Talk Tv Reviews: TalkTalk’s TV bundle, like BT’s, is an add-on for its broadband customers. TalkTalk TV’s YouView-based set-top box provides a mix of free-to-air Freeview HD channels and a variety of on-demand and live-streamed premium Entertainment. The basic remote control is available in addition to the standard YouView features and a dedicated button for TalkTalk content. The set-top box is well-made and has a solid feel to it.
TalkTalk TV’s design and Construction
Huawei is the supplier of choice for TalkTalk’s YouView set-top boxes. Standard TV boxes are 23cm wide, have one tuner, and don’t have a hard drive. In this evaluation, I looked at the TV Plus box, which is 30cm wide and contains two tuners as well as a 300GB hard drive for recording television. The set-top box from TV Plus is somewhat larger than BT’s, but this isn’t a big concern because it’s no bigger than a standard PVR. The box mixes in nicely with the rest of my audiovisual gear thanks to its curved face and basic front panel. On the back of the gadget, you’ll find optical S/PDIF, HDMI, and Ethernet.
Furthermore, a Scart plug is supplied for those few people who still use one. Because an antenna has only one input and output, you can use it to feed your TV’s antenna with the signal from your aerial. If you wish to watch TalkTalk TV in two rooms at the same time, add the TalkTalk TV multi-room service. However, if you choose the multi-room option, you’ll have to pay a one-time fee of £25 to obtain an additional box. There’s also a $25 cost for an engineer’s installation. TalkTalk’s installation, which should take less than an hour, comes with a Powerline Adapter.
TalkTalk TV’s Features
First and foremost, TalkTalk’s YouView box has received a Next-generation update, which has a significant influence. It was a chore to go around in the old YouView interface since you had to wade through a maze of options every time you wanted to perform something simple. The next-generation interface has been created to be more pleasing to the eye and more user-friendly. When you go to the YouTube main menu, you’ll see that the Guide option now shows thumbnail previews of a variety of currently playing programs. The former text-based Mini-guide, as well as the Guide itself, are no longer required.
Players & Apps, like MyTV (your recordings), provide quick access to the most popular apps, while More TV shows provide thumbnails of shows you might be interested in, whether they’re streaming live or accessible for later viewing. YouView has also made changes to the Guide. The new design is easier to understand and allows you to search for information by category, in addition to being more visually pleasing. If you go back in time, your view set-top box will automatically load the player for the show you wish to watch.
Because the little TV preview window has vanished, you are unable to continue watching. In an attempt to compensate, YouView made the entire interface translucent, but I was unable to see anything well. I believe it is best to disable the menus’ transparency for the sake of clarity. (klonopin) Changes to MyTV’s new home page have fared much better.
Thumbnail displays have taken the role of the old-fashioned text listing of recordings. It makes finding your recordings a lot easier. Once you’ve deleted a recording, you can’t get it back. It would be amazing if there was an undelete option like Sky Q’s. Except for a few minor niggles, the new Next-gen interface is faster and easier to use than the previous one.
TalkTalk TV’s Channels and Programs
On Freeview HD, you may watch all of the free-to-air channels in the United Kingdom. YouView also offers on-demand programming from all of the UK’s main broadcast networks (iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5, KTV Play, and Milkshake). You can join up for Netflix using your TalkTalk account if you haven’t already. TalkTalk’s monthly TV upgrades are the same in terms of YouView. These add premium TV channels to your TV guide that are delivered via your broadband connection yet appear as “normal” channels in the TV Guide. There are no HD options available for any of these channels, which is a bummer. With the top-end plan, BT offers HD-streamed channels and BT Sport in Ultra HD.
The Show Must Go On! – TalkTalk TV
The YouView TV Plus box from TalkTalk has been chastised for its slow user interface. The Next-gen YouView interface has substantially improved performance, and I had no trouble navigating it. When the box was downloading thumbnails from the web, there was a little lag. To connect your TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub to your TalkTalk TV box, you’ll need an Ethernet wire. You can stream TV from a different room than your Hub using a Powerline Adapter.
Is TalkTalk TV a good value for money for me?
Finally, it comes down to what kind of television you want and which stations are most important to you! Sky Q is the ideal choice for consumers who want the most HD (or Ultra HD) channels and the most premium programming. For consumers who simply want to view a few minutes of content at a time, a Now TV box and subscription are more cost-effective. YouView TV is a wonderful alternative if you want a little more TV than you get with Freeview plus the ability to bring in premium programming. It features extra HD channels, Ultra HD options, and free BT Sport access. BT has the upper hand. BT’s service is significantly more expensive for sports enthusiasts.
TalkTalk Media Streaming Player
Customers that subscribe to the TalkTalk service will receive a TalkTalk box as part of their bundle. The essential technology is provided by YouView, a joint venture between major UK broadcasters and internet service providers. With the YouView TV set, you can access over 80 Freeview stations as well as on-demand programming through a single interface. You can travel back seven days in time using the on-screen program guide to find a show you missed and watch it on the appropriate service. The package includes all 15 HD channels. You’ll also be able to pause and resume live television for up to 30 minutes.
Transferring to TalkTalk
Switching from another internet or TV provider to TalkTalk is simple. The official TalkTalk website is the ideal place to start the process of getting a new broadband and TV subscription. When you complete the registration process, you will be offered a start date (typically for around 2 weeks time). If you’re migrating from Virgin Media, there’s an exception. TalkTalk will contact your old provider to discontinue your service in this scenario.
Customers of Virgin Media, on the other hand, will need to telephone to terminate their service on the same day. Before your new TalkTalk subscription becomes active, you’ll get a Wi-Fi Hub and a TalkTalk TV box in the mail. The Wi-Fi Hub from TalkTalk must be installed on the day your new service is activated. The TalkTalk TV box can now be connected.
Verdict
Because of its cheap prices and customizable options, TalkTalk TV is an excellent value, especially for current consumers. It would be great if there were more HD channels to choose from.
