do you need a subscription/ account......

0161Coop · 16-11-2009, 08:34

....... to use the vision box as a Freeview PVR?

I'm thinking of getting an ebay jobby for my folks to replace their VHS recorder.

I know you need an internet connection to get the Guide info and that nothing works without that, but do you actually need a BT Vision subscription to watch the Free To Air stuff?

Obviously the Premium Pay services won't be available, but I don't see that as a problem.

Thanks in anticipation.

0161Coop · 16-11-2009, 08:44

Oh yes, I forgot to say - they already have BT Broadband and yes I know you can get Vision boxes for £30 from BT, but they are going for less on ebay even inc. postage.

wwwebber · 16-11-2009, 08:46

You need BT Broadband and an active BTVision account. Stay away from BTVision boxes on Ebay - BT wont honour them.

intercept · 17-11-2009, 09:54

See this link

betsvigi9 · 17-11-2009, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0161Coop

Oh yes, I forgot to say - they already have BT Broadband and yes I know you can get Vision boxes for £30 from BT, but they are going for less on ebay even inc. postage.

They are cheaper on ebay for a reason. You would be better off spending £30, it's still very cheap for a decent PVR.

Pete*G · 19-11-2009, 07:32

so you can't even use them as a basic Freeview box with built-in PVR? i.e. not using any of the OnDemand service?

spaceman05 · 19-11-2009, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete*G

so you can't even use them as a basic Freeview box with built-in PVR? i.e. not using any of the OnDemand service?

No, not without a vision account

johnson293 · 19-11-2009, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete*G

so you can't even use them as a basic Freeview box with built-in PVR? i.e. not using any of the OnDemand service?

In BT Vision FAQ's on the website, BT used to say that a furture software upgrade would allow the boxes to be used to receive Freeview without a BT Vision account - that never happened, and the statement was removed from the website.

I have said it before, it's a waste of a piece of electronic equipment that it can't even be used as a freeview receiver without being tied to BT Vision and BT Broadband.

I fully agree with disabling the PVR functions and VOD accessibility, as that is what another TV service provider does also (though they will give you back the PVR functions for £10/month), and its a way of trying to keep customers on the paid service(s).

Echo34 · 19-11-2009, 22:12

I have a "Free" BT Vision account myself. I do have BT Broadband and asked them to activate the BTV service on my line. I'm not paying anything for this other than my BB package.

They did want to charge me £199 for the box but I already had one. They then waved this charge as you'd expect.

They did want to try and offer me a vision pack which I declined, I just want the FV.

They did mess things up along the way but it did get resolved - via BT's assistance on this forum in fact and they did genuinely apologise and followed it up with calls to make sure I was happy.

I can still buy into the OnDemand services but I'll not. It was just really for one of the guest bedrooms.

Hope that helps

kerrance76 · 03-01-2010, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0161Coop

I know you can get Vision boxes for £30 from BT.

Any body got a link for this or more information, cant seem to find it anywhere

n2000uk · 04-01-2010, 08:28

Just give sale's a ring on 0800 800 950 or the vist the web site, http://www.bt.com/vision

forumuser · 07-01-2010, 11:17

A friend of mine has just had BT Broadband activated and wants BT Vision without subscription does anyone know if its being offered for less than £90 if you call up sales?

londonjams · 17-03-2010, 13:35

I've just had to pay £130 to free myself from the clammy embrace of BT - but now I'm lumbered with the Vision box and the Home Hub!

I don't understand why BT don't want the equipment returned if it is as valuable as they claim.

I'm never going back to BT, so it sounds like I won't be able to use the box as a Freeview PVR. Would putting it on eBay be immoral? Perhaps I'll smash it to pieces to celebrate my freedom.

johnson293 · 17-03-2010, 13:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by londonjams

I've just had to pay £130 to free myself from the clammy embrace of BT - but now I'm lumbered with the Vision box and the Home Hub!

I don't understand why BT don't want the equipment returned if it is as valuable as they claim.

I'm never going back to BT, so it sounds like I won't be able to use the box as a Freeview PVR. Would putting it on eBay be immoral? Perhaps I'll smash it to pieces to celebrate my freedom.

It wouldn't be immoral, but as you need a BT Broadband account to use it, most people would just get a BT Vision box and account from BT anyway, so they don't sell for much (if at all).

If your gonna smash it to pieces, take the Hard Drive out of it first - they are fully compatible with PC's and the like, and sell for more than the Vision boxes on their own.

