Digital TV - Surviving the Digital Switchover
It won't be long before the UK switches off its analogue TV signal, and we'll all be watching digital TV. Here's what you need to know about receiving digital TV, and how to cope without analogue.
Why are we switching to digital TV?
Because digital TV signals are encoded differently from analogue, picture quality should be better, and more channels can be broadcast. Lots of people are already watching digital TV for these reasons.
However, reception is very poor in some areas, and some people can receive more channels than others. The idea of switching off the analogue signal is that digital reception will be greatly improved, and everyone will be able to receive more channels.
What do I get with digital TV?
At a minimum, you will receive the 5 terrestrial channels, plus free digital channels including E4, BBC3 and ITV2. You should also get some digital radio stations on your TV, and the BBC interactive channels, which allow you to choose an alternative to the main broadcast. For example, during Wimbledon you will have several matches to choose from.
If you are prepared to pay a monthly subscription, there are many more channels available in various packages.
How do I get digital TV?
The main options for receiving digital TV are through your normal aerial, through cable or through satellite.
The cheapest option is to receive terrestrial digital TV through your aerial. Some newer TVs contain a digital tuner, and will already be able to receive a selection of channels (known as Freeview). However, you don't need a new TV - you can buy a set-top box (digibox) and attach it to your analogue TV to receive Freeview. These typically cost around £40.
Most aerials will work fine for digital - but there is a small chance yours might need replacing. Set-top aerials, which can be bought quite cheaply, often work very well with digital TV.
Choosing Freeview means a one-off payment for a set-top box, and after that there is no subscription fee. If you subscribe to Top Up TV, you can receive more channels using the same equipment.
If cable is available in your area you can pay a monthly subscription for a digital channel package with Virgin Media. The company will provide you with a set top box when you sign up, which connects to their cable network, and you may have to pay an installation fee. You should be able to get a better deal if you combine TV with a phone line and broadband internet.
If you want to receive digital TV through a satellite dish, you will need to get a minidish and set top box, probably from Sky. An engineer will come and install these for you. If you don't want to subscribe to Sky TV you can pay a one-off fee of £150 for this, and receive lots of free satellite channels. However, to get channels like Sky One and Sky Sports you will have to pay a monthly subscription.
Will there be any problems when they switch off the analogue signal?
In October 2007, the Cumbrian town of Whitehaven will be the first to lose their analogue signal. This is a trial switch-off to see how everyone copes. From 2008, this will be extended to the rest of the country, region by region. This will happen pretty slowly though. For example, Manchester and Liverpool are scheduled for 2009, Scotland for 2010, and London for 2012.
An organisation called Digital UK, funded by the TV license fee, are in charge of ironing out any problems. Their Help Scheme will provide practical assistance to over 75s, disabled and blind or partially sighted people. People in this group with a low income should receive a free set-top box, but there are no other plans to provide subsidised equipment.
Around 80% of the UK currently use digital on at least one TV set in their home. However, most ‘secondary' TVs still receive analogue. These will all need to be converted before the switch-off, by buying an extra Freeview box, or purchasing equipment from your digital provider that allows you to ‘share' the TV signal.
Will I still be able to use my video recorder after the switch-off?
Most video recorders contain an analogue tuner. This means, when analogue is turned off, you won't be able to watch one channel and record another - you will only be able to record the digital channel you are already watching.
There are a few options if you want to record from a different channel. You can keep your existing analogue VCR and buy an extra set-top box to plug into it. Alternatively you can buy a new DVD recorder, with an inbuilt digital tuner.
However, the future of recording digital TV probably lies with hard disk recorders, often known as PVRs (personal video recorders) or DVRs (digital video recorders). These contain a digital tuner, and are now often integrated into set top boxes.
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