Google TV's new free 'Channels' update in the UK makes it easier to drop the aerial – with one big problem

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Screenshot of Channels for UK viewers connected Google TV devices
The caller channels interface, arsenic captured by 9to5Google. (Image credit: Google / 9to5Google)

If you're a UK spectator pinch nan Google TV Streamer aliases a Chromecast device, you should now person nan caller Channels tab connected your device. That intends instant, easy entree to each nan UK's large broadcasters each streamed to your TV, pinch nary aerial aliases outer cablegram required… aliases astatine slightest it should. There look to beryllium immoderate cardinal omissions.

If you cheque retired nan Channels tab you'll spot nan acquainted logos of ITV and its regions, specified arsenic STV successful Scotland. Channel 5's location too. But truthful acold location aren't immoderate unrecorded channels, and there's nary Channel 4. So nan dream of ditching your TV aerial wholly hasn't rather been delivered.

What UK channels are disposable successful Google TV's Channels?

As 9to5Google reports, Channel 4 isn't location because it isn't yet disposable connected nan Android TV platform; and nan BBC wants you to usage its iPlayer app, which isn't yet disposable connected nan Google TV Streamer, but iPlayer is supported connected different devices, specified arsenic nan Chromecast and nan best TVs pinch Google TV from nan likes of Sony and TCL.

Channels will yet big channels from nan BBC, ITV (and regions: STV successful Scotland and UTV successful Northern Ireland), Really, Discovery and different free to aerial broadcasters. To tune successful to a transmission you'll request to person nan due app installed; if you don't, you'll beryllium taken to its page connected nan Play Store truthful you tin download it.

9to5Google besides points retired that galore apps require you to person an account, truthful nan speedy motorboat buttons will return you to a login page alternatively than consecutive to nan channel. This besides happens connected my Apple TV 4K, and it's very annoying pinch iPlayer successful particular.

The caller Channels are welcome, but nan options disposable to UK users still way very acold down nan ones disposable successful nan US: there, Google TV viewers get tons of unrecorded channels - much than 800 nan past clip we counted. And while galore of them are of nan daytime TV assortment it'd beryllium bully to person much options present successful nan UK too.

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Contributor

Writer, broadcaster, musician and room gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been penning astir tech since 1998, contributing sage proposal and overseas opinions to each kinds of magazines and websites arsenic good arsenic penning much than a twelve books. Her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, is connected waste now and her adjacent book, astir popular music, is retired successful 2025. She is nan vocalist successful Glaswegian stone set Unquiet Mind.

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