The Digital Era - Are You Digital Ready?
The South West Region is going Digital from 1st July 2009. This process is called digital switchover.The UK’s old television broadcast signal (known as “analogue”) is being switched off and replaced with a “digital” signal. This will affect all analogue TV's & Recorders. Please feel free to call in to our showroom to discuss how this affects your existing equipment.
Digital TV - The Benefits
Compared to traditional TV, it brings many new ways to enjoy your TV
Extra TV channels as standard
You'll receive all your usual TV channels and many more as standard including BBC Three, ITV2, E4, More 4, S4C2, Sky News, Cbeebies, CBBC, CITV, ITV3 and FilmFour
Improved quality
Digital TV can improve the quality of your TV picture.
New Features
Including on-screen TV listings, true widescreen picture and red-button interactivity.
Digital TV - The Options
The Three main options for receiving digital television are:
Freesat
The benefits of freesat include:
- No contract
- One-off cost
- No subscription
- More than 80 free channels
- H.D. TV for Free
Freesat is a new service from the BBC and ITV, much like sky it uses a digital satellite dish and receiver to deliver digital programming strait to your living room. Freesat is a non subscription based service; all you pay is a one off charge for the equipment and installation. Once setup you can start to enjoy channels such as E4, ITV2, and of course stunning HD entertainment on the BBC HD channel.
Freeview
The benefits of freeview include:
- No contract
- One-off cost
- No subscription
- More than 30 free channels
Freeview (or ‘set top’ box) is a small box that plugs into the back of your television via your aerial enabling a standard analogue television to receive a digital transmission.
Advantages:
• Easy to install: simply connect via an aerial and it will tune itself in.
• One-off payment with no monthly subscription.
• Approximately 30 free channels in digital format—including the BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Ch5.
• Television sets now have Freeview built in to eliminate an ‘additonal box’.
Disadvanges:
• May require an aerial upgrade to receive the full range of programmes.
• Freeview is not currently covered throughout the entire country.
An aerial upgrade can be arranged by contacting us, we will be happy to discuss aerial installations over the phone or by dropping into our store.
Sky
The benefits of sky include:
- No contract
- No subscription necessary
- More than 200 free channels
- Extra 200+ channels on subscription
A one off payment will enable you to receive ‘Freesat from Sky', enabling you to obtain certain digital channels without subscription. Once the equipment is installed, there is no subscription. As the service is provided by Sky, the transmission will be in digital, making you ready for the analogue switch-off.
Sky also offer a subscription service with a monthly fee which will vary. Packages can be customised and include a variety mix, a style and culture mix, a knowledge mix, a selection of news channels, a variety of music channels and a package suited to children.
Gilbert and Vanstone is a Sky agent. We have fully qualified installation engineers who will install your satellite equipment to the expected level of professionalism. For all enquiries about Sky and their ‘Freesat’ service, please contact us and speak to one of our sales assistants.
