It is now possible to receive digital television programmes by means of an aerial, cable, satellite dish, phone line or the internet. More choice of channels are available than ever before with channels that specialise in films, music, kids channels, documentaries etc. There are many free channels and subscription channels and now there are even high definition channels.
Free channels are available from Freeview, Skys Freesat and the BBCs and ITVs Freesat and other operators such as Sky Digital, BT Vision, Tiscali, and Virgin Media offer monthly subscription channels.
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 already receive all of your TV content via Virgins Cable service, either of the Freesat options, Sky Digital, Tiscali or BT vision then you dont need concern yourself about the much published terrestrial digital switch over.
Top Up TV
It is possible to add additional subscription channels to the free channels that are available on Freeview with Top Up TV via your aerial. It doesnt require any additional equipment other than the card that slots in to the card slot on your existing PVR set top box. It costs just 9.99 per month without any contract tie in. There is a Movie channel, a sports channel and an on demand channel of programmes that are automatically downloaded to your set top PVR for you to watch at your convenience.
Virgin Medias Cable TV
Cable television by Virgin Media is only available in a limited number of areas. A basic TV package of 45 channels are available free of charge if your phone line is provided by Virgin Media. Various packages are available up to the 19.50 (with Virgin Phone Line) per month package which has 165 channels. Every television that you want to watch cable on will need a Virgin set top box. Each additional set top box will incur an additional discounted monthly charge so this could prove to be expensive.
Virgin media also offer an on demand service where you can access a huge library of programmes and movies some are provided free and some are available on a pay per view basis. Some of the on demand content is in HD.
Sky Digital Television
As with the cable TV option if you choose Sky Digital you will have to choose which programmes you want to pay for each month. Sky Digital Television broadcasts can be received by most homes in the UK and requires the installation of a suitably positioned satellite Dish.
You probably wont be able to have a satellite dish installed if you live in an apartment, high rise flats or a building that has planning restrictions prohibiting satellite dishes. Also if live next to a large building or Trees that prevents the required position and angle of installation for the satellite dish then you wont be able to have a satellite dish installed.
Once the dish is installed you will be provided with a set top TV box that connects the TV to the satellite Dish. If you want to watch satellite TV on every TV in your house you will require extra set top TV boxes and possibly an additional dish. There will be extra charges for providing the additional equipment, installation and monthly fees albeit at a discount. This can work out to be quite expensive.
The starting package of over 200 channels is available from 16.50 per month which includes a free Sky Digital set top box but requires 60 for the satellite dish and installation. The full package of over 630 channels is available for a monthly charge of 46 however you will have to pay for the satellite dish and installation at a cost of 60 with a normal set top box or 30 extra for a Sky Plus set top box. On top of this there are also more channels of high definition available from Sky Digital than any other provider at a further monthly charge of 9.75.
Sky Digital also has an On Demand service that is available via the set top box and the internet. Sky Anytime is free of charge and offers a selection of films, documentaries, entertainment channels etc. Sky Box Office offers the latest films for a small charge on demand using the Sky Digital set top box. It is also possible access hundreds of films via your PC that you will have to download to your PC and then you can watch them on your PC or on your television. To watch them on your TV you will either need to copy them to a DVD Disc for playing on your DVD player that is attached to your TV or a you will need a Media Centre so that you can stream the data directly to your PC.
Freesat Television
The name Freesat is confused by the fact that there is a version provided by Sky and one by a joint venture of the BBC and ITV. Each option requires a satellite dish and set top box which you will have to purchase and both are free of monthly charges. Panasonic also have a television with a built in Freesat tuner that is compatible with the BBC and ITV option, so a set top box is not required if this is bought. Like with Sky Digital the installation of the satellite dish is subject to the same restrictions but generally Freesat is available to over 99% of homes in the UK. If your house already has a Sky Satellite Dish installed on it that is unused or it has a spare connector on it then you wont need to go to the expense of having a Satellite Dish installed.
High Definition channels are available free of charge on the BBCs and ITVs Freesat version whereas Skys version doesnt offer any HD content. To receive the HD channels you will need to buy the HD set top box.
Freesat set top boxes for the BBC and ITV version are available from 49 and 129 with a Satellite Dish and installation. The standard set top boxes have a standard definition picture and provide over 140 television channels that are free of monthly subscription. The Freesat HD set top boxes on their own start from 129 and about 229 if bought with a dish that is installed. If a Freesat compatible TV is purchased then you will still need the satellite dish but not the set top box.
