Freely is no longer just reserved for people buying brand new televisions with it built in from the start.
Netgem has launched PLEIO, a compact 4K streaming puck that brings the UK’s broadband-based Freely TV platform to almost any set with an HDMI port.
It means you can stream BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5’s free channels over the internet on an older TV without touching your aerial.
Netgem describes PLEIO as its next-generation IPTV box and service, built to “watch, stream and play” from a single device.
Out of the box, you get access to Freely’s 55 live and on-demand channels over broadband, plus more than 150 extra premium channels if you pay for Netgem’s own subscription. Because it runs Android TV 14, you also get all the usual big-name apps from the Google Play Store, including iPlayer, ITVX, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, NOW, Apple TV and YouTube.
Specs and features
The hardware itself is a small circular puck that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and connects over Wi Fi 6. It supports 4K UHD video with HDR10, Dolby Atmos passthrough, DTS HD and 5.1 surround sound, and comes with an HDMI 2.1 output, USB 2.0 and a voice-enabled remote.
There is also a bundled Bluetooth gamepad as Netgem includes a cloud gaming service with 250-plus titles as part of its PLEIO subscription. The one notable omission is an Ethernet port or aerial input, so you are relying entirely on a solid broadband connection for both TV and gaming.
Netgem is pitching PLEIO both as a retail product and as part of ISP bundles. On its own, the puck costs £99 and includes the device, voice remote, gamepad and a three-month trial of the PLEIO subscription that unlocks the cloud games and extra channels.
After that trial, keeping the gaming and premium channels costs £9.99 per month, while Freely itself stays completely free to use.
If you get PLEIO through a participating broadband provider like WightFibre, Connect Fibre or Brsk, the pricing looks different. In those bundles, customers typically pay £9.99 for the hardware and ongoing PLEIO subscription together, with more ISPs expected to join in.
For anyone with decent Wi Fi who wants free and modern streaming apps on an older TV without replacing the whole set, this little puck is one of the first true plug-in options.
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