You'd probably be able to sell the remote as well.

noise747 · 18-03-2010, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by betsvigi9

They are cheaper on ebay for a reason. You would be better off spending £30, it's still very cheap for a decent PVR.

Only £30 if you have a subscription, they are a lot more expensive if you don't want to subscribe, which is understandable.

A bit silly of Bt not allowing people to use old BTV boxes, I am sure there are plenty floating around when people have canceled that could be put to better use than ending up in landfill.

Plasma · 23-03-2010, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

A bit silly of Bt not allowing people to use old BTV boxes, I am sure there are plenty floating around when people have canceled that could be put to better use than ending up in landfill.

They can be reused, search the net the answers are out there, functionality is currently limited but you can get Freeview and EPG. This will not get you any pay services so no good for freeloaders, but it can stop your perfectly good box from being binned.

Plasma

speckledhen · 23-03-2010, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plasma

They can be reused, search the net the answers are out there, functionality is currently limited but you can get Freeview and EPG. This will not get you any pay services so no good for freeloaders, but it can stop your perfectly good box from being binned.

Plasma

You sure about that?

paulpocket · 24-03-2010, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plasma

They can be reused, search the net the answers are out there, functionality is currently limited but you can get Freeview and EPG. This will not get you any pay services so no good for freeloaders, but it can stop your perfectly good box from being binned.

Plasma

are you sure? Is the EPG not downloaded from BTs servers instead of the usual freview one.

Plasma · 24-03-2010, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulpocket

are you sure? Is the EPG not downloaded from BTs servers instead of the usual freview one.

Well seeing as I have one here with no BT BB Connections and no account, a box which I was given by a friend with no hard drive, and it now works as a Feeview box with EPG .. yes I'm sure! I'd bet my left arm on it!

The reason for the issues with the PVR functionality is it does lots of calls back to the BT servers for that, even to rewind live TV "currently" requires the BT servers say so. This I'm sure will change in the not too distant future!

[EDIT] BTW I'd happily post details but I'm a long standing forum member, and not sure whether its allowed, so if you want details PM me and I'll direct you to a forum dedicated to resolving this inability to function without the broadband connection. [/EDIT]

Plasma

Andy258 · 31-05-2010, 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by forumuser

A friend of mine has just had BT Broadband activated and wants BT Vision without subscription does anyone know if its being offered for less than £90 if you call up sales?

I have BT Vision on a 'flexi-pack', where basically I just choose to pay for any on-demand content I choose to download.

This service isn't advertised and seems to be only available if you're out of contract and express an interest to leave BT.

noise747 · 02-06-2010, 09:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy258

I have BT Vision on a 'flexi-pack', where basically I just choose to pay for any on-demand content I choose to download.

This service isn't advertised and seems to be only available if you're out of contract and express an interest to leave BT.

It is not well documented, but it is there, the last one.

I was going to go for it, but you do need to pay £90 for the box, a friend of mine went for it when it was £60, £30 for the box and £30 for connection or something like that.

It worked out ok for her as she only watched a few things, the only reason she got the box was for the PVR, but now she is doing the same that I did and is on the verge of leaving Bt, the box will more or less become a doorstop.

Still, plenty of cheap PVrs around, she can have my old Top up T.V box if she wants.

Plasma · 05-06-2010, 11:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

I was going to go for it, but you do need to pay £90 for the box, a friend of mine went for it when it was £60, £30 for the box and £30 for connection or something like that.

The BT Vision boxes are cheap as chips on eBay, going for between £15 and £30 inc postage!

Plasma

stuntmaster · 07-06-2010, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plasma

The BT Vision boxes are cheap as chips on eBay, going for between £15 and £30 inc postage!

Plasma

Except BT won't honour them.

And hacking the box is illegal Plasma.

jonesyboy · 08-06-2010, 07:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plasma

The BT Vision boxes are cheap as chips on eBay, going for between £15 and £30 inc postage!

Plasma

Still expensive for a door stop, which is all they will be good for.

wwwebber · 08-06-2010, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonesyboy

Still expensive for a door stop, which is all they will be good for.

+1

16-11-2009, 08:34	#1
0161Coop Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2	do you need a subscription/ account...... ....... to use the vision box as a Freeview PVR? I'm thinking of getting an ebay jobby for my folks to replace their VHS recorder. I know you need an internet connection to get the Guide info and that nothing works without that, but do you actually need a BT Vision subscription to watch the Free To Air stuff? Obviously the Premium Pay services won't be available, but I don't see that as a problem. Thanks in anticipation.

