What is Digital & Why is it happening?
TV in the UK is going digital, and the existing analogue TV signal will be switched off transmitter group by transmitter group between now and 2012. Switchover means that almost everyone will be able to receive digital TV through their aerial giving many people access to a wider choice of channels.
Most households will be able to receive around 40 channels, with other areas receiving around 15 of the most popular channels such as ITV2, E4 and BBC Three, subject to coverage.
Digital TV also uses less broadcast space than analogue, which means that after switchover there will be more room for new services such as wireless broadband, local TV and High Definition Television (HDTV).
To keep your TV service, you will need to convert your TVs to digital before your area’s switchover date.
When your home switches to digital will depend on where you live in the UK. The switchover happens TV region by TV region, transmitter by transmitter and to find out when you switch below:
Switching to digital is as easy as connecting a digital box to your existing TV, but you will need to consider all the TV equipment in your home when preparing for switchover.
Almost any TV can be converted with a digital box, even a black and white one so there is no need to buy a new TV unless you want to.
Video and DVD recorders will continue to playback and record after switchover, however, most won’t be able to record one channel while you are watching another. If you want to continue doing this, the simplest way is to get a digital TV recorder.
A digital TV recorder with a ‘twin tuner’ will also convert your TV to digital. There are a number of ways to get a digital TV signal:-
• through an aerial (e.g. Freeview, Top Up TV, BT Vision)
• through a satellite (e.g. Sky, Free to air, or Freesat from the BBC and ITV)
• through cable (e.g. Virgin Media)
• through a phone line (e.g. Tiscali)
Not all services are available in all areas. For further information, please visit
www.digitaluk.co.uk or call 08456 50 50 50.
If you choose to get digital TV through an aerial, and have reception problems even though you are in a current coverage area, you will need to check if your existing TV aerial and installation are suitable.
Look for the 'digital tick' or the 'Freeview logo'. The digital switchover Certification Mark (the ‘digital tick’) certifes goods and services designed to help you through digital switchover. The Freeview logo certifies that the goods and services are digital enabled . Look for them when getting digital television equipment and related services, they look like this:
The switchover began, about 73% of UK households could get digital TV already. The Government wants everybody to enjoy the benefits of digital TV.
Key to this is to ensure that everyone has a greater choice of digital TV options they can afford. Pre-switchover, only 3 out of 4 UK households could receive the full range of digital TV services available free, through an aerial, and 1 in 5 households could not get channel Five through their aerial.
The number of UK households that can get these services could only be increased through the process of digital switchover. So switchover will make it fairer for everyone. Switching to digital will free up spectrum that could be used for new services such as high definition television (HDTV) and broadcasting to mobile phones. Digital switchover will also help the UK continue as a world leader in broadcasting.
It will ensure that today's ageing terrestrial broadcasting network is replaced by the best available technology, digital.
What Channels will i receive?
Depending on how you choose to get digital TV, and where you live, you will get many extra channels and services as standard at no extra cost, including:
Depending on where you live and how you choose to get digital TV, there are many more TV and radio channels available on subscription offering services such as films, sports, documentaries and much more besides.
To find out about options and available channels in your area, use the postcode checker on the left.