ITVX (formerly ITV Hub) is an online video-on-demand service operated by ITV. The service offers predominantly features content from ITV1, as well as ITV Digital channels and some licensed content. The service was known as ITV Player from its inception until 2015. On 23 November 2015, ITV gave the app (ITV Player) and the website (ITV.com) a revamp, it was renamed ITV Hub. As of August 2021, the service has at least 30 million registered users.
ITVX was rolled out on 17 November 2022, and it officially launched on 8 December. ITVX has substantially more exclusive programming than ITV Hub, positioning ITV’s digital offering more in line with its competitors – the BBC and Channel Four Television Corporation. ITVX includes access to BritBox and a selection of FAST channels, which sees programmes such as The Chase and Hell’s Kitchen have their own virtual linear channels.
ITVX Premium
With an ITVX Premium subscription, you can watch most shows and movies on ITVX on demand without the adverts.
Here’s what’s included with an ITVX Premium subscription:
– 100s more films and shows only on ITVX Premium
– The entire BritBox catalogue
– Iconic films and series from StudioCanal Presents
– Stream ad-free*
– Download on the go
* Ad-free applies to ITVs on-demand library only and programmes may contain ITV promotions where contractually required. Live TV plays with ads.
ITVX Premium costs £5.99 a month or £59.99 for a year.
For more information & programmes, see: www.itv.com
ITVX Video & Audio Specifications
ITX uses the ContentWise UX Engine, which is designed to analyse viewer behaviour and delivers relevant content recommendations.
Resolution:
ITVX streams content up to HD (1080p) resolution for standard users. 4K UHD resolution is available for premium subscribers (ITVX Premium) on select content.
Frame Rate: Typically 30fps, though it may vary depending on the content and device.
HDR Support: Not all content supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), but it is available for select titles in 4K UHD on compatible devices.
Audio Quality
Stereo Sound: Most content is available in stereo sound.
Surround Sound (5.1): Available for some movies and series, especially for premium subscribers on compatible devices.
Devices and Platforms Supported
Smart TVs:
Supports most major smart TV platforms, including Samsung, LG, Sony, and others.
Streaming Devices:
Works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast.
Mobile Devices:
Available on Android (via Google Play Store) and iOS (via Apple App Store).
Games Consoles:
PlayStation and Xbox have dedicated ITVX apps.
Web Browsers:
Supported on modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
Set-top Boxes: Supports Sky Q, Virgin Media, and others.
Download and Offline Viewing
Premium Subscribers can download content on mobile devices for offline viewing.
Streaming Technology
Adaptive Bitrate Streaming: ITVX adjusts the quality of the stream automatically based on the user’s internet speed to ensure the best experience without buffering.
Minimum Bandwidth Requirements:
Standard Definition (SD): 1.5 Mbps
High Definition (HD): 5 Mbps
Ultra HD (4K): 25 Mbps recommended for smooth playback
Subscription Options
Free Version: ITVX offers a free tier supported by ads with HD streaming.
ITVX Premium: Offers an ad-free experience, access to exclusive content, and higher quality streaming (4K UHD where available).
DRM (Digital Rights Management)
ITVX uses DRM to protect its content. The specifics may vary across devices and platforms but generally include Microsoft PlayReady, Google Widevine, and Apple FairPlay for DRM encryption.
Live TV Streams on ITVX
Users can stream live channels directly through ITVX, including ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, ITVBe, ITVX Kids, along with a number of themed channels.
These are some of the core technical specifications of ITVX. Depending on device compatibility and internet bandwidth, users will experience varying levels of quality.
Live streaming on ITVX generally comes with a delay of 30 to 60 seconds behind the actual broadcast due to buffering and adaptive streaming technology.
Video Quality and Resolution:
HD (High Definition): ITVX supports live streaming in up to 1080p HD, but the actual quality might depend on the device and the viewer’s internet connection.
Bitrate: Adaptive bitrate streaming is used, where the bitrate adjusts depending on the network conditions. Typically, it ranges from 500 Kbps to 5 Mbps.
Aspect Ratio: The standard aspect ratio is 16:9 for most content.
Audio Specifications:
Audio Format: Stereo audio, typically encoded in AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) at around 128 kbps or higher.
Surround Sound: For certain programmes, 5.1 surround sound may be available, especially in HD.
Bandwidth Requirements:
Minimum Speed: A stable internet connection of at least 1.5 Mbps is generally required for standard definition (SD) streaming.
HD Streaming: For HD streams, a minimum speed of 5 Mbps is recommended.
Supported Devices:
Smart TVs: ITVX is compatible with a variety of smart TVs including Samsung, LG, Sony, and others running Android TV or Tizen OS.
Mobile Devices: Available on iOS and Android devices through the ITVX app. Ensure your mobile device is running a recent version of the OS for the best experience.
Web Browsers: ITVX supports modern web browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.
Set-Top Boxes and Consoles: The service is also available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Now TV, and PlayStation.
Video Format:
Encoding: The video is encoded in H.264 for most live streams.
Container: The streams are usually delivered in the HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) format.
DRM (Digital Rights Management):
ITVX uses DRM technology to protect its content. This typically includes Widevine DRM on Android and FairPlay DRM on Apple devices.
Subtitles
Subtitles work on every platform and device – from the mobile apps, through the main web browsers to all connected TVs and plug-in devices – for over 90% of programmes.
You switch subtitles on and off by clicking on the S or speech bubble button within the video player window (after any adverts have finished).
Note for Roku sticks and Now TV boxes: subtitles are controlled from within the device’s own settings, not in the ITVX app.
Audio Description (AD)
Audio description works on our mobile apps, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Samsung TVs, Virgin Media, Chromecast (iOS only) and Sky Glass. We are still working on browsers and the remaining connected TV platforms. We hope to have AD available on these in the first half of 2023. Audio description is available for around 20% of programmes on the platform at launch.
You switch AD on and off by clicking on the AD button within the video player window (after any adverts have finished).
Parental Guidance
Please note that profiles are currently supported on selected devices only.
When you launch ITVX for the first time, you will be invited to set up a kids profile and Parental Controls. To do this, just select the “Create profile” button on the first screen and follow the instructions.
Alternatively, you can set up Parental Controls on your profile at any time as follows:
Use the sidebar to select the profile icon.
On the Who’s watching screen, click on the “Edit profiles” button.
Choose your main profile.
Switch Parental Controls to ON.
You’ll be asked to create a PIN. Your PIN will then be required to access your main profile and all G rated content.
Important to note:
If you previously had a Parental Controls PIN to protect access to restricted (or Guidance rated) content, this PIN will no longer work on devices which support profiles. However, it will still work on devices that don’t support profiles.
The PIN you set up on any device that supports profiles will work on all devices that support profiles.