Tiscali TV Explored – TV over your Phone Line

This page offers some details on Tiscali’s digital TV service, the service that adds extra TV channels via the Internet.

 

Tiscali Acquired by Carphone Warehouse Internet and TV provider Tiscali was acquired by Carphone Warehouse in 2009 The Tiscali TV service will apparently continue going forward, but it’s unclear what Carphone Warehouse has in store for this digital TV service, and whether it plans to continue rolling the service out to other towns in the future. More on TalkTalk TV? See our TalkTalk TV page or go to talktalk.co.uk/tv Looking for an alternative? Consider BT Vision (offering on demand content over a phone line, as with Tiscali TV) – otherwise, see our Digital TV Comparison table for options.

 

What is Tiscali TV?

Tiscali TV is now known as TalkTalk TV, following a re-brand in 2010 by new owners, Carphone Warehouse. Originally, the service was known as HomeChoice (until March 2007).

Tiscali TV operated a home digital TV service that delivered over 70 digital TV channels, plus TV shows and movies on demand, via your home phone line.

Rather than having to pay for digital TV, broadband and your phone company – you could get all of these services for a single low monthly fee.

Tiscali TV, now TalkTalk TV, is not available across the whole UK. It’s mainly available in London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester, Wolverhampton, Salford, Stevenage, Milton Keynes and Warrington

When customers sign to this service, they’re supplied with a special decoder box with connect to your phone line and TV. Once connected, you then have access to digital TV, plus their other services.

 

What did Tiscali TV offer?

• Over 70 channels of digital TV
• Over 1500 movies available on demand – you decide when you watch
• On-demand TV that you can pause, rewind & fast forward
• “Replay” – Access to recently-broadcast shows for a seven day period
• Over 5000 music videos available
• 20 digital radio channels
• Broadband for your PC (up to 8Meg)
• A telephone service with free calls to UK landlines

 

Tiscali TV Channels

Before the acquisition, Tiscali TV offered over 70 channels of digital TV, over 1500 on-demand movies, over 5000 music videos, hundreds of TV series, and a TV rewind service.

Digital TV channels offered on Tiscali TV included: Sky One, Sky Two, Pick TV, Comedy Central, GOLD, SyFy, BBC Three, E4, More4, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Film4, ESPN, Discovery, National Geographic, Chelsea TV, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Cbeebies, Sky Sports, Sky Movies, and more.

Customers of Tiscali TV could also get up to 8Mb broadband and free phone calls to UK landlines.

The Tiscali TV on-screen programme guide

How do I get Tiscali TV?

Tiscali TV is now TalkTalk TV – Go to talktalk.co.uk/tv to see if you’re in their TV and Broadband coverage area.

 

Tiscali TV+ PVR

Tiscali TV launched a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) a few years back. The Tiscali TV PVR can hold 50 hours of TV. It has the ability to record up to three things at once – a digital stream of TV-over-Internet, as well as two Freeview channels (if you connect the box to a TV aerial). Record TV-over-Internet onto the PVR and play back on your telly.

The PVR is available now as the TalkTalk TV+ box.

The Tiscali TV+ Hard Disk Recorder Box

Alternatives to Tiscali TV?

Tiscali TV does not cover all parts of the UK. If you’re looking for an Internet-based service that’s available to a larger part of the UK – Take a look at BT Vision or Virgin Media.

For the widest choice of digital TV, check out Sky Digital – who are also offering free broadband.

 

Useful links:

• Channel comparison – See which TV service carries your favourite channel
• Internet TV – More on IPTV in the UK
• UK Digital TV – More on digital TV in the UK
• Freeview – Information on free-to-view channels via your TV aerial
• BT Vision – On-demand TV over Broadband without subscription
• Sky Digital. – The largest digital channel lineup
• Discuss digital TV in our TV forum