RTÉ Radio 1 is the most listened to radio station in Ireland. Since 2004 it has been possible to hear the station on 252 kHz longwave following the closure of Atlantic 252.
It is not possible to receive longwave radio stations, such as RTÉ Radio 1, on Smart TVs or Freeview televisions.
However, you may be able to use an app on your smart TV to listen to Radio 1 and many other Irish radio stations.
First your television will need to be connected to the internet. Many TVs have wireless (Wi-Fi) built-in or have an ethernet network port on the rear of the television. The instruction manual will have more information about connecting the TV to the internet.
The smart TV will also need to have a radio app installed, or the ability to install one from an app store. As the features in smart TVs vary depending on the make and model over different years it’s difficult to give a definitive answer for all smart TVs. Speaking broadly about smart TVs on sale today:
- Samsung televisions can use the TuneIn app, in Music Apps, to access thousands of radio stations
- Panasonic Viera televisions also have access to TuneIn
- Sony, LG and other TVs have app stores where radio apps may be available
If your smart TV doesn’t have access to a radio app, but you would still like to use your Freeview television to access one, a device like the Roku stick for £29 can access radio stations – again with the TuneIn app. The Roku stick doesn’t need a subscription, comes with a remote control and connects to a HDMI port on your television. It does need access to Wi-Fi to work and access the internet.
Receiving RTÉ Radio 1 on digital television
RTÉ Radio 1 can be received in the UK on several digital television platforms. Unfortunately it is not available on Freeview.
- Sky channel 0160
- Virgin Media channel 917
- Freesat channel 750
RTÉ radio channels (Radio 1, 2fm, Lyric fm and RTÉ R na G) are available free on satellite and don’t require a subscription.
Internet radios
Finally you could consider an internet radio to receive RTÉ radio stations. These do cost more than DAB digital radios. The Roberts Stream93i and Pure Evoke F4 models are popular.
These internet streams can also be listened to online on a PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet using the RTE website and their official apps. There’s more information on RTE’s website.