Digital Television
From ManxWiki
 This article is incomplete and requires additional information.
|
Television signals are currently either Analogue or Digital. In 2009, Border TV which covers the island will be one of the first regions in Britain to switch off Analogue signal and go completely Digital.
This page deals with general aspects of Digital Television reception and the upcoming Digital Switchover. Once "Switchover" has taken place televisions will only continue to show programmes if they have a built in digital receiver, or are connected to a separate Set-Top Box.
For technical specifications, receiver choices and prices, please refer to the relevent External Links below.
Note: Some details regarding Switchover are yet to be clarified, see the Talk Page
Contents |
Technology
Whereas analogue signals fade with distance and suffer interference as they reflect off buildings (imagine people shouting at each other from opposite ends of a cathedral) digital signals are either received or not as they depend on 'line of sight' (imagine a torch being shone). Although digital signal strength does reduce with distance, as long as your television can detect a signal, it will usually display the image. The term "weak signal" is not generally applied to digital as it is either there, or it isn't.
Current Reception Choices
Current choices for viewing television signals are:
- Analogue via a rooftop aeriel,
- Digital via a Sky TV satellite dish and receiver,
- Digital via a FreeSat satellite dish and receiver.
Some households in the north of the Island can currently receive a digital FreeView signal from the BBC North East & Cumbria transmitter at Calbeck; signal strength is however weak, and weather can affect picture quality. Those households tuned to either BBC Scotland or Ulster do not currently recieve freeview broadcast.
TV channels can also be received by satellite from foreign broadcasters. This article refers to British broadcasters, local retailers may be able to advise you on the other options.
Note: All television receiving equipment must be covered by a valid TV Licence, irrespective of purchase, installation or subscription charges.
BSkyB
Sky Digital uses a satellite dish to receive signals which are fed into one of three types of set-top receiver to be decoded and converted for sending to a television set. Sky Digital receivers can be Digital (standard), Sky+ and Sky HD.
BSkyB also offer Broadband and Telephone services in the UK, these are not available on the island.
Video: Sky Digital
Advert from 1998
Subscription or Free?
Sky TV is a subscription service with a number of channel options at various prices. Standard and Sky+ Boxes can be used to watch "Free to Air" channels without monthly subscription when the Viewing Contact is ended or by purchasing a card with a one off payment.
Common Features
All 3 versions offer an Electronic Programme Guide with programme reminder and Interactive content.
Dishes can feed more than one receiver for Multiroom setups where users wish to view different programmes in different rooms. Most receivers are also capable of feeding two or more televisions with the same channel via UHF/RF and SCART sockets.
Sky Digital
In its basic form, Sky Digital takes a single feed from the dish to the receiver and feeds it to the television.
Sky+
Sky+ adds a second decoder and a Hard Disk Drive to enable viewers to record one channel while watching another or for later viewing and pausing/rewinding of live programmes. Sky+ also offers Dolby Digital multi-channel sound on certain channels via a fibre optic link to a suitable AV receiver. "Series Link" allows viewers to flag a programme and the receiver will automatically record all future episodes.
Sky HD
Sky HD receivers include the features of Sky+ with the added benefit of being able to receive and decode High Definition channels.
FreeSat
FreeSat is a joint venture between the BBC and ITV that uses similar technology to BSkyB to send digital television signals via the same satellite. FreeSat receivers can be connected to a surplus Sky Digital dish.
FreeSat offers over 130 TV and radio channels including BBC-HD and ITV-HD (HD subject to receiver type).
Video: FreeSat
Subscription or Free?
Once the equipment has been purchased and installed, FreeSat is a free service.
FreeSat Receivers
As per BSkyB, FreeSat receivers are available in Standard Definition and High Definition variants, there are also an increasing number of televisions available with a FreeSat receiver built in.
FreeView
FreeView signals are transmitted from ground based transmitters and received by rooftop aerials.
Video: FreeView
TV advert for FreeView
Subscription or Free?
Once the equipment has been purchased and installed, FreeView is a free service.
FreeView Receivers
At this time FreeView is only available in Standard Definition as receivers can not decode High Definition signals. HD receivers are expected to become available in the latter half of 2009. In some instances it may be necessary to upgrade aerials to receive the digital signal.
TV Channels
The number of channels expected to be received following switchover are: BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4, Five, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC News, BBC Parliament, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Channel 4+1, E4, More4, Community Channel.
BBCi, and a range of Teletext services and BBC radio stations will also be available.
Digital Switchover
Digital switchover is the name used to describe the turning off of analogue television signals as received by ariels. The signal is replaced by a Digital signal that can improve reception quality and the number of available channels. Switchover only applies to the forthcoming FreeView service.
Switchover Date
The start date for switchover on the island has been confirmed as 18th June 2009 for Douglas with other transmitters following thereafter.
See Also
External Links
- Digital UK website Information about the forthcoming Switch Over
- Sky TV
- FreeSat From Sky
- FreeSat
- FreeView
- Digital TV: Comsumer Test Reports Find the top rated TVs, set top boxes and recorders.
