The digital switchover is confusing to a lot of people, not least because different areas are switching at different times. Many people don’t see why the change will affect them so I hope this will help.
Digital switchover will affect anyone who watches a TV through an aerial. The aerial receives transmissions via a transmitter in your area to give you your television programmes. There are more than 1,150 transmitters in 80 groups. These groups will gradually switch to digital transmissions so that you can receive digital programmes instead of analogue (what we have now) programmes. Digital TV will have more channels, about 20 rather than just BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, C4, C5 as we do now.
Within the 80 groups of transmitters there is a main transmitter and local relay transmitters. If you are able to receive transmissions from a main transmitter it is likely that you will receive about 40 channels. You may live in an area where you get signals from more than one transmitter so you may get a better signal from one more than the other and also may get more programmes.
It may be that your aerial does not receive the transmissions well and it might need to be replaced, but wait to see if it’s necessary before changing it.
There is an aerial test page on Teletext page 284 so you can find out if its likely you will need a new aerial.
If you do need to have a new aerial installed use a Registered Digital Installer. Look for the digital tick logo, this means that they have been properly trained and security checked.
Your TV may not be able to receive the digital signal. If you have a new TV with Freeview built in then you will be ok. If not you will need to get a Digibox that will convert your TV to accept Freeview (digital TV programmes). When buying a digibox look for the digital tick logo so that you know it will be ready to receive signals after the