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What is Internet TV?What is Smart TV?
Many of the latest TVs digital TV recorders and PVRs can connect to your broadband Internet service via your home network.

Although general internet access (surfing) is offered by some manufacturers this is not the main feature. In fact, given that you generally sit a few meters away from your TV and typically do not have a full keyboard, web browsing is not to be particularly convenient on a TV.
Instead the TV manufacturers provide a selection of applications. Some manufacturers offer only a fixed, limited range of pre-installed applications while others allow a wide selection which you can download. These are sometimes referred to as “APPS” or “Widgets”. Example applications are: BBC iPlayer (also ITV and Channel 4 players), You Tube (Internet video clips), Picasa or Flickr (photos sharing), Google maps, Love Film (or similar film on demand download application), Skype with videophone, Facebook and Twitter.

Can I get BBC i player on my TV?

BBC i player is the service that lets you catch up with BBC radio and television programmes from the past week. You will need a fast broadband internet connection and home network. The TV or box will download or stream programmes then listen or watch again. The picture quality is not as good as live broadcast but you can catch up on programmes you’ve missed. Most people use a computer with a broadband internet connection to access the service. However, you can also access it on your TV via the subscription Fetch TV and Virgin Media TV services and most recently through the non-subscription freesat services. In fact all new Freesat TVs and boxes can access BBC iPlayer and some older ones can be updated. Note however, some of these ONLY offer BBC iPlayer and no other Internet services.

How do I get digital TV via my computer?
It is possible to buy digital TV receivers for a PC or laptop. These come either as a simple plug-in USB device or as a card which is fitted inside a destop PC. Software supplied with the device allows you to tune in and view the channels, view the on-screen TV guide and text services. They also allow you to record programmes on to the computer hard drive, so effectively act just like a hard drive digital TV recorder. You will need experience in installing computer software – it does not always work first time.

Where can I get instructions for my STB – I’ve lost them?
Some manufacturers have copies of their instruction manuals available on their websites.  Note down the exact name and model number of your product and see Links for details of all manufacturer’s websites and customer helplines for products we have tested.

How do I connect my Hi-Fi to improve the sound from my TV?
See our Hi-Fi connection diagram.

How do I get teletext on a digital TV?
The single, old style analogue teletext service has been replaced by a variety of new text services on digital TV. Different channels now broadcast different text services, including the BBC's red button text services, ITV's teletext and Teletext holidays.

To access the BBC's red button interactive and text services, press the red button on your remote. To get ITV’s teletext service press the 'text' button on your remote, or on some models a button showing horizontal lines.

Which models have digital audio output?
Details of the audio specification of all the iDTVs, set top boxes and digital TV recorders is given in the ‘AV connections’ section of each product’s detailed test report (linked from the summary test report).