Box of Broadcasts (BoB)

We subscribe to Box of Broadcasts (BoB), Learning on Screen's on demand TV and radio service for education.

Staff and students can record programmes from over 65 free-to-air channels, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Film4, Channel 5, CNN and Sky News, as well as having access to an extensive archive.

Access Box of Broadcasts

BoB works anywhere in the UK,and full programmes, films or clips can be played in lectures and seminars, embedded in the VLE, or viewed across desktop, iOS and Android devices.

You can also access BoB from the E-resources Guide, your Subject Guide, or directly from the BoB site (you'll need to select your institution first using this method).

Learn about BoB's accessibility information

FAQs

Which channels are covered by BoB?

BoB includes around 65 free-to-air TV and radio channels, including all the mainstream domestic UK broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5) and Sky News, Dave, CNN, and Film4.

You can view a complete and up to date list of the channels covered on Learning on Screen's website:

Box of Broadcasts channel list

As well being able to request programmes from all 65 channels, there is now a permanent archive of content from nine channels: BBC1 London, BBC2, BBC, ITV Londo, Channel 4, More4, Channel 5, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 4 Extra.

How do I find out if the film or programme I need is in BoB?

Once you’ve logged in there's a search button near the top right of the screen.

Type your keywords in here to view results.

It may be worth using the search options drop-down menu to refine your search, for example to exclude your keywords from programme transcripts.

Does BoB work off campus? Can I use it overseas?

Yes, you can use BoB anywhere in the UK.

However, it's not possible to access content in BoB when you're overseas, under the terms and conditions of the Educational Recording Agency licence, and as detailed in the Learning On Screen terms and conditions.

Does BoB work on any device?

You can use BoB on desktop, iOS and Android devices.

How do I record a programme?

To record a programme you must be signed in.

You can then use one of the following methods:

Select a programme from the guide and click request programme
Use the search bar to look for programmes using keywords. Filter the results with the custom date range and again, click request programme to record.

Once recorded, you'll find the programme in My BoB, and you can request up to 10 programmes per day.

I'm an academic; can I embed programmes in the VLE?

Yes. To embed a programme or clip, click the ‘share’ button under the player window, and copy and paste the link marked ‘embed’ into your VLE site. You can also use clips in PowerPoint presentations.

Can I share programmes and playlists with students/peers/colleagues?

Send any member of the University the website address (URL) of any programme and they'll be able to access it via BoB once they log in.

If you have a playlist of programmes or films which you need everyone on a module to watch/listen to, create your playlist within BoB and then share the URL of the list with the relevant people.

You can also create and label clips, and send the URL of these to others to view, allowing you to highlight a particular scene or section of a broadcast for more detailed study.

Does BoB work with all web browsers?

In order to use BoB, you need to have a modern browser installed.

They recommend:

Internet Explorer 10 (or later)
Mozilla Firefox 44 (or later)
Safari 8 (or later)
Google Chrome 46 (or later)

Earlier versions of these browsers may work but are not supported.

Where can I find more information?

Learning on Screen have their own Frequently Asked Questions page:

Learning on Screen FAQs (learningonscreen.ac.uk)