16-11-2009, 08:44	#2
0161Coop Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2	Oh yes, I forgot to say - they already have BT Broadband and yes I know you can get Vision boxes for £30 from BT, but they are going for less on ebay even inc. postage.

16-11-2009, 08:46	#3
wwwebber Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Nottingham Posts: 3,536	You need BT Broadband and an active BTVision account. Stay away from BTVision boxes on Ebay - BT wont honour them.

17-11-2009, 09:54	#4
intercept Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 311	See this link

17-11-2009, 12:30	#5
betsvigi9 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Huddersfield Posts: 389	Quote: Originally Posted by 0161Coop Oh yes, I forgot to say - they already have BT Broadband and yes I know you can get Vision boxes for £30 from BT, but they are going for less on ebay even inc. postage. They are cheaper on ebay for a reason. You would be better off spending £30, it's still very cheap for a decent PVR.

19-11-2009, 07:32	#6
Pete*G Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Dereham, Norfolk. Posts: 151	so you can't even use them as a basic Freeview box with built-in PVR? i.e. not using any of the OnDemand service?

19-11-2009, 08:23	#7
spaceman05 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,113	Quote: Originally Posted by Pete*G so you can't even use them as a basic Freeview box with built-in PVR? i.e. not using any of the OnDemand service? No, not without a vision account

19-11-2009, 10:10	#8
johnson293 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,243	Quote: Originally Posted by Pete*G so you can't even use them as a basic Freeview box with built-in PVR? i.e. not using any of the OnDemand service? In BT Vision FAQ's on the website, BT used to say that a furture software upgrade would allow the boxes to be used to receive Freeview without a BT Vision account - that never happened, and the statement was removed from the website. I have said it before, it's a waste of a piece of electronic equipment that it can't even be used as a freeview receiver without being tied to BT Vision and BT Broadband. I fully agree with disabling the PVR functions and VOD accessibility, as that is what another TV service provider does also (though they will give you back the PVR functions for £10/month), and its a way of trying to keep customers on the paid service(s).

19-11-2009, 22:12	#9
Echo34 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9	I have a "Free" BT Vision account myself. I do have BT Broadband and asked them to activate the BTV service on my line. I'm not paying anything for this other than my BB package. They did want to charge me £199 for the box but I already had one. They then waved this charge as you'd expect. They did want to try and offer me a vision pack which I declined, I just want the FV. They did mess things up along the way but it did get resolved - via BT's assistance on this forum in fact and they did genuinely apologise and followed it up with calls to make sure I was happy. I can still buy into the OnDemand services but I'll not. It was just really for one of the guest bedrooms. Hope that helps

03-01-2010, 14:08	#10
kerrance76 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 26	Quote: Originally Posted by 0161Coop I know you can get Vision boxes for £30 from BT. Any body got a link for this or more information, cant seem to find it anywhere

04-01-2010, 08:28	#11
n2000uk Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 12	Just give sale's a ring on 0800 800 950 or the vist the web site, http://www.bt.com/vision

07-01-2010, 11:17	#12
forumuser Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Peacehaven, East Sussex Posts: 459	A friend of mine has just had BT Broadband activated and wants BT Vision without subscription does anyone know if its being offered for less than £90 if you call up sales?

17-03-2010, 13:35	#13
londonjams Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 28	I've just had to pay £130 to free myself from the clammy embrace of BT - but now I'm lumbered with the Vision box and the Home Hub! I don't understand why BT don't want the equipment returned if it is as valuable as they claim. I'm never going back to BT, so it sounds like I won't be able to use the box as a Freeview PVR. Would putting it on eBay be immoral? Perhaps I'll smash it to pieces to celebrate my freedom.

17-03-2010, 13:40	#14
johnson293 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,243	Quote: Originally Posted by londonjams I've just had to pay £130 to free myself from the clammy embrace of BT - but now I'm lumbered with the Vision box and the Home Hub! I don't understand why BT don't want the equipment returned if it is as valuable as they claim. I'm never going back to BT, so it sounds like I won't be able to use the box as a Freeview PVR. Would putting it on eBay be immoral? Perhaps I'll smash it to pieces to celebrate my freedom. It wouldn't be immoral, but as you need a BT Broadband account to use it, most people would just get a BT Vision box and account from BT anyway, so they don't sell for much (if at all). If your gonna smash it to pieces, take the Hard Drive out of it first - they are fully compatible with PC's and the like, and sell for more than the Vision boxes on their own. You'd probably be able to sell the remote as well.