The Sky Freesat option is available installed with a one off payment of about 75 and offers over 240 free TV channels but there arent any free high definition channels.
BT Vision TV
BT vision uses broadband to download On Demand content and Freeview via a BT Home Hub Router which is provided free of charge to existing BT broadband customers. The router is connected to a phone line and the television pictures are transmitted to the television wirelessly to a receiver that is connected to the TV.
You can either pay for each programme that you watch or pay a monthly subscription for a bundle of programmes. If you dont have BT broadband there is a basic charge for the set top TV box of 29.36 and installation at 29.36. With the minimum package there arent any monthly charges you only pay for what you watch. There are also options to pay a monthly charge for a bundle of programmes including 40 channels of Freeview, sports, kids programmes, music and some films, but you then pay extra for additional films. The bundles are from 13.70 per month to 19.57 per month.
Tiscali Television
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 television has over 48 channels of Freeview digital television channels and digital radio as well as the ability to be able to stream movies and programmes from your computers hard drive in high definition if available. This is done via a Fetch set top box with a Freeview PVR and integrated high definition home media centre which start from 129.99. The Freeview is without any monthly charges or contracts, the movies and programmes are chargeable for each download if applicable. Once you have downloaded the programmes or films to your PC the Fetch television Set top box is able to stream it directly to your TV.
IP Television and Television On Demand
It is now possible to download movies via the internet to your PC which you can then record on to a DVD and then play via a DVD player that is attached to your TV. Alternatively you can stream the movie from your hard drive to a media centre under your television. It is also possible to download HD content on the web. IP TV also allows the viewing of programmes from the BBC, Sky and many other stations in the UK and around the world.
Conclusion
Never before has there been so much choice and so many ways to receive TV content. Which one you choose will depend on the availability of Cable, Satellite, Freeview or Broadband Phone Line and how much you want to pay for the equipment, the type and quantity of programmes you want to view, and how much you want to pay a month if anything. Then to further complicate the decision you need to decide if you want HD content and are you willing to pay for it. IP TV is available now albeit a bit difficult and sometimes slow to access but this will probably be the way programmes will be received in the future. Of course you will also need a suitable widescreen HD LCD TV or HD Plasma TV to appreciate the benefits of Digital television broadcasts. - 15252
Free channels are available from Freeview, Skys Freesat and the BBCs and ITVs Freesat and other operators such as Sky Digital, BT Vision, Tiscali, and Virgin Media offer monthly subscription channels.
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 already receive all of your TV content via Virgins Cable service, either of the Freesat options, Sky Digital, Tiscali or BT vision then you dont need concern yourself about the much published terrestrial digital switch over.
Top Up TV
It is possible to add additional subscription channels to the free channels that are available on Freeview with Top Up TV via your aerial. It doesnt require any additional equipment other than the card that slots in to the card slot on your existing PVR set top box. It costs just 9.99 per month without any contract tie in. There is a Movie channel, a sports channel and an on demand channel of programmes that are automatically downloaded to your set top PVR for you to watch at your convenience.
Virgin Medias Cable TV
Cable television by Virgin Media is only available in a limited number of areas. A basic TV package of 45 channels are available free of charge if your phone line is provided by Virgin Media. Various packages are available up to the 19.50 (with Virgin Phone Line) per month package which has 165 channels. Every television that you want to watch cable on will need a Virgin set top box. Each additional set top box will incur an additional discounted monthly charge so this could prove to be expensive.
Virgin media also offer an on demand service where you can access a huge library of programmes and movies some are provided free and some are available on a pay per view basis. Some of the on demand content is in HD.
Sky Digital Television
As with the cable TV option if you choose Sky Digital you will have to choose which programmes you want to pay for each month. Sky Digital Television broadcasts can be received by most homes in the UK and requires the installation of a suitably positioned satellite Dish.
You probably wont be able to have a satellite dish installed if you live in an apartment, high rise flats or a building that has planning restrictions prohibiting satellite dishes. Also if live next to a large building or Trees that prevents the required position and angle of installation for the satellite dish then you wont be able to have a satellite dish installed.
Once the dish is installed you will be provided with a set top TV box that connects the TV to the satellite Dish. If you want to watch satellite TV on every TV in your house you will require extra set top TV boxes and possibly an additional dish. There will be extra charges for providing the additional equipment, installation and monthly fees albeit at a discount. This can work out to be quite expensive.
The starting package of over 200 channels is available from 16.50 per month which includes a free Sky Digital set top box but requires 60 for the satellite dish and installation. The full package of over 630 channels is available for a monthly charge of 46 however you will have to pay for the satellite dish and installation at a cost of 60 with a normal set top box or 30 extra for a Sky Plus set top box. On top of this there are also more channels of high definition available from Sky Digital than any other provider at a further monthly charge of 9.75.
Sky Digital also has an On Demand service that is available via the set top box and the internet. Sky Anytime is free of charge and offers a selection of films, documentaries, entertainment channels etc. Sky Box Office offers the latest films for a small charge on demand using the Sky Digital set top box. It is also possible access hundreds of films via your PC that you will have to download to your PC and then you can watch them on your PC or on your television. To watch them on your TV you will either need to copy them to a DVD Disc for playing on your DVD player that is attached to your TV or a you will need a Media Centre so that you can stream the data directly to your PC.
Freesat Television
The name Freesat is confused by the fact that there is a version provided by Sky and one by a joint venture of the BBC and ITV. Each option requires a satellite dish and set top box which you will have to purchase and both are free of monthly charges. Panasonic also have a television with a built in Freesat tuner that is compatible with the BBC and ITV option, so a set top box is not required if this is bought. Like with Sky Digital the installation of the satellite dish is subject to the same restrictions but generally Freesat is available to over 99% of homes in the UK. If your house already has a Sky Satellite Dish installed on it that is unused or it has a spare connector on it then you wont need to go to the expense of having a Satellite Dish installed.
High Definition channels are available free of charge on the BBCs and ITVs Freesat version whereas Skys version doesnt offer any HD content. To receive the HD channels you will need to buy the HD set top box.
Freesat set top boxes for the BBC and ITV version are available from 49 and 129 with a Satellite Dish and installation. The standard set top boxes have a standard definition picture and provide over 140 television channels that are free of monthly subscription. The Freesat HD set top boxes on their own start from 129 and about 229 if bought with a dish that is installed. If a Freesat compatible TV is purchased then you will still need the satellite dish but not the set top box.
The Sky Freesat option is available installed with a one off payment of about 75 and offers over 240 free TV channels but there arent any free high definition channels.
BT Vision TV
BT vision uses broadband to download On Demand content and Freeview via a BT Home Hub Router which is provided free of charge to existing BT broadband customers. The router is connected to a phone line and the television pictures are transmitted to the television wirelessly to a receiver that is connected to the TV.
You can either pay for each programme that you watch or pay a monthly subscription for a bundle of programmes. If you dont have BT broadband there is a basic charge for the set top TV box of 29.36 and installation at 29.36. With the minimum package there arent any monthly charges you only pay for what you watch. There are also options to pay a monthly charge for a bundle of programmes including 40 channels of Freeview, sports, kids programmes, music and some films, but you then pay extra for additional films. The bundles are from 13.70 per month to 19.57 per month.
Tiscali Television
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 television has over 48 channels of Freeview digital television channels and digital radio as well as the ability to be able to stream movies and programmes from your computers hard drive in high definition if available. This is done via a Fetch set top box with a Freeview PVR and integrated high definition home media centre which start from 129.99. The Freeview is without any monthly charges or contracts, the movies and programmes are chargeable for each download if applicable. Once you have downloaded the programmes or films to your PC the Fetch television Set top box is able to stream it directly to your TV.
IP Television and Television On Demand
It is now possible to download movies via the internet to your PC which you can then record on to a DVD and then play via a DVD player that is attached to your TV. Alternatively you can stream the movie from your hard drive to a media centre under your television. It is also possible to download HD content on the web. IP TV also allows the viewing of programmes from the BBC, Sky and many other stations in the UK and around the world.
Conclusion
Never before has there been so much choice and so many ways to receive TV content. Which one you choose will depend on the availability of Cable, Satellite, Freeview or Broadband Phone Line and how much you want to pay for the equipment, the type and quantity of programmes you want to view, and how much you want to pay a month if anything. Then to further complicate the decision you need to decide if you want HD content and are you willing to pay for it. IP TV is available now albeit a bit difficult and sometimes slow to access but this will probably be the way programmes will be received in the future. Of course you will also need a suitable widescreen HD LCD TV or HD Plasma TV to appreciate the benefits of Digital television broadcasts. - 15252
About the Author:
For almost 2 decades Armadeus Cornelius has built a wealth of knowledge in the electronics sector. For more details on Digital TV click his site http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk . If you want to save money then click refurbished hdtv or sony lcd tvs
