[TVC_Daniel]

1. Do I need a TV Licence to watch TVCatchup?

Yes, each household is required to have one if watching TV as it is being broadcast. There can be special dispensations for students, please read this post for further details.

We have no connection with TV licensing, they collect revenue on behalf of the BBC, we do not see a penny of it. We do not retain records that could personally identify users of our service.


2. I cannot view TVCatchup, where can I obtain help?

Please go to this page Playback Problems which should solve any issues you may have. You can seek further advice by sending a PM to any member of staff on the forum. Please be descriptive in your reporting of a problem. Just saying, "I have no stream" is very unhelpful for you and ourselves as we cannot derive anything from this.


3. Is TVCatchup legal?

Yes. TVCatchup is completely legal, and the broadcasters were consulted and themselves participated in a thorough review of the services offered.

We take such matters extremely seriously. The site is represented by leading copyright lawyer Laurence Gilmore of Hamlins LLP in conjunction with Expert Counsel Madeleine Heal under the counsel of the foremost authority in copyright and intellectual property law,the eminent Robert Engleheart QC of Blackstone Chambers.


4. What do I need to watch TVCatchup?

The recommended minimum requirements are:

• Valid TV Licence or student exemption (Buy or renew)
• Normal computer with 1GB or above RAM and Processor
• Internet connection at 1Mb or above
• Adobe Flash Player 10 (Download)
• An operating system that has been updated on a regular basis

5. Why is TVCatchup not a catch up site as the name suggests?

TVCatchup pioneered the Network PVR, a form of digital video recorder like Sky+ that saved files on the user’s own account via their internet connection. This was withdrawn by the site pending a full review of the legal position in February 2008.

Whilst network PVRs are deemed legal in some of the countries in which we plan to be rolling out a service, the issue has not been legally challenged in the UK. Until it has been, it is anticipated that full-blown Sky+ functionality will be offered to all users in the form of a downloadable application.

In the meantime, the ability to "catch up" on television you would otherwise miss when you are out and about on your mobile device suffices to justify the name of this site.


6. But isn't the site name misleading?

No, because catchup is what the site was launched to do, what it did do, what it is intended to do again very soon and describes the fact that you can catch up on TV you would otherwise miss when out and about on your mobile device. Why read about that goal when you get back from the pub, when you can watch it happen on your iPhone?

Misleading is when you misdescribe a name for financial gain, for example, calling yourself the British Broadcasting Corporation, when you spend a huge proportion of licence payer's money on developing non broadcast internet services or failing to provide full digital services to over 10% of the population.

TVCatchup is a recognised and respected brand name, similar to Amazon, or Apple. The former are neither situated on the world's second longest river nor staffed by tribes of spear wielding Scythian warriors, and the latter is hardly renowned as a supplier of fruit.


7. How does TVCatchup work?

In very simple terms, we have multiple TV servers each connected to a channel. Our TV servers publish the stream using the H.264 codec directly to you via our web server and HD FLV flash player. The actual processes are patented and took a great deal of design and development work, this isn't a service you can get out of a box. We do not use P2P, as it would be illegal to redistribute as part of the service, and our entire system is custom designed and built by ourselves.


8. My ISP is not supported, what can I do?

Please contact your ISP direct, as most are happy to add support upon request. More info here


9. Can two members of the same household IP watch different channels at the same time.

Yes. The average household broadband connection should be able to support two simultaneous viewers watching different channels on different PCs. Please ensure that all users in your household register separately.


10. Can I record TV programmes?

At the moment this facility is not available. Currently the site is in beta mode and our developers are working on an application that will be freely distributable at sometime in the future.


11. Can I Pause or Rewind TV?

At the moment this facility is not available but our developers are currently working on a new TV Player that will facilitate this and many more features.


12. Where is Sky One? Sky Sports? Or <insert name here>?

These channels are not free to air and require a monthly paid subscription to receive the channels. TVCatchup is currently focused on the redistribution of free to air channels.


13. Can we have channel whatsitsname?

TVCatchup is working on expanding its channel listings and aims to bring you the most popular free to air channels as requested by our members.


14. As I live in X in Europe, can you add our channels?

Expansion of the TVCatchup service is inevitable and thanks to the EU AudioVisual Media Services Directive, all of the EU should have access to each other's TV by 19th December 2009 at the latest. Any future channels will be added by popular demand.


15. How can I let my friends know about TVCatchup?

Social Networking - Join our Facebook site.
Twitter - Twitter
Media - If you have any contacts, please let them know about us.


16. What bitrate does TVCatchup use?

Typically 640 Kb/s for video with 128 Kb/s MP3 audio (768 Kb/s total). Most 1 Mb/s broadband lines will accommodate this comfortably and allow other functions to operate in the background, including email and Skype.

At around 340MB/hour, if a 1Mb/s ADSL connection isn't coping it is because the ISP is traffic shaping, they are running outrageous contention ratios, you are using a wireless connection or something or someone else is leeching your bandwidth

Mobile streams operate at a reduced bandwidth, and iPhone beta streams use approximately 320Kb/s at the present time. This is subject to change.

17. What are your relationships with third parties? What is your business model/Ad policy?

The site is financed both through nominal pre-roll advertising and through commercial use of the patented technology that we pioneered in the process of developing this service.

The modest advertising carried on this site from time to time is covered within Section 7 of our Terms of Service, which deals with the Member's agreement to the carriage of advertising. We do not insert ads in the middle of programmes as the broadcasters and certain video on demand sites do

The business is a privately owned limited liability company, registered, headquartered and staffed in the UK (London), and, being a privately owned business, is under no obligation to publish either a public prospectus or detailed accounts because we are not publicly seeking investment.

Persons with a legitimate interest in the company are welcome to contact us direct via our published contact address for further information.


Thanks to the moderators for preparing these FAQs and various Members for their inspirational input.