Digital TV/Analogue Switch Off

[cemeterybird]

I still cannot get my head around what is going to happen when they switch off the old TV channels. Are we still going to need aerials on our roofs? Do they become obsolete? Can we have a TV in a room without an aerial? Whenever I ask anyone this question, nobody seems to know the answer...... if anyone can answer, please do so in idiot proof terms, as I haven't a clue about technical jargon. Many thanks

[another-view]

Yes you still need an aerial, as the digital telly will come down the aerial into your freeview box. A tv with no aerial will just show static.

[redman41]

You cannot receive anything without an Aerial. Each Area of the Country is switching over from Analogue to Digital TV in turn. To receive Digital TV (Freeview), you will need either a Freeview Box or a TV with a Freeview Digital Tuner built in. These TV's are called integrated tv's. Your current TV Set will be able to receive the new Digital Channels if you buy yourself a Freeview Box beforehand and connect it to your TV via a Scart Lead. If you are over 75 yrs old then the Pension Service will help you with the costs and will arrange for someone to come round and set up the whole thing for you if you require.
Each TV Set that you have must be connected via an Aerial otherwise you will not receive anything.
Does that make sense ??

[Panic Button]

I understand that when the analogue signal is switched off, the digital signal will be considerably boosted.

It may be therefore that a TV with an indoor aerial might receive enough of a signal to give a picture.

[redman41]

Digital Transmission Power will be increased 10 Fold, so Picture break-up will be virtually nil. If you live close to the Transmitter you should get good reception via Indoor Aerial.

[VHG]

>You cannot receive anything without an Aerial

Not true, I have got Sky and have not got an aerial.

If I hadVirgin I would not need an aerial either.

[VHG]

A TV signal can come to your TV in various ways:

1) Via an aerial on your roof
2) Via a dish on your wall (for satellite TV)
3) Via a cable into your house (for Virgin and also I think BT offer this)

Satellite and cable TV is already digital so we will ignore that for now.

Currently the only way to get an analogue signal is via your aerial. This allows you to get only 5 channels at most (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Ch4, Five).

But at the same time they are also sending a Digital signal out that can be picked up by your aerial (the same aerial).

This signal is called FREEVIEW and you can pick up many more channels (30 or more depending where you live).

To pick up the FREEVIEW signal you either need a FREEVIEW box (to go with your existing TV) or a TV with FREEVIEW built in. In either case you need acccess to an aerial (the same aerial you already have).

If you DONT buy a FREEVIEW device of some sort then after the analogue switch off you will get NO picture on your TV.

If you have an old VHS recorder with a built in TV tuner (most have) then if this is analogue you will get no signal on that either so wont be able to record anything.

You WONT have to change your TV after analogue is switched off if you dont want to, you just need to buy a FREEVIEW box that plugs in the back. These are not very expensive.

This will allow you to watch digital TV, but you will need access to an aerial.

[VHG]

>Whenever I ask anyone this question, nobody seems
>to know the answer.....

I suppose it depends who you ask.

This web site explains it fairly simply (click the "What and Why" tab or the "How do I switch" tab" at the top)

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/

This also explains it

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/digital-switchov er-explained/index.jsp

This also explains it

http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/godigital.html

This video explains it

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/advice/428/Vi deo-Digital-Switchover

[cemeterybird]

Well thank you all.... I feel a little bit wiser now. What you said VHG: "Not true, I have got Sky and have not got an aerial."
Someone else had told me that if you had Sky, you wouldn't need an aerial but as the aerial is plugged into the Sky Box at the moment (TV in my lounge), I just assumed it would still have to be so.
Re: Freeview Boxes - I have one attached to my TV in the Dining Room (which isn't connected to Sky) but it doesn't half play up!! It's about the third one I've had and I don't seem to have a lot of luck with them. They always seem to have a mind of their own - nearly every time I switch on, I have to pull the plug out because the picture is frozen and then plug it back in, then wait for it to re-set. The first two were really cheap ones, so bought a slightly better one this time with live pause/record etc but it still plays up - is this something we just have to live with, with Freeview? Also, the picture & sound seem to jump a lot when watching Freeview......

[Buenchico]

Terrestrial digital transmitters (i.e. those which provide Freeview) are currently operating on reduced power in areas where the old analogue transmitters are still switched on (which is most of the country). That's necessary in order to avoid interference to the analogue transmitters. When the analogue transmitters are turned off the digital ones will be switched to full power, reducing reception problems (such as pictures freezing). So there's a good chance that your Freeview box will get a decent signal when the switchover to digital TV is complete.

With regard to the part of your original question which dealt with TV sets with no external aerial:
All TV broadcasts have always (since TV became available in the UK) been transmitted at power levels which would guarantee decent reception levels to viewers who'd got a good quality external TV aerial. People who happen to live close to transmitters have been able to get reasonable reception by using portable TV sets with built-in (or 'set top') aerials but it's never been the aim of the transmission companies to offer such a service.

The position with digital TV is the same. The aim is to ensure that 99% of people will be able to get Freeview as long as they've got a decent aerial on the roof (and good quality cabling to the TV set). Some people will be able to use the built-in (or 'set top') aerials associated with portable sets but only if they live close to a transmitter. However good digital reception requires a slightly stronger signal than analogue reception, so some people who used to be able to 'get by' with a set-top aerial may have to fork out for a roof-top one.

Chris

[cemeterybird]

Thanks Chris - I'll live in hope that my Freeview box will start behaving itself, once the analogue has been switched off!!

[VHG]

>Someone else had told me that if you had Sky, you >wouldn't need an aerial but as the aerial is plugged
>into the Sky Box at the moment

Sky does NOT come through an aerial.

If you ONLY had Sky you would NOT need an aerial.

Sky comes through a DISH stuck on the side of you house.

It is the DISH that is plugged into your Sky box.

A dish is different from an aerial.

A dish can ONLY pick up signals sent out by a satellite in the sky, and this is already digital anyway.

[redman41]

Just to add to some of the comments on here !
A Sky Dish is an Aerial ! There are many types of Aerials, whether they are used for TV Reception, Radio Reception or Signal Transmission.
Transmitter Power will be increased 10 Fold once the Analogue Signal is switched off, resulting in little or no Signal break-up.
High Definition Freeview will be available to many people next year as ITV are planning to show their World Cup Matches in HD in some parts of the Country.
Find out when your Region is changing over, cemeterybird,and just be prepared to do a Full Re-Scan with your Freeview Box when it happens.
The sooner it happens now the better as I come across so many people who are totally confused by the whole thing.
Nothing to worry about I can assure you !!!!!!!!

[cemeterybird]

Thanks again all of you, for your simple, (idiot-proof:-) advice!! Like you, redman, I'll be glad when it's done and dusted and there isn't all this confusion and worry anymore. I'm sure if there are any others looking for the same sort of advice and they read these messages, their minds will be put at rest.

[deggers316]

having a brain would be a good idea too

[Panic Button]

Don't listen to me, I bought a Betamax video recorder.