Sony Bravia LCD & pay per view

[stevie m]

I recently bought a Sony Bravia LCD t.v and would like to know how you get top up tv on the built in freeview. The Manual states that you can access a pay per view service once you obtain a Conditional Access Module (CAM) and a view card. What is a CAM and where do you get them? Cheers

[Buenchico]

I have to start this post with the words "I stand to be corrected . . ." but I don't think that you can use the facility, referred to in your TV's manual, to get TopUp TV.

When the original version of TopUp TV was launched (before many TV sets had built-in Freeview), you could (theoretically) get the service through one of two methods. Either you had to get a special Freeview box, with a slot for a TopUpTV card, or you could get a normal Freeview box and add on a CAM, into which you could insert a TopUp TV card. (In practice, very few 'ordinary' Freeview boxes were equipped to accept a CAM, so you had to buy a box with a slot for a TopUp TV card). If that service was still available to new customers, you would be able to add a CAM to your built-in Freeview receiver and then be able to subscribe to TopUp TV.

The problem is that you can no longer subscribe to the original TopUp TV service. (Existing customers can continue to access channels such as UKTV Gold, by going to Channel 17 on their Freeview menu, but these channels are no longer available to new subscribers. The service is being gradually phased out. At any one time, customers using this older version of TopUp Tv can only access a maximum of 3 extra channels, on top of the normal Freview ones) .

Subscribers to the new TopUp Tv service can't get it through a Freeview box (or through a TV with a built-in Freeview receiver) even with the addition of a CAM. The new service is a 'video on demand' service which allows you to view your chosen programme, from the daily selection, starting at any time. To receive this service you have to buy a completely different box, which costs �139.99, plus �9.99 per month for the subscription.

So, although your TV is equipped to provide a service, no such service is currently available. If you want TopUp TV, you'll have to fork out about �140 for their own box.
01:59 Sat 31st Mar 2007