Digital TV has transformed the way that we view television programmes with more choice than ever before via more providers and more choice of delivery method and interactive features. It can be received from a terrestrial broadcast using an aerial or a satellite dish, cable, phone line or the internet. There are also programmes that are available with and without a monthly subscription or contract. The type of programmes that you will receive will depend on how much you are willing to pay and the type of programmes that you want to view. On top of this there are also high definition channels that are free or monthly subscription charges or contracts.
Paid services include Virgin’s Cable service, Sky Digital, Tiscali and BT Vision. Free services are available via Freeview, Freesat by the BBC and ITV, Freesat from Sky and Virgin Media if you use their phone service.
Television programmes via Freeview
Freeview is available in most areas of the country and is received using an aerial and a set top box or a TV with a Freeview tuner built in. In some instances it may be necessary to upgrade your existing aerial. Freeview offers 48 digital TV channels and 24 radio channels. There arent any other payments to be made once you have bought a suitable TV or set top box except for the mandatory TV licence which you have to pay for all options.
Up until recently there have been both the old analogue broadcasts and the new digital broadcasts in many areas of the country. The much advertised Digital Switch Over is currently switching off the analogue broadcasts area by area around the UK. This process should be completed during 2012. If you havent already opted to switch to the digital channels you will have to by the time your area switches to digital. You will need either a TV with a freeview tuner or a freeview set top box to use with your existing TV. The digital switch over will affect non digital TVs, Video Recorders and DVD recorders which will need either replacing with freeview equipped equivalents or a set top box connecting to each of them to receive freeview broadcasts. If you choose another method of receiving digital television broadcasts then you will need different equipment to connect to your TV.
If you are currently watching all of your television broadcasts by way of an alternative to Freeview then you dont have to do anything about the digital switch over.
Top Up TV
Top Up TV doesnt require any other equipment other than a card that slots in to the existing slot on your PVR set top box. The only charge is 9.99 per month without any monthly contract or tie in. With Top Up TV you will have access to On Demand programmes that are stored locally on the hard drive of your PVR that can be viewed when you choose. There is also a movie channel and a sports channel. Top Up TV doesnt require broadband or a satellite dish and can be received via your existing Freeview compatible aerial
Cable TV by Virgin Media
To receive Virgin Medias Digital TV channels via cable you must first live in an area that can offer this option. You will also have to be willing to at least switch your phone line to Virgin Media to receive a basic 45 channels for free. If you are willing to pay 19.50 per month then over 165 channels are available and there are other cheaper options with less channels. Every television that is connected to cable will have to have a compatible set top box to receive the programmes. So if you have multiple televisions in your house then you will need one for each television at an additional discounted monthly cost.
There is also an On Demand service available from Virgin Media. Many programmes and films are available from an extensive library; many are available in high definition. Some of the programmes are free of charge and some are pay per view. With this facility you can decide what you watch and when you watch it.
Sky Digital Television
Sky Digital is available by means of a monthly subscription charge. To receive Sky Digital you will need a satellite dish installing and a Sky set top box. The majority of houses in the UK can receive Sky Digital.
Some housing developments and listed building have planning restrictions that prevent the installation of a satellite dish. Also if it is not possible to get an unobstructed line of sight from the required satellite dish fixing position due to other buildings or trees then it wont be possible to install Sky Digital.
The satellite dish is connected to a set top box that is connected to your television set. For every television that you want to watch Sky Digital on you will need an addition set top box and you may need a further satellite dish depending on how many connectors are available on the LNB of the satellite dish. There are also extra costs for each set top box and additional monthly charges which can work out fairly expensive if you have many televisions in your house.
There is usually a charge for providing and installing the satellite dish and the set top box. Sky packages start from 16.50 per month with a free set top box and 60 for the dish and installation offering over 200 channels. If you opt for all the channels available from Sky you will receive over 630 channels of TV and Radio channels at a cost of 46 per month with an installation charge of 60 for a standard box and 30 for Sky Plus set top box. Sky also offers the widest selection of HD channels at an additional cost of 9.75 per month.