18-03-2010, 00:03	#15
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by betsvigi9 They are cheaper on ebay for a reason. You would be better off spending £30, it's still very cheap for a decent PVR. Only £30 if you have a subscription, they are a lot more expensive if you don't want to subscribe, which is understandable. A bit silly of Bt not allowing people to use old BTV boxes, I am sure there are plenty floating around when people have canceled that could be put to better use than ending up in landfill.

23-03-2010, 21:22	#16
Plasma Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 100	Quote: Originally Posted by noise747 A bit silly of Bt not allowing people to use old BTV boxes, I am sure there are plenty floating around when people have canceled that could be put to better use than ending up in landfill. They can be reused, search the net the answers are out there, functionality is currently limited but you can get Freeview and EPG. This will not get you any pay services so no good for freeloaders, but it can stop your perfectly good box from being binned. Plasma

23-03-2010, 23:42	#17
speckledhen Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 767	Quote: Originally Posted by Plasma They can be reused, search the net the answers are out there, functionality is currently limited but you can get Freeview and EPG. This will not get you any pay services so no good for freeloaders, but it can stop your perfectly good box from being binned. Plasma You sure about that?

24-03-2010, 11:01	#18
paulpocket Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 135	Quote: Originally Posted by Plasma They can be reused, search the net the answers are out there, functionality is currently limited but you can get Freeview and EPG. This will not get you any pay services so no good for freeloaders, but it can stop your perfectly good box from being binned. Plasma are you sure? Is the EPG not downloaded from BTs servers instead of the usual freview one.

24-03-2010, 22:38	#19
Plasma Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 100	Quote: Originally Posted by paulpocket are you sure? Is the EPG not downloaded from BTs servers instead of the usual freview one. Well seeing as I have one here with no BT BB Connections and no account, a box which I was given by a friend with no hard drive, and it now works as a Feeview box with EPG .. yes I'm sure! I'd bet my left arm on it! The reason for the issues with the PVR functionality is it does lots of calls back to the BT servers for that, even to rewind live TV "currently" requires the BT servers say so. This I'm sure will change in the not too distant future! [EDIT] BTW I'd happily post details but I'm a long standing forum member, and not sure whether its allowed, so if you want details PM me and I'll direct you to a forum dedicated to resolving this inability to function without the broadband connection. [/EDIT] Plasma

31-05-2010, 15:45	#20
Andy258 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newark, Notts Posts: 656	Quote: Originally Posted by forumuser A friend of mine has just had BT Broadband activated and wants BT Vision without subscription does anyone know if its being offered for less than £90 if you call up sales? I have BT Vision on a 'flexi-pack', where basically I just choose to pay for any on-demand content I choose to download. This service isn't advertised and seems to be only available if you're out of contract and express an interest to leave BT.

02-06-2010, 09:05	#21
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by Andy258 I have BT Vision on a 'flexi-pack', where basically I just choose to pay for any on-demand content I choose to download. This service isn't advertised and seems to be only available if you're out of contract and express an interest to leave BT. It is not well documented, but it is there, the last one. I was going to go for it, but you do need to pay £90 for the box, a friend of mine went for it when it was £60, £30 for the box and £30 for connection or something like that. It worked out ok for her as she only watched a few things, the only reason she got the box was for the PVR, but now she is doing the same that I did and is on the verge of leaving Bt, the box will more or less become a doorstop. Still, plenty of cheap PVrs around, she can have my old Top up T.V box if she wants.

DS Forums

do you need a subscription/ account......

05-06-2010, 11:31	#22
Plasma Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 100	Quote: Originally Posted by noise747 I was going to go for it, but you do need to pay £90 for the box, a friend of mine went for it when it was £60, £30 for the box and £30 for connection or something like that. The BT Vision boxes are cheap as chips on eBay, going for between £15 and £30 inc postage! Plasma

07-06-2010, 22:47	#23
stuntmaster Forum Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Southampton - Hannington - TX Posts: 4,878	Quote: Originally Posted by Plasma The BT Vision boxes are cheap as chips on eBay, going for between £15 and £30 inc postage! Plasma Except BT won't honour them. And hacking the box is illegal Plasma.

08-06-2010, 07:55	#24
jonesyboy Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,330	Quote: Originally Posted by Plasma The BT Vision boxes are cheap as chips on eBay, going for between £15 and £30 inc postage! Plasma Still expensive for a door stop, which is all they will be good for.

08-06-2010, 13:33	#25
wwwebber Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Nottingham Posts: 3,536	Quote: Originally Posted by jonesyboy Still expensive for a door stop, which is all they will be good for. +1