Digital switchover explained Digital switchover FAQs
You'll need to convert bedroom TVs to digital
Why are we switching to digital TV?
The government is switching off the analogue TV signal to give more of us access to Freeview. There's not enough airspace to deliver strong analogue and digital TV signals simultaneously, so a switch to digital will make it accessible for more people.
Digital TV uses less airspace than analogue TV, so after the digital switchover there'll also be more room for new services such as high-speed mobile broadband and high-definition television (HD TV).
HD TV is a new standard of TV with better-quality picture and sound than normal TV – more the sort of standard you'd see at a cinema. HD offers more colours and a higher picture resolution. This can make HD TV images clearer, sharper, more detailed and very lifelike.
Do I need to get started with the switch to digital now?
It depends when your region switches – some TV regions have already switched, some are switching soon, while others won't experience the digital switchover until 2012. We suggest starting a few months before your region switches, to iron out any glitches. If you need new TV equipment now, it's worth upgrading to digital.
If you want to watch HD on Freeview and don't urgently need to switch to digital, it's probably worth waiting until Freeview HD boxes and integrated Freeview HD TVs become more widely available.
HD set top boxes and PVRs give you access to HD channels, but you'll need to use tham with an HD-ready TV in order to view in high definition.
I already have digital television. Do I need to do anything?
If you can watch and record digital programmes on every TV you want to, you won't need to do anything.
But if you're only able to receive digital on one TV, you'll need to convert any other sets you own, if you want to carry on watching them after the switchover.
Most old TVs can be converted to digital by adding a set-top box. You'll need to retune any Freeview boxes at the start and finish of your region's switchover period to continue receiving all channels. Your manufacturer's handbook will explain how to do this.
If you want a new TV, it's worth looking at the Which? review of LED, LCD and plasma TVs – all the models we've tested have Freeview built in.
Will we still be able to watch TV in other rooms after the digital switchover?
Yes. But to watch different channels in different rooms, each TV will need to be set up to receive a digital TV signal, either via its own Freeview set-top box or via a Sky TV or cable multi-room subscription.However you receive digital TV, whether via Sky or Freeview, you still need to pay for a TV licence.
If you're happy to watch the same TV channel on all televisions, you can network several TVs to one digital receiver using cables or a wireless transmitter and receiver set.
Which is the best way to get digital TV – a one-off payment or a subscription?
A one-off payment for Freeview or Freesat is likely to be the cheapest way to get digital TV.
A subscription TV service, such as is offered by Sky or Virgin Media, gives you the flexibility to add sports or film bundles and use more interactive services, plus you may be able to save money by bundling your TV subscription with home phone and/or broadband.
The cheapest option is to buy a Freeview box for around £30 to £100.
If you need a new aerial, this will bump up the cost, so look at other options using the Which? guide to free TV and pay TV services.
You can see how Sky and Virgin Media compare with other bundle providers for customer service and value for money in the Which? review of phone, internet and TV packages.
I'm in an area that can't get Freeview. Will my only option be a subscription?
Most people will be able to receive Freeview after the switchover. If you want a non-subscription digital service before then, consider Freesat, a satellite service offered by the BBC and ITV, which gives you a range of channels for a one-off payment. Sky also offers a Freesat service.
A number of the flat-screen TVs have Freesat built in.
What official help is available for people with financial or practical problems with the digital switchover?
A limited number of people will receive financial and practical assistance from the government to convert just one television to receive and display digital TV broadcasts, via the digital switchover help scheme.
You'll qualify for this only if you're aged over 75 or have a significant disability and are receiving attendance allowance or disability living allowance. If this applies to you, you'll receive free or subsidised equipment depending on your individual circumstances, as well as help with installation.
If you receive pension credit, income-related employment and support allowance (ESA[IR]), income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, the help will be free. Other eligible people will be asked to pay £40 for equipment and help with installation.
There are no plans for other low-income groups to receive financial assistance.
How you can help
As official help is available only to particularly vulnerable groups, this could leave some people who don’t qualify left struggling to deal with new equipment. Digital UK's Digital Outreach initiative helps to plug the gap.
The programme involves three major charities: Age Concern England, Help the Aged and Community Service Volunteers. They train volunteers, distribute information about the digital switchover to potentially vulnerable people, conduct public events and home visits and set up a network of help centres at the time of the switchover.
How long will the actual switch from analogue to digital take, and will I lose access to TV channels during the switch?
The technical processes behind the switchover are quite complicated, so the switching of channels from analogue to digital within your region is likely to happen in stages over a period of around four weeks, rather than all channels being switched over at the same moment.
This means that if you've opted for Freeview to watch TV after the switchover but can't get a good Freeview TV signal at the moment, there may be a period of time when you'll need to switch between analogue and Freeview to get access to the full range of TV channels until your region has completed the switch.
You can use Digital UK's postcode checker to check your reception quality for different channels before, during and after the switchover. Though there's a possibility of brief disruption to your viewing, it's unlikely to be significant.
