It’s not that it sounds iffy, it is iffy. I’m not being judgemental, as it’s rumoured that I use similar services, but people need to go in with their eyes open that these are illicit services that could be gone tomorrow.
Also, I hate to be that guy but the thread topic should be British TV channels, not English.
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Excuse me, are you trying to steal my job?
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Thanks for all the input. I actually purchased a TV with Freely installed but couldn’t get it to work, maybe I need to amend something in Settings?
Freely is a UK based service so you will definitely need a vpn if watching in France
Since your TV is pre installed with freely
Did you buy it in uk?
Was it working in uk
Does your TV run on fire software
It is possible, depending on make of tv, that you can simply install a vpn on the TV and your problem is solved.
I agree that a VPN is undoubtedly going to be necessary to avoid being identified as a Johnny Foreigner. Perhaps if installing a VPN on the TV itself isn’t an option, then installing it on a router (if using something like DD-WRT) and connecting the TV to a wireless network being broadcast from that VPN-ified router might work.
I saw that Roku are now selling Freely-TVs… it would be nice if they also added it to their standalone devices, but that might be asking a bit much.
A Freely TV needs a VPN outside UK.
I am fairly sure you cannot install a vpn on a roku TV Or the livebox. I would suggest if a vpn cannot be installed on the op’s TV the easiest and instant solution is install on the firestick and go that route.
Can Freely be installed on devices like Firesticks, though? I thought they embed the app into TVs but are not making it available to install on your own devices.
Edit: ignore my last comment, just seen that Amazon are on board so it can be installed on Fire TVs but not all Android devices. Shame 
Freely definitely not available on Firestick but David says it is already installed on his TV.
This infers his TV is running Fire OS
This means there is a good chance that a VPN can be installed in which case he can be up and running immediately.
If his TV does not allow VPN to be installed then it Can be installed on the Firestick and watch the usual UK suspects that way. Again another instant solution.
He is going to need a VPN anyway (unless he goes down a less authorised route)
Anything else will require extra hardware e.g.a router (unless you tinker with other stuff :nudge nudge wink wink emoji:)
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Arthur Smith, Harlequin TV covers your area I think if you want to go the route of Freesat instillation to get UKTV. His predecessor Stuart Wallace at The French House set up my satellite when I moved over, but he moved La Rochelle way I think, and so trained up Arthur to cover his old patch so to speak. Stuart was great and so if he trained, and recommends Arthur I doubt you’d go far wrong there.
Various ways to set this up without using satellite as long as you have broadband and can configure your router or the device providing access to the UK channels (smart TV, game box, computer etc) - there are DNS services that work with most channels as an alternative to VPN. One of the better value ones is SmartDNS and has complete instructions for set up - last time I checked cost was around $50 for a 2 year subscription which is tied to you rather than the house, so you can use it wherever you are in the world.
Most TVs these days come from Turkey or Poland and are the same base unit badged to suit the customer. Most will have satellite TV built in but it is generic and has no programme guide other than now and next.
illicit Service that could be fine tomorrow?
Do you mean fined as in not lawful?
Surely a vpn falls into the same category?
Out of interest even if it is an unlawful service, who is going to check?
A year or two back the tv licence was abolished as there are now so many ‘pay to view’ services.
Many things are deemed not lawful but is anyone really bothered about this particular gizmo that can provide what the end user wants.
Sorry, typo, I meant gone tomorrow. I’m not really talking about getting caught just that these services can be a bit fly by night, even if they’re long established hence my comment about being prepared to lose your money.
It’s often the case that modern electronics is shipped with the same hardware but various bits disabled to suite the price/feature point. However I suspect that TVs ship with the tuner options physically present or not depending on what is specified (rather than hardware present but disabled) as there will be royalties to pay on the decoder modules.
Unless you can provide definite evidence this is not the case.
Interesting - I pay double that for a SmartStream. I might look at this next february renewal.
Thanks
Yes, this is why I would buy 3 month subscriptions even if it’s ever so slightly less economical to do so compared to buying a yearly subscription… I mean, I would do if I was buying this sort of thing… which I’m absolutely not doing… no, siree… not me. It’s only losing $5 that way even if it went tits up the day after it was bought.
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No problem.
As a life long builder I have had to live with ‘fly by night’ or ‘Cowboy’ and such but sadly the few give the majority a bad name. Oh, and long established seems nowadays to be 5 rather than 50.
In the grand scheme of things the possibility of losing 100 or so euros on a years subscription is no big deal.
Regarding cowboy builders I am proud to be remembered as one.
40 years ago I was contracted to build a cowboy city for a children’s fun park in Nottinghamshire, it was on a grand scale consisting of an entire street with saloon, sheriff’s office, hotel, livery, jail and much more.
Must have made a good cowboy builder as went on to build Pirates Cove, a boozy barrel ride, a wild west fort with the perimeter the size of a hockey pitch, and not forgetting jungle mania.
All these attractions still thrive today, as does the childrens park, our grandson is a regular visitor.
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