Tech Talk: Time to play catch-up

In an age where we can call up programmes on hand-held devices, the days of gathering round to watch Morecambe and Wise seem almost other-worldly. But personal catch-up services like the BBC iPlayer and its ITV and Channel 4 equivalents can still be a shared experience, if you have the right equipment.

We still tend to think of the iPlayer as something to be watched while hunched over a computer, but one of the BBC’s quiet successes of late has been to integrate it with almost every electronic device Currys can sell. In particular, if you have a modern games console such as a Wii, PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 hooked up to your TV, you can use it as a TV player. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox, was the last to fall into line: owners can now sign up for a free Xbox Live account and then download the iPlayer from within the video section of the App Marketplace.

Virtually any other internet-enabled device that can connect to your telly is also suitable. The free satellite service Freesat was the first to offer the iPlayer two years ago on its high-definition boxes, and now Sky, Virgin Media and BT Vision have followed suit. The ITV Player and Channel Four’s 4OD service are also generally available on these – and most Smart TVs offer all of these and more besides.

But the family TV isn’t the only viewing option; the thousands who receive iPads and Google Nexus tablets in their stockings this week will all be able to download apps which turn them into personal TV sets.Phones, too, are compatible, and despite their size offer a surprisingly comfortable viewing experience. All you need is the free iPlayer app.

It’s worth exploring these stores as well for TV services from further afield. Apps like Watch TV (for Android devices) serve as a directory of TV channels from across the world that stream their programmes on to the web, while YouTube is another good source.

All of which makes the old “EastEnders or Coronation Street?” debate on Christmas night redundant... you can watch them both at the same time, in your own personal TV bubbles.