We're making some changes to BBC recordings

[JordanTA]

From Tuesday 27th August, any BBC recordings made while in Internet Mode on the TV Box Pro will play from the iPlayer app. Recordings made before this switchover will play from your box as normal.

You may have seen that this was originally going to go ahead on the 21st August. Our plans have now changed, and this will appear on your box from the 27th August.

What you need to know:

• There’s no change to how you make the recording, or where you find them
• You’ll need an account with the BBC to watch your programme
• Not all programmes are on BBC iPlayer. This includes regional news, films, and sports events. If a recording isn’t available on iPlayer, it will be shown as unavailable after the program has aired
• It can be up to 15 minutes until your programme is available after it’s finished. This depends on whether the programme was pre-recorded or broadcast live
• Programmes will expire and availability may vary. News bulletins may expire after 24 hours. Dramas and documentaries will be available for up to 365 days. The status of your recording will update when there are 2 weeks or less until it expires
• Majority of recordings made in HD will be watching in HD on the iPlayer app
• A BBC recording will still count as a recording slot. In internet mode, you can record 2 programmes at a time as it relies on the available broadband speeds. See our TV Modes help page for more information on Internet mode

Why is this change happening?

The way we watch TV is evolving, and EE TV is evolving with it. That’s why our TV Box Pro features Internet Mode, which enables customers to watch their favourite shows without needing an aerial installed.

Our TV channel partners (like the BBC) are adapting with this change and exploring new ways to give customers the best possible viewing experience when watching over the Internet.

As a part of this evolution, the BBC have asked TV providers for any future BBC programmes that are recorded to now play through BBC iPlayer. This will make sure that when our customers playback the content they watch it in the highest quality, pick up where they left off if watching on additional devices, get the most informed content recommendations and have the best overall experience when in Internet Mode.

[Mike_Harvey]

This is beyond a joke! I have just switched from Freesat because I was assured that I could record TV over the Internet.  The area I live in has poor reception via an aerial and the place I have recently moved to does not allow satellite dishes. The EE box seemed like the ideal solution, but now I discover that any BBC programmes are actually coming via iplayer and will expire whenever the BBC decide they should.  Worse still I cannot play my "recordings" within 15 mins of the programme finishing... I believe I have been mis-sold a poor solution to my needs. 

[Peter_W]

Good afternoon @Mike_Harvey.

Welcome to the Community!

Whilst this didn't used to be the case, as the article from @JordanTA mentions, this is a change that has taken place on all TV platforms. 

If you feel like this wasn't made clear at the point of sale, I'd definitely recommend either reaching out to our customer care team, or alternatively you can raise this as a complaint. 

They'll be able to take a look into what you were initially sold, and make sure we've reviewed all of your options.

Peter

[Vincenz0UK]

• Not all programmes are on BBC iPlayer. This includes regional news, films, and sports events. If a recording isn’t available on iPlayer, it will be shown as unavailable after the program has aired

Is that why the BBC Ten O'Clock News is listed as "not available" despite me setting a daily recording? This is one of the ONLY programs I set up a regular recording schedule for. I set up the EE TV Pro box just yesterday, and selected Internet mode - which I assumed was superior to aerial-mode now I have access to full fibre, but in this instance it appears not?

Can someone please clarify? 

I did manage to record the local BBC South Today News but the recordings expire after 24 hours - is that part of the same "improvement" from the BBC?

[graybag]

Hello @Vincenz0UK 

        I think you are mistaken about only using Internet Channels - suggest you go to https://ee.co.uk/help/tv-sport/manage-use/modes

          Hopefully if you plug Aerial into EETVBOXPRO you'll then be able to Record from EPG News and others without haing to be redirected to iPlayer.Also you'll be able to make 4 simultaneous Recordings if you wish including all Freeview Channels at your address.This will not affect your Internet Channels.

[PW1966]

Hi ,all correct me if I am wrong,I thought you can have only one or the other with the Pro box, IP mode or Aerial mode, the advantage of IP mode is more HD channels, ITV 2,3,4,BBC News HD and Others Quest etc, down side is recordings on BBC and ITV are made via iPlayer and Itv X, or Aerial mode which turns the box onto a Freeview recorder as far as BBC and ITV are concerned but you lose some HD channels that are not broadcast on Freeview and also you need an external roof or loft Aerial depending how close you are to the nearest terrestrial transmitter.

[graybag]

No  @PW1966  you lose NOTHING by connecting Aerial for Aerial Mode (with TVBOXPRO) .Keep any Subscription Channels (TNT and Sky Sports/Entertainments etc) for use/recording via EPG - those via Internet Mode.Plus,as I said,you can then Record BBC,ITV and other Freeview Channels to watch at any time without needing to go to iPlayer.You can also FF through Adverts because the TVBOXPRO can Record direct from EPG for all Internet and Freeview Channels.

[PW1966]

Still a little confused, what EPG do you get if you use aerial mode. I would assume you get the Freeview EPG with the subscription channels tagged on behind. So 1 is BBC is SD and 101 is BBC 1HD, 231 is BBC news SD, and other than ITV 1 HD on 103 the rest of the ITV channels are in SD.

On my box in IP mode the HD channels start at 1 , the ITV bundle of channels and the extra Channel 5  bundle are in HD and BBC news is HD on 231.

So how would I be able to watch or record ITV 2 HD or BBC news HD in Aerial mode?

One other point, do you not have to be in range of a main transmitter to get the full Freeview range of channels as my understanding is that if you receive Freeview from a relay site you may not receive some channels but then again not all the Freeview channels are available in IP mode.

[DarrenDev]

Everything you've said is correct @PW1966 - there are some trade-offs between aerial and internet mode, including losing some HD channels in aerial mode.  You need to make the decision about what's most important to you.