If this isnt enough choice then there is also an On Demand Service known as Sky Anytime for watching a small selection of movies, documentaries and entertainment channels that are stored locally on the Sky Plus set top box. Furthermore Sky Box Office offers some of the latest films On Demand for a small additional charge. There is also an on demand service where you can download films to the hard drive on your PC. You can either view them on your PC or you can copy them on to a DVD to watch on the DVD player that is connected to your TV. Alternatively if you have a Media Centre attached to your television then you can stream the movies directly from your PC to your TV.
Freesat TV
Freesat television broadcasts are available in two forms one provided by Sky and the other from a joint venture of the BBC and ITV. Both options require a satellite dish and set top box. The BBC and ITV version can also be received by a television with an integrated Freesat tuner. The installation of the satellite dish is subject to the same possible problems as detailed in the Sky Digital TV paragraph above. There aren’t any monthly subscription charges but you have to pay for the Set Top Box, Dish and installation. If you already have a Sky satellite dish with unused connections then you wont need to pay for a dish and installation.
High definition channels are available free of monthly subscription on the Freesat from the BBC and ITV. To receive HD you will need to make sure that you buy a HD Freesat set top box.
Standard definition set top boxes that are compatible with the BBC’s and ITV’s Freesat service start from about 50 on their own or about 130 with a dish and installation. They offer over 140 channels of programmes without any monthly charges or contract. The high definition set top boxes are also available from about 130 on their own or 230 with a dish and installation. It is also possible to buy televisions with a Freesat tuner built in so an external set top box isn’t required but a satellite dish will be.
Sky’s Freesat is available with an initial payment of 75 without any additional monthly payments. Whilst there aren’t any HD channels available there are over 240 television channels.
BT Vision Television
BT Vision is an on demand service that offers Freeview and on demand TV shows and movies. The content is provided via broadband and requires a BT Home Hub router (which is free to BT broadband customers) which is connected to a phone line and a wireless receiver is connected to the television.
It is possible to either pay for every programme that you view or you can pay a monthly amount for a bundle of programmes each month. If your broadband provider isnt BT then the you will have to pay 29.36 for the set top box and 29.36 for it to be installed. The basic package doesnt have any charges each month you just pay for what you view. BT Vision also offer several different bundles that include 45 channels of Freeview channels, Kids Programmes, Music, Sports and a limited number of Films from a monthly charge of 13.70 to 19.57.
Tiscali TV
Tiscali television cant be accessed in all areas of the country. If it is available in your area it offers a combination of 70 digital TV programmes, digital radio channels and over one thousand On Demand channels of music, entertainment, and movies. The television programmes are received by a combination of an aerial and broadband. The basic package starts at just under 20 and includes phone line rental and 8 Mb broadband.
Fetch Television
Fetch TV is a Freeview PVR with a HD home media centre built in that can also download thousands of movies and TV shows via your PC. It has over 48 free channels of Freeview Digital TV and Radio without any subscription, monthly bills or contract tie in. The Fetch set top box interfaces with your computers hard drive to watch movies that you have downloaded to your PC. Fetch TV is available from 129.99 for the set top box.
IP TV and TV On Demand
There are many films and programmes that can be down loaded to your home computer via the internet some of which are in high definition. Some of these are free and some require a small payment. Once down loaded you can then either watch them on your computer or copy them to a DVD disc for playing on your DVD player that is attached to your television. If you have a Media Centre under your television then you can stream the content from your PCs hard drive to your television. Many programmes are available for downloading from Sky, the BBC, ITV and many other channels from all around the world.
Conclusion
The options are almost endless with so many choices. Some of these choices may not be an option but nonetheless the choice is greater than ever before with delivery by Cable, Satellite Dish, Phone Line, Broadband, and Aerial. Whether you are prepared to pay a monthly charge may narrow the options but if you are then you also have to decide if you are prepared to pay extra for HD television broadcasts. IP television offers an interesting possibility but is restricted by our creaking copper cables ability to deliver the content fast enough and reliably enough. To benefit from all of the advantages of Digital Television you will also need a high definition LCD television or Plasma television.
Viewed 35 times by 14 viewers
