From today, owners of selected Freeview Play TVs from LG and Hisense will be able to access internet-delivered, High-Definition versions of five BBC channels via the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide).
Selecting these streamed versions of BBC Three HD, BBC Scotland HD, BBC ALBA HD, BBC News HD and BBC Parliament HD will open the iPlayer app and automatically play the selected channel.
The number of HD channels available on Freeview is limited by the amount of spectrum available to the platform. Reductions in the available spectrum last year saw several channels close, including the HD version of the BBC’s dedicated news channel.
The BBC says it’s now looking to streaming “to fill in gaps for those HD channels that are not currently carried everywhere in the UK on Freeview”.
Owners of compatible LG and Hisense Freeview Play devices will see the channels appear on the EPG from July 24th.
Users of other devices can access the HD streams by manually opening the iPlayer app and selecting the desired channel.