IP Vision, a recent start-up that offers a fully integrated television entertainment platform, has announced that FetchTV is the first Freeview+ IPTV (Internet TV) service to offer its users access to video-on-demand (VOD) and catch up content ( e.g. BBC iPlayer ) direct to their TV screen with no charges or tied-in subscription model.

The FetchTV SmartBox provides free access to a growing range of web video services, not just iPlayer. Users are able to watch BBC iPlayer catch-up content directly on the TV as well as selected video from Channel 4, Sky Sports News, Discovery Channel and CNN. It can also be connected to any UK broadband ISP.


Users will gain access to over 1500 hours of VOD content direct to their TV screen, including content from Paramount Pictures, National Geographic, Cartoon Network and more. Once consumers have bought their FetchTV Freeview+ accredited SmartBox they pay for films and premium TV content on a pay per view basis.


IP Vision have signed a retail deal with the John Lewis Partnership meaning that the FetchTV SmartBox will be available in John Lewis stores from July 23rd 2009 (or from FetchTV directly). Similar deals with other retailers are expected to follow and the amount of online TV content is expected to increase.

The Set-Top-Box (STB) itself costs £229 and is a fairly plug and play solution, much like a DVD player would be. The box is also Freeview+ accredited, allowing users to pause and rewind live TV and has twin Freeview tuners and a 160GB hard drive. There's also a USB port, which allows programmes to be saved to an external storage device. It can even act as a media centre for displaying your own content.