Manhattan TV has launched the Aero 4K TV Streamer – a £69.99 streaming box that brings Freely to any existing television, undercutting the only other standalone Freely device by £50.
The British TV device manufacturer announced the Aero today, with the device powered by TiVo OS, supporting over 60+ live channels, and launching in February 2026 through major retailers including Currys, John Lewis, and Amazon.
The timing is significant – just fourteen months after Manhattan firmly declared they wouldn’t be “jumping on the Freely bandwagon,” they’re doing exactly that with a device positioned to seriously challenge the Netgem Pleio’s early dominance.
For anyone who’s been waiting for an affordable way to get Freely without buying a whole new TV – or who baulked at paying nearly £120 for the alternative – this changes the equation entirely.
Freely’s Standalone Box Market Suddenly Gets Competitive
When Freely launched in April 2024, it was exclusive to brand new smart TVs from manufacturers like Hisense, Bush, Panasonic, and Amazon’s Fire TV sets. If you wanted Freely, you needed to replace your entire television.
That limitation frustrated millions of viewers with perfectly good TVs who were curious about Freely – Everyone TV’s streaming platform designed to eventually replace traditional Freeview and Freesat by delivering live channels and catch-up content entirely through broadband.
The demand is clearly there. Freely is forecast to become the UK’s largest TV device platform within five years, providing the primary platform in 7 million homes by 2030.
Freely
Research from YouGov found that over 70% of Samsung and LG users want Freely on their next TV – but most aren’t ready to replace perfectly functional televisions just to access the platform.
The Netgem Pleio launched in November 2025 as the first standalone solution, selling out within hours at £99. But after a recent price increase to £119.88 and its mandatory gaming bundle, the market was ripe for alternatives.
Humax has confirmed a Freely recorder is under development, with announcements expected “in the next few weeks” – likely a hybrid device combining Freely streaming with traditional aerial-based recording.
Manhattan is now beating Humax to market with a pure streaming solution that costs significantly less than the Pleio.
What Is The Manhattan Aero?
Manhattan TV has been manufacturing Freeview and Freesat devices in Britain for over 30 years. They’re the company behind the popular T4-R Freeview recorder and T4 Freeview Play box – devices known for responsive interfaces, solid build quality, and competitive pricing.
The company has always used their own custom operating system across their entire range, giving them complete control over the user experience and keeping devices affordable through streamlined development.
The Aero marks a significant departure for Manhattan, running someone else’s software.
By licensing TiVo OS, Manhattan gains instant access to a mature streaming platform with built-in support for major services like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and YouTube, alongside Freely’s live TV and catch-up integration.
TiVo achieved Freely certification from Everyone TV just last month, specifically for “puck-style” streaming devices. The timing suggests Manhattan has been working on the Aero for months, waiting for TiVo’s certification to go through before announcing.
What You’re Getting
The Aero delivers 60+ live Freely channels (including BBC, ITV, Channel 4, 5, and dozens more) plus over 75,000 hours of on-demand content from the major broadcasters’ catch-up services (iPlayer, ITVX, etc) – all accessible without an aerial or satellite dish.
On top of Freely, TiVo OS provides access to subscription streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video require separate subscriptions), plus TiVo+ – a free ad-supported service offering 400+ streaming channels and a library of on-demand movies and shows.
The device supports 4K output and includes TiVo Voice for voice-controlled search across live and on-demand content.
Unlike the WiFi-only Pleio, the Aero includes an Ethernet port for wired network connections – addressing one of the common complaints about Netgem’s device.
Setup is straightforward: connect the Aero to your TV via HDMI, plug in power, connect to your broadband (either WiFi or Ethernet), and you’re watching Freely channels within minutes.
Alex Arbab-Zadeh, Manhattan’s COO, frames it simply: “Freely is a brilliant new platform that delivers Great British Telly over broadband with no monthly bills – but there are millions of TVs out there that don’t have it built in. Aero fixes that.”
What’s Missing
There’s no aerial port on the Aero. This is a streaming-only device, delivering everything through your internet connection.
That positioning makes sense when you consider Manhattan’s existing lineup. The T4-R recorder and T4 Freeview Play box already cover traditional aerial-based Freeview with recording and live pause capabilities.
Manhattan T4-R
Adding Freely to those devices would create a complex hybrid – requiring support for both traditional broadcast tuners and streaming infrastructure, managing two separate channel guides, and explaining to customers when they’re watching via aerial versus broadband.
When Manhattan dismissed Freely back in November 2024, their concerns centred on Freely’s limitations compared to Freeview – fewer channels, no recording, limited pause functionality. Those remain valid criticisms.
But rather than compromise their existing Freeview recorders with Freely integration, Manhattan has created a separate streaming-first device for a different use case entirely.
The Aero targets households where aerial reception is poor, second rooms without aerial connections, rental properties where installing aerials isn’t practical, and anyone ready to embrace streaming-first television without the baggage of traditional broadcast infrastructure.
