But, you can only pause and rewind live TV if you have a set-top box. Once you’ve connected them to an aerial or satellite dish, all of today’s TVs pick up one or both of the UK’s free-to-air digital TV services (Freeview and Freesat). Here’s our pick of the best TV set-top boxes for your TV in 2022:
That’s helpful if you’re a Wimbledon fan but the kids want to watch something else. Good quality TV set-top boxes give you access to a wide range of free-to-air digital channels – or to subscription channels through Sky or Virgin – and will let you record them to catch up later. We think you can’t beat the convenience of pausing, rewinding and recording your favourite live TV, and you’ll need one of the best set-top boxes to store those programmes. A recent survey found that 90% of Brits want to see continued support for Freeview and broadcast radio.Īnd for those of us who prefer recordings to catch up, don’t want to pay for Sky channels, or just want to cut back on subscription direct debits amid the cost of living crisis, free-to-air digital channels on Freeview or Freesat are essential. Viewing habits may be shifting towards internet content, but we think you’ll agree that public service broadcasters are important for society. There may be a lot to watch on streaming services in 2022, whether that’s The Crown, Bridgerton or the latest Disney film, but Brits still value broadcast TV with 85% of us watching terrestrial telly each week.