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Four tuner frenzy: The all-you-can-EEat TV Freeview PVR

Enough functionality to fight YouView et al?

On the go

Besides Replay, the other trick that EE TV has up its sleeve is network playback. With the app on a mobile device, you can connect to the box and either watch live TV using one of those tuners, or access any of the content on the box, including Replay material. Perfect for treating yourself to a duvet day and watching telly using the tablet in bed. This seems to work pretty well, on the whole, but again there are exceptions.

EE TV Freeview PVR

The full list of Replay content is organised by channel

Firstly, access is only on your own network. You can't access the box from elsewhere, and that includes checking the EPG and setting recordings. If someone tells you at work about a great thing to watch while you're out, you'd better just hope it's on a channel for which you've enabled Replay.

And, though you can watch live TV over the home network, with most devices you can't watch in HD. Nor can you watch HD recordings over the network. According to EE's support page, the list of devices that support HD playback will expand in future. For now, it's just a handful of recent Apple ones, and no Androids at all.

EE TV Freeview PVR

The app can double as a remote control for the box (left) and on the app, you have to access the EPG via Live TV (right)

If you're watching content via the app, you can also cast it to the TV, and use the app as a remote control, so effectively your programme can follow you round the house. It's also possible to play to the EE box from the YouTube app on a phone.

The biggest niggle is that you're tied to the home network. There would, clearly, be copyright issues with accessing live TV or recordings from beyond your home, but it's still a shame that EE hasn't at least allowed the ability to set recordings remotely, which most competing services can do. And the EPG in the app has to be accessed by going to live TV, then selecting a channel - you can't get an all-channels view.

EE TV Freeview PVR

When you access Replay content, you can browse by category and also set recordings for future episodes

There are some great touches in the EE TV, no doubt about it; the background tuning during setup is well worth emulating, and the interface is simple and clear to use, the remote well designed, and the hardware specifications are decent too.

But, I can't help thinking that the Replay functionality is just a little too compromised to be a real winner, and the lack of at least the four major broadcaster's catch-up services, and big OTT players like Netflix, means that it doesn't stand up too well in a comparison with YouView.

EE TV Freeview PVR

Box clever: EE TV has some great features for Freeview fans but really needs to offer more OTT services

In fact, had EE decided to go down this road a year or more ago, it would likely have ended up part of the YouView consortium, with all the players on board. And had it waited a little longer, it would probably have the new Freeview connected spec, again with integrated catch up. In that sense, it's come at almost exactly the wrong time.

The Reg Verdict

None of that is to say this is a bad box. Indeed, compared with earlier generations of Freeview recorders, any of the current crop is a great step forward. The fact that you get it free, albeit as part of an EE broadband contract, is not to be sniffed at either. For a busy household, being able to watch recorded shows via the home network could be a great extra too.

The question is, will Replay and network playback be enough of a draw for people, when comparable deals with a YouView box are only a couple of quid more? ®

EE TV Freeview PVR

Four tuner frenzy: The all-you-can-EEat TV Freeview PVR

A well put together Freeview HD recorder, given away with EE Broadband to mobile customers. It's easy to use, with some neat features like network playback
Price: Free with EE Broadband contracts (min £9.99 plus line rental £15.75, min per month, term 18 months) to EE/T-Mobile/Orange consumer mobile customers RRP

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