For viewers who want recording, the T4-R remains available. For those happy with streaming and catch-up services, the Aero offers a cheaper, simpler alternative.
The TiVo OS Question
Using TiVo OS instead of Manhattan’s own software is unusual, but it solves one major problem: app availability.
Manhattan’s custom interface works brilliantly for Freeview functions, but it doesn’t run Android apps or have established relationships with major streaming services.
Building those integrations from scratch would take years and significant development resources.
TiVo OS comes with Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube, and hundreds of other apps already working. That’s a big advantage for a device positioning itself as an all-in-one streaming solution.
However, TiVo OS isn’t Fire TV or Roku – you’re not getting access to every streaming app under the sun. The platform supports major services and popular apps, but niche or regional streaming services might be missing.
We’ll need to see the full app list once the device launches to know exactly what’s available beyond the headline services Manhattan has confirmed.
Aero vs Pleio: The Head-To-Head
The most direct comparison is with the Netgem Pleio, currently the only other standalone Freely box available to buy.
The Pleio Freely box
Price: The Aero costs £69.99. The Pleio now costs £119.88 after a recent price increase. That’s a £50 difference – nearly 42% cheaper for Manhattan’s device.
Platform: The Aero runs TiVo OS with full access to major streaming apps. The Pleio runs Android TV 14, but with a locked-down implementation that prevents sideloading and restricts customisation. Both have their advantages – TiVo’s polish versus Android’s broader app compatibility – but neither offers the complete freedom of a standard streaming stick.
Connectivity: The Aero includes both WiFi and Ethernet. The Pleio is WiFi only.
Gaming: The Pleio bundles a wireless gamepad and includes 12 months of cloud gaming access (250+ games) plus 150+ extra FAST channels as part of its subscription price.
The Aero doesn’t focus on gaming, but does support Netflix Games on TV (if you have a Netflix subscription), with a third-party gaming service expected to be supported in the future.
However, there’s no bundled controller, and gaming clearly isn’t the device’s priority.
However, TiVo+ provides 400+ free FAST channels and on-demand content without requiring any subscription beyond the initial purchase.
Positioning: The Pleio markets itself as a multi-purpose entertainment device – Freely plus gaming plus extra channels, with the subscription model treating the hardware as part of a service bundle.
The Aero positions itself as a straightforward Freely box with streaming apps – you buy it once, it’s yours, no subscriptions or ongoing fees (beyond any streaming services you choose to subscribe to separately).
For buyers who want cloud gaming and don’t mind the higher price, the Pleio remains the only option. For everyone else who just wants Freely and major streaming apps without paying extra for features they won’t use, the Aero’s pricing is significantly more attractive.
The Humax Factor
Humax discontinued their Aura Freeview recorder just last week, confirming “exciting new products” with announcements coming “in the next few weeks.”
We know a Humax Freely recorder is under development – tentatively called the “Aura EZ 4K Freely Recorder” in early documentation, though that name may not be final.
Humax FHR-6000T
It appears to be a hybrid device combining Freely streaming with an aerial port for traditional Freeview channels and recording capability (likely only from aerial broadcasts, not streaming).
If Humax launches their device at a similar price point to their previous recorders (£200-300), the Aero immediately looks like excellent value for anyone who doesn’t need recording.
Even if Humax comes in cheaper, Manhattan has claimed the affordable end of the Freely box market with a device that costs less than most streaming sticks whilst delivering a complete Freely experience.
The Humax box will appeal to viewers who value recording and want both Freely and traditional Freeview in one device.
The Aero and Pleio appeal to everyone else – people ready to ditch aerials entirely, households adding Freely to second TVs, and anyone prioritising affordability over recording features they might not use anyway.
Bottom Line
Until just a few months ago, the Freely market was somewhat dormant. If you wanted Freely, you needed to buy a brand new TV – end of discussion.
Now we have two standalone devices available (with at least one more coming soon), channel numbers are expanding rapidly with Warner Bros. Discovery’s entire portfolio joining, and manufacturers are competing on price and features. Freely is heating up.
The lack of recording will bother plenty of viewers – and rightly so. The upcoming Humax box might address that in part, though you’d likely need both broadband and an aerial to make it work.
But like it or not, this is the direction television is heading. Streaming and on-demand are replacing recording, whether we’re ready for it or not.
The Pleio saw big success at launch, selling out repeatedly despite stock issues and later price increases. Now it faces a serious fight, with the Aero coming in at £69.99 versus £119.88. That’s a massive price gap for what appear to be broadly comparable devices.
We’ll reserve final judgement until we can thoroughly review the Aero when it launches in February. But on paper, Manhattan has positioned themselves well – undercutting the competition whilst leveraging their reputation for reliable, well-designed TV devices.
If you’ve been waiting for an affordable way to try Freely without replacing your entire TV, February 2026 is when the wait ends.
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