BT Vision boxes started appearing in 2006, but in 2012, BT announced “YouView from BT”… So just what is the difference between “BT Vision” and “YouView from BT“?
BT Vision?
The service launched in December 2006, allowing BT Broadcast customers to get its TV service using a special BT Vision set-top box. The box is capable of getting Freeview, plus extra content over a Broadband connection. It also has catch-up TV, and access to Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 and ESPN for the Premier League football.
The second-generation BT Vision box
YouView from BT?
This service launched in October 2012. YouView is a joint venture between a number of partners in the UK. BT as one of the partners, has been heavily involved in the project, and is now making set-top boxes available to its broadband customers.
YouView offers Freeview (including Freeview HD), catch-up TV, the Scrollback programme guide (that lets you watch recent shows), plus access to a growing amount of on-demand content from providers such as Sky.
BT Vision forms a part of the YouView offering – The BT Vision content is available from the On Demand section of a BT YouView box
BT Vision / YouView Comparison
Here’s a handy table highlighting the differences:
| BT Vision | YouView from BT | ||
| Cost | £4 a month on top of BT Broadband and line rental |
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| Channels | Standard definition Freeview channels, plus optional Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 and ESPN | All Freeview channels including the HD channels | |
| Catch-up TV | BBC iPlayer, plus a selection of content from ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5 | Full BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5 | |
| On-demand content | BT’s “Vision” library of over 600 films and 5,500 TV shows | BT’s “Vision” library of over 600 films and 5,500 TV shows, plus Now TV (Movies), Milkshake (Kids), and more to launch soon. | |
| Freeview HD | NOT available on the BT Vision box | Available on YouView from BT | |
| Sport | Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2, ESPN and library of on-demand Sport | Library of on-demand sports content. Sky Sports and ESPN not yet available | |
| Set-top box | 500GB Drive. Records 250 hours. Doesn’t support Freeview HD | Humax box with 500GB Drive. Records 300 hours of SD, or 125 hours of Freeview HD | |
| Connectivity | Ethernet cable to BT Broadband | ||
| Availability | UK-Wide. Needs 2.2 Mbps or over | ||
| More Details: BT Vision | More Details: YouView from BT | ||
Hopefully that helps!
| To get YouView with BT, go here: youview.bt.com |
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