrics so you just plug it into the plug socket and plug your router into it then same the other end you plug the youview box into an adaptor instead of directly into the plug socket and some sort of magic happens.

[Blatherskite]

I already have You View but not that up-to-date box. I'm happy to test the update if they'd want me?

[LittleBearPad]

Yes I'd test the up to date box. The existing one is a bit clunky. I don't think it is as good as the BT Vision box we had before.

[madeofkent]

DBH was going to sort out cables for me to have a tv upstairs this half-term, as I hate ironing so much and do it up there. One of these would be great, I have a Humax freesat but we do still have an aerial. I love the freesat box, but do miss a few channels we can no longer receive, this would be wonderful.

[rubycon]

yes please - I've been debating whether to splash out one. I watch a lot of tv, particularly through the night, the tv I have at the moment I can't record and watch something else, so I miss a lot of things.

[YackityYakYak]

I would love to put my name down for this, but sadly we don't have the broadband speed to support this.

Come on BT, do something about rural broadband speed!!!!

[Leeanne2205]

We only haver free view at the moment so would love to try this .