How to check if you're getting BritBox on your smart TV or box

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New streaming service BritBox launched this month, but its absence from many smart TVs hasn't gone unnoticed.

Unless you have a newer Samsung Smart TV which will get BritBox, there's one simple check you need to do to see if BritBox is coming to your TV:

Rather than do deals with every smart TV manufacturer, BritBox will be pushed to all TVs and set-top-boxes that support Freeview Play.


See also: What's on BritBox?
You can tell if your TV or Freeview box supports Freeview Play by going to Freeview channel 100:


If channel 100 shows a Freeview Play navigation screen, like the one shown above, then your TV or set-top-box will get the BritBox app. This is due to start rolling out soon.

But if channel 100 looks like the following screenshot, with a black background, your TV or set-top-box does not have Freeview Play:



If your TV or box doesn't do Freeview Play, there are alternatives to get BritBox on the big screen.

All newer Samsung Smart TVs (2017 or later Tizen operating system models) will support BritBox.

YouView boxes, such as those used by BT TV, TalkTalk TV or Plusnet TV, are due to get the BritBox app by the end of the year.

BritBox is also available on Apple TV devices.

Chromecast support is due to be added in the coming months, and BritBox is also working on getting their service on Amazon Fire TV devices, although a launch timeframe hasn't been provided.



Failed the channel 100 check?
If your TV or set-top-box doesn't have any Freeview information service on channel 100, then you are probably not receiving Freeview, but another TV service on your device.

If you have an LG smart TV, it could be on Freesat mode rather than Freeview mode, for example. All newer LG smart TVs incidentally support Freeview Play.

(Or you haven't retuned Freeview for ages, then channel 100 would be missing, which would indicate a non-compatible device, because all Freeview Play compatible devices would have added channel 100 automatically when it launched.)

So far, there's been no word on whether BritBox will launch on Sky or Virgin Media boxes, but there's been indications that it could land on connected Freesat boxes in the future. And if you are with BT TV, TalkTalk TV or Plusnet TV, then you will get BritBox in the coming weeks via your YouView box.





  • RXclinic - the TV reception clinic - is a series of articles on the RXTV log covering some of your frequently asked questions about the reception of linear and connected TV services.

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