What is the digital TV switchover?

[NewsreadeR]

Starting soon and ending in 2012, TV services in the UK will go completely digital, TV region by TV region. This process is called digital switchover.

After switchover, all television in the UK will be digital. The UK’s old television broadcast signal (known as “analogue”) is being switched off and replaced with a “digital” signal. Any TV set or video recorder that’s not converted to digital when the switchover takes place will no longer receive TV programmes.
What are the benefits of digital TV?

Compared to traditional TV, it brings many new ways to enjoy your TV:

* Extra TV channels as standard
* Subscription channels
* Improved quality
* New features
* Access services

How does it work?

With digital TV, sound and pictures from the broadcaster are converted into ‘bits’ of information and sent through an aerial, satellite, telephone line or cable. This digital signal is then turned back into pictures and sound by a digital box or a digital TV set.

What equipment will I need to get digital television?

You do not need to replace your existing television sets to receive digital services. You will need to get some additional equipment that will connect to your existing television.

* Digital Terrestrial TV: viewers will need a digital set top box or a new television with built in digital adapter (known as an integrated digital TV, or IDTV). Some viewers may also need to replace their aerial.
* Digital Satellite TV: viewers will need a satellite receiver and dish, provided by the satellite broadcaster.
* Digital Cable TV: a connection to a cable system and indoor decoder box is provided by the cable company.

[murdock]

If you do not want to pay a subscription and do
not want to sell your soul to Rupert the (picnic) bear,
check out the Freesat sub forum on this site
especially this
BBC/ITV Freesat

BBC and ITV must launch a Freesat service as 25% of the country
cannot get Freeview. Both are digital services.


.
My Max. Faster, Cheaper, Better

[penrhyn]

It doesn't appear that much thought has been given to the elderly as the switch-over looms.

Remote controls seem to be getting more complex, and smaller which are just not suitable for those with limited dexterity.
My elderly mum just wants to be able to turn on the TV and select channels simply without going through a menu system.
Maybe a huge remote with 20 odd individual programme buttons.

[Undecided Adrian]

We live in Stevenage and when the town was being built in the 1950's it was decided that there would be no roof arials and there would be a communal arial delivered by cable TV and so no TV transmitters were built to cover the town.

When NTL took over the local cable TV company the 1st thing to happen was that the communal arial was turned off so the town's terrestial TV signal was wiped out. So now we have no Freeview signal and a choice of Sky or Virgin for our TV and no plans to launch freeview over here, not bad for a town of 70,000+ people and expansion will take it over 100,000.

Both Sky and Virgin must be rubbing their hands with that 25% of the country that can't get freeview.

[Alan b]

But surely before the annologue switch off somebody must provide a freeview service ??

[mikey4020]

The Freesat service by Sky or the ITV/BBC one would surely fit the needs of this town. Freesat by Sky can't cost that much more than a digital aerial install!

[fihart]

This whole area of sat dishes and roof aerials is an odd one. Given the Stevenage example (and really how offensive are TV aerials?) it's hard to believe that recent legislation has actually eased the restriction on the number of dishes per building. As Sky gained in popularity dishes sprouted but fortunately most are now mini-dish which it is hard to take exception to.

However, I live in an area of homes in multiple occupation with a wide mix of ethnic groups, many of whom seem to prefer to watch programs from their own country. So in addition to the Sky mini dishes you see property after property festooned with full sized ones. Not to mention the mobile phone masts now on so many taller buildings

One dish erected recently partially blocks the view from my window and twice now I've caught erectors trying to put neighbour's dishes on our building. They feigned innocent surprised when I pointed out that they were committing trespass and criminal damage.

It's clear to me that to stop our urban areas becoming the the mess they are in countries where power and phone lines are still above ground, satellite's days are numbered and, in cities at least, cable/internet will be the way to go.

[mikey4020]

I agree a mini dish is fairly unobtrusive, even the slightly larger size they use up here in Scotland and parts of N. England, and can often (depending on the type of house) be erected in a way that isn't too obtrusive. On the side of a chimney stack or even fairly low down the house for example. These full size dishes though are horrible and ugly and should IMO be subject to planning permission. I don't think cable is the only way to go though, I think in terms of TV satellite has better bandwidth advantages.