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If there are some stations you are unable to get with Freeview, take a look at my other page on that subject HERE
A good site dealing with this subject can be faound at http://www.digital-tv-advice.co.uk/
30th Sept 09 Freeview Set Top Box Box Tuning From time to time you may need to tune your Set Top Box for Freeview. See your manual as to how to do this. From 30th September there were some radical changes to some of the stations. The aim is to give more people acess to Channel 5. Some people who already get Chyannel 5 WILL have to tune their STB or will not be able to get this Channel. Others may lose their access to ITV 2 & 3. Others have found that updating their STB has given them access to many more channels. One contact had an early go at tuning and found that it suddenly provided 15 more channels ! He warns that the instructions vary according to which STB your have : "The problem is that each manufacturer has been allowed to devise their own method of "Installation" which differ widely, so a general set of instructions has to be very vague - They all start of with "Menu" then either "installation" OR " then "Set up" then "Scan" etc.You even have to tick to "Delete all channels" He phoned 08456051122 for instructions for my" Labgear" digi box and it worked. The then phoned the same number for my HD TV as the instructions were different".
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An earlier note : Please note that some of the older set top boxes are unsuitable for downloading the latest Freeview standard. These were made by Daewoo, Labgear, Triax and Bush. There is no alternative to getting a new set top box as the manufacturers are blaming DMOL, which performed the signal upgrade.
See article HERE But come back, using the back arrow. Also Which ? does a free guide. Phone 0800 389 6525 The Official site is www.digitaluk.co.uk (08456 50 50 50)
Between now and 2012 Britain (and most of Europe) will gradually switch over to Digital Television. For an idea of the timescale see the map below. This not only means that the digital signals will be available to people in those areas but that soon afterwards the normal (analogue) broadcasts will be switched OFF. An area of Cumbria has already switched and will lose its analogue signals on the 17th November 2007. Next comes Border TV, followed by the West Country, Wales, North, Central, Yorkshire, Anglia then London, Tyne Tees and Ulster. Existing TVs can be used, with a cheap set top box and in some areas you may need a rooftop aerial as well, as an internal aerial is often unsuitable for this. If you wish to check whether you need a better aerial take a look at www.freeview.co.uk. Make sure the aerial erector is a Registered Digital Installer, who displays the digital tick logo . Some areas may even find it difficult to receive the new signals and may have to consider satellite dish or cable alternatives. Fairly inexpensive set-top boxes are already being sold to enable standard TVs to receive Freeview, which is a digital service. The set-top box is connected to the TV via a SCART cable and is intelligent enough to search for available channels. If you have a video recorder (tape or DVD) this will also have to be connected to the se-top box (and then on to the TV). If you have a PVR (Personal Video Recorder), which has an internal hard disk, you will find that this is capable of recording one program while you are watching another. Some of this complexity may be avoided if you buy a new TV, which must have that 'digital tick logo', if it is not to require a set-top box.
Unfortunately, there is great confusion in the area of the new televisions, which are on sale in every large electrical retailer. There are various logos on these sets such as HD Ready and 1080P FULL HD. This refers to the number of lines they display. Some have 720 and more expensive ones have 1080. Even within these definitions there are differences. A 720p set will refresh every line all the time (Progressively) whereas a 720i only refreshes every other line (it stands for Interlaced). 1080 line sets are also manufactured in 1080i and 1080p format. Confused ? You are not alone. But do accept that the basic HD TVs are capable of playing all DVD and TV programs but not at such a high quality and that ALL HD TVs will give you a better display and any of the old TV sets, which, I suppose, is what all the fuss is about
Why the different standards ? The fact is that 720p TVs are best suited to fast moving images, such as football. The 1080i format gives greater detail but is less effective when displaying these fast moving images, so will tend to be used for close up photography and wildlife documentaries. The top of the range 1080p TVs are really just for film buffs with state of the art home cinemas using Blu-ray and HD DVDs.
Many PCs can receive television but these, too, are likely to require a new digital TV tuner card in order to receive the new signals (and be connected to the rooftop aerial). If your old TV does not have a SCART socket (or two) in the back, then you will need a digibox with a built-in modulator to connect to the aerial socket on the back of the TV. An example is the Humax F2FOXT.
The government has negotiated with the BBC to arrange the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, funded through the TV license. This is available to any household which has at least one person over the age of 75 or in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance or is registered as blind or partially sighted. It is available for just nine months in each area, commencing 8 months before switchover. Despite the scheme being estimated to cost over £600 million, qualifying people will still have to contribute £40, which will cover one set top box plus setting up (although alternative equipment will be considered at an extra cost). As usual, the basic service will be free to those in receipt of income support/ pension credit etc regardless of age - do check. For pensioners under 75 some voluntary organisations may help.
For further details do contact the official organisers of the switchover, which is www.digitaluk.co.uk
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