BBC Connected Red Button comes to Samsung and Sony TVs

The BBC has brought its Connected Red Button service to a range of Sony and Samsung smart TVs, with LG tellies to follow soon. The service launched in December 2012, and until now was exclusive to Virgin Media's TiVo service.

Auntie made the announcement on its website. The Connected Red Button service is only in beta on the new smart TVs. Still, it's a start, eh?

The service lets viewers watch BBC TV programmes on-demand, view extra angles and streams from live events like Glastonbury, Wimbledon and Formula One races, as well as check the news and weather headlines.

The Beeb has promised to add more features to the service too, including lottery results, detailed weather forecasts, and improved functionality. It'll come to other smart TV platforms in the future, according to the Beeb.

Wondering if the Connected Red Button service will work on your telly? Check out this list of compatible sets.

Rioux Joubert, the BBC's general manager, products & on demand, said: "Since the launch of the Connected Red Button in 2012, the BBC has brought audiences more of the content they love on their TV -- simply by pressing red.

"We're thrilled to extend this to even more viewers -- and look forward to adding more features and functionality in 2014 -- which promises to be another epic year of live events from the BBC."

Smart TVs haven't really taken off yet in the UK. There have been too many competing operating systems, and the UIs that have launched have been clunky and unresponsive. LG has resurrected webOS -- which formerly powered HP and Palm's mobile devices -- to try and breathe new life into its smart TVs. We'll have to wait and see if it's enough to convince the average punter that they need smart functionality from their gogglebox.

Have you tried the Connected Red Button service? Will smart TVs ever take off? Let me know in the comments, or press the red button and zip over to our Facebook page.