If you currently receive just the five traditional UK channels, BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Five on any of your TV sets, you’ll need to think about your options for upgrading to digital TV. Every TV set you want to keep watching in your home will need to be converted or upgraded to digital. Most area's in the UK will receive the Freeview & Freeview + signal, however it's best to double check. You can check:Freeview coverage here. To check out the Freeview TV guide Click Here. |
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How do I get set for digital? |
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First you need to choose how you want to receive your TV signal; |
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► | Through an aerial (Digital box or Digital TV) |
| ► | Through a sateillte dish (FreeSat box or FreeSat TV) |
| ► | Through a cable |
| ► | Through a telephone line |
| ► | Through an aerial and phone line |
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When will this operation take place? |
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The process of digital switchover will take place between 2008 and 2012, TV region by TV region.
Switchover is a complicated process, and needs to be done in stages so that everyone in the country will be ready for it.
The best way to keep track of which TV region you are in is by seeing which ITV news service you receive or by visiting Teletext page 106. |
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How do I know what to buy? |
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You do not need to replace your existing TV unless you want to but you will need a digital box (via aerial, satellite dish or cable). |
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However if you are thinking of upgrading your current set consider getting a TV with a digital box built in (a "digital TV, FreeSat TV") and look for the "digital tick" logo, these are designed to work through the switchover. |
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What Cables will I need? |
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| ► | Scart Cables |
| Scart cables will connect your digital/FreeSat box, SKY+ box to a HD Ready TV. |
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| ► | Fibre Optical Cables (Toslink to Toslink) |
| Can connect your Virgin Media box, Digital/FreeSat box to an amplifer for unparelled sound quaility. |
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| ► | S Video Cables |
| S Video connection for a high quality video connection, for use with SKY+ box, Digital/FreeSat box to connect to HD Ready TV. |
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| ► | Audio interconnects Cables (2 RCA to 2RCA) |
| An important addition for intergrating your SKY+ box, Virgin Media box, Digital/FreeSat box into your home audio system. |
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| ► | HDMI Cables |
| HDMI cables will connect your Digital/FreeSat box, Virgin Media box, SKY+ box to your HD Ready TV. |
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What are the benefits of digital TV? |
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Compared to traditional TV, it brings many new ways and channels to enjoy your TV to the maximum. |
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| ► | Extra TV channels as standard |
| You’ll receive all your usual five traditional TV channels and many Including, ITV2, ITV3, E4, FILM4, DAVE, YESTERDAY etc. (depends on coverage and also on your chosen method of going digital) |
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| ► | Subscription channels |
| If you choose to take out a subscription, for example Setanta sports channel for amazing sporting action. This again is only available to Digital TV. (Channel availability depends on your chosen method of going digital) |
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| ► | Improved quality |
| Digital TV will improve the quality of your TV picture. |
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| ► | New features |
| Including on-screen TV listings, true widescreen picture and red-button interactivity. |
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| ► | Access services |
| Some digital boxes will offer special features for people with visual and hearing impairments such as audio description and subtitling. |
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How does it work? |
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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. |
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Audio Interconnects