Digital UK says that it has erred on the side of caution when providing information on reception via its postcode checker, and in practice your Freeview signal shouldn't be any worse during the switchover than it is at present.
Nobody who currently gets a good analogue TV signal should suffer significant loss of the basic five channels (BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Five), via either Freeview or analogue, during or after the digital switchover.
Will I get the full range of Freeview channels?
After switchover, most UK households will receive their TV signal from a main transmitter that will broadcast nearly 50 Freeview digital channels. But 10% of households, usually in more remote areas, will get their TV signal from local relay transmitters.
Local relay transmitters will broadcast approximately 15 of the most-watched free-to-air digital channels and text services. These will include BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4 (plus S4C in Wales) and Five and a range of associated digital channels such as ITV2, E4 and BBC Three. This covers all the channels paid for by your TV licence.
The remaining Freeview channels are all commercial channels, which haven't invested in extending their broadcast to local relay transmitters.
You may be able to access a greater range of free-to-air channels (such as Film4) by signing up to a Freesat service from the BBC/ITV or Sky.
I've had my Freeview set-top box for years – will I need a new one?
Most set-top boxes will continue to work after the switchover, but some older digital boxes will stop working, and viewers will need to replace their equipment to continue receiving the Freeview service.
This only affects people who bought some of the early models of digital boxes branded Daewoo, Labgear, Triax and Bush and is limited to the following models:
Set- top boxes
- Daewoo DS608P
- Labgear DTT100
- Triax DVB 2000T
- Portland DP100
Combined set-top box and video recorder
- Daewoo SV900
- Bush IDVCR01
For a shared aerial, ask your landlord
What should I do if I live in a flat with a shared rooftop aerial?
If you don't get a digital signal with a shared aerial, you'll need to speak to your landlord.
A simple way to check for a signal is to borrow a friend's Freeview box.
Is high-definition television (HD TV) the same as digital television?
No. HD TV is a high-quality format that some programmes are made in. When these programmes are watched on an HD-ready TV, viewers will see improved clarity and detail.
Our guide to HD TV explained outlines why it's worth upgrading to one of the Best Buy HD-ready TVs in the Which? LCD and plasma TV reviews.
At the moment, only digital satellite and cable have the necessary capacity to broadcast HD TV programmes.
Sky and Virgin Media both offer this on top of their normal digital TV service for additional monthly fees. Freesat's HD content is free after you've paid for equipment and installation. A limited number of on-demand films are also now available in HD with BT Vision.
Freeview is rolling out an HD service across the UK too – take a look at our guide to Freeview HD explained for more on this.
Is it true that the analogue radio signal is being switched off too?
The government does not plan to switch off the analogue radio signal until at least 50% of radio listening is digital. The target date for the radio switchover is 2015, but the government's digital radio action plan stresses that a switch from analogue to digital radio will be consumer led, so the actual switch date may be later.
Digital radio offers a host more radio stations than analogue, so if you're buying a new radio, pick from the range of Best Buys on offer in the Which? review of digital radios.
Bad weather can affect my digital TV picture quality – will the switchover improve this?
Digital UK, the organisation leading the digital switchover, says that poor reception on Freeview is because the signal is not at full power yet. Once the signal is boosted after the switchover, reception should dramatically improve.
TV reception should be better once the switch is complete
Will I need to buy a new aerial?
It’s unlikely. If you receive a good analogue picture now, you should get a good Freeview picture after the switchover – check will I need a new TV aerial? for more advice.
To receive a separate digital TV signal, does every TV have to have a set-top box?
Unless your TVs have Freeview built in, if you want to receive separate signals (and watch different channels at the same time) on each TV, you will need separate set-top boxes for each set.
How can I connect a set-top box to an old TV that doesn’t have a Scart socket?
Look for a set-top box with a UHF modulator. You can connect the set-top box and TV via the aerial socket.
I’ve heard that my VCR will only record the digital channel I’m watching – how can I record one digital program while watching another?
- Buy a twin-tuner personal video recorder (PVR). PVRs are digital TV recorders that record on to an internal hard disk, typically storing at least 40 hours of TV. They also double as Freeview boxes, so you won’t need a separate set-top box. Which? Best Buy PVRs start at £120.
- Buy a DVD recorder with an built-in digital tuner to use in conjunction with a set-top box or a TV set with Freeview built in (IDTV).
How can I reduce the environmental impact of the switchover?
If you're buying a new TV, buy one with digital built in. It's more energy efficient than buying a separate box and TV. Increasingly, packaging will display the digital tick logo. See the Which? reviews of LED, LCD and plasma TVs for models with Freeview or Freesat built in.
The scoreboard will include the energy in standby level and the Energy Saving Recommended logo (right) if the product conforms to the Energy Saving Trust measurement criteria.
If you're getting rid of old TV equipment, use the Which? guide on how to recycle electricals – including the Weee Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) – to find out how to dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way.
If you’re unsure how to connect digital TV equipment together, our online TV connection wizard can take you through the connection process in a few easy steps.