Posts Tagged set-top-box
Retune your Freeview box
Posted by chappus in digital switchover on October 2, 2009
In line with the developments of the digital switchover, it was announced today that you should rescan your channel listing in your Freeview set-top-box. Normally, this is possible by going into your box system settings and then scanning your channel listings. If you are unsure instructions should be found within your box user manual. You may find that the channel number of your favourite television station may have changed.
This development will allow in future, amongst other benefits, the possibility of High Definition (or HD) broadcasts using the digital terrestrial system. You will need either a High Definition television or an HD ready set to view such broadcasts though.
How can I receive digital television?
Posted by chappus in digital switchover on September 16, 2009
In the coming years you will be required to switchover from analogue to digital television because the UK government are supporting a move for terrestrial television. This period has been dubbed the digital switchover. This will affect you in the home and all other British and UK households. To receive Freeview television you may need to invest in some new television equipment. You will need a digital terrestrial (or Freeview) set-top-box. These are available on the high street from around £20. You will also need a television capable of connecting to your set top box, but any television set bought in the past 5 years should be capable. You may also need to upgrade your aerial. A good local television installation supplier should be able to do this.
Advertising on digital terrestrial Freeview
In order for digital television to flourish broadcasters needed both public supported channels to adopt the platform and also commercial ones. It is necessary to have adverts on television as this provides a vital income stream to television companies. Freeview offers more channels on it’s digital transmission signals and so more channels are able to be viewed through your set-top-box. It is inevitable that Freeview could not rely solely upon public broadcasters and so transmission slots are offered to commercial stations. With the cost of television technology going down it is possible to transmit a TV channel for much less than previously possible making it much more accessible. Other digital television technologies also support this including digital terrestrial Freeview television.
The benefits of digital free-to-view television
Posted by chappus in free-to-view on September 3, 2009
There are many advantages to free-to-air digital terrestrial television. The main one being that Freeview brings more choice to the general television viewing public. For just a small initial outlay on a Freeview set-top-box you have so much more choice when it comes to your channel selection. More channels also means more quality television viewing content, although this can bring questions in itself. The primary benefit of UK wide digital free-to-air television outputs is that this opens the door for more technological breakthroughs.
Buying a Freeview set-top-box
When choosing a Freeview set-top-box there are a lot of factors that may influence your choice. The main ones are price, features and the technology brand. Freeview boxes start in the UK now at around £10 to £15 and go up to anywhere over £100 for a box that has advanced features such as recording.
You can get hard-drive and DVD based digital terrestrial Freeview set-top-boxes. The advantage of the hard drive system is that you can record much more television at a higher quality than the traditional technology you might be used to. On the other hand, a DVD based Freeview box may prove beneficial due to the ease of switching from television set to set.
Freeview set-top-box choice
Posted by chappus in Uncategorized on August 26, 2009
When choosing a set-top-box for your Freeview setup remember price isn’t everything! Some good deals, particularly on the internet, can be found accross the internet from high street technology names to specialised web based general retailers. Even if you decide that maybe buying a Freeview box from cyberspace isn’t a good idea, some shops even offer a technology price match service which means that if you can quote the internet price (maybe with a print-out) they’ll match the online deals.