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Smithsonian Channel

Smithsonian Channel's award-winning factual programmes shine new light on popular genres including science, history, nature and pop culture.

Main TV standard-definiton channels

How to Watch: Smithsonian Channel


Below is a list of all the television and radio channels that you can watch in the UK using one of the free services: DAB (for radio), Freeview, Sky No Card - Sky without a viewing card (Freesat from Sky (or fSfS)) and Freesat.. Where a channel can be watched for free, the channel number is listed below. In addition, if you can watch (or listen) immediately online, press the button in the "web" column.

As some channels are exclusive to one service alone, you may need to get receive more than one service to get all the channels you want. The coverage for Freeview differs too - those channels not provided by the public service "Freeview Light" transmitters the current coverage shown thus (54%), taken from Connected Nations Report 2017: Data analysis'

Key: wb_sunny daytime; watch_later nighttime; account_box funded from the TV License; flags show Freeview channel limits.
Choose from four options: ■ Show everything ■ Just on Freeview ■ Just on Freesat ■ Just on Sky
Main TV standard-definiton channels
Channel name arrow_drop_down web radio Freeview Sky Freesat
Smithsonian Channel     171  

Regional content: National channel with no regional content or variations.

Official site: See the www.smithsonianchannel.com link icon Smithsonian Channel website.

Comments
Tuesday, 12 July 2022
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:11 PM

Janet Harrison : Smithsonian are a commercial broadcaster who don't receive anything from the TV Licence and are only required to comply with a minimum set of requirements. Try contacting them to ask why they don't provide subtitles and if/when they plan to introduce them. If you get a reply please post it here for others to see.

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StevensOnln1's 3,604 posts GB flag
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:17 PM

Janet Harrison :

The licence fee is not a subscription to any TV service. What independent broadcasters do is down to their own policies and finance. You would need to contact the Smithsonian channel to ask if they can provide sub-titles. This isn't their website and they are highly unlikely to see your comment here.

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Chris.SE's 4,093 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 27 December 2022
A
anthony shortt
2:54 PM

my partner and me love to see the documentaries on tv but find the music totally obscures the commentry is there any way that this can be remedied ?. at times it is intolerable and we quite frankly have to turn off, are we the only viewers complaining about this distraction.

Regards Tony Shortt Susan Marshall isle of portland uk

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anthony shortt's 1 post GB flag
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

5:21 PM

anthony shortt: This isn't Smithsonian Channel's website so it' unlikely that anyone from the channel will see your comment here. In case you aren't already aware, Smithsonian Channel is closing on Freeview, satellite and cable next week, although programmes will still be available via the My5 catchup service.

link to this comment
StevensOnln1's 3,604 posts GB flag
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

6:46 PM

anthony shortt:

The Smithsonian channel is part of Paramount, which in turn is owned by Viacom CBS who own Channel5.

There seems to be a limited number of shows on My5, whether more will be added when they stop broadcasting on Freeview, they don't have an App of Freeview Play (yet?).

For others you might find you need
Paramount+ United Kingdom Paramount+ United Kingdom - Watch TV Shows, Movies, Originals and More

As for the sound, as most programmes are already recorded there's not a lot you can do, except PERHAPS depending on the sound encoding, if you have a 5.1 surround system you MIGHT be able to enhance the centre channel which normally has the speech.
Other than that try contacting Smithsonian about subtitles Smithsonian Channel: It's Brighter Here

I'm afraid the problem with music drowning out speech/commentary is prevalent these days, reports/complaints often appearing in the MSM. I believe it's the way so-called sound "engineers" and producers are trained these days. They just sit there looking at their LED PPMs instead of listening to the overall sound output, or even "off-air" with live shows. They just don't seem to have a clue.

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Chris.SE's 4,093 posts GB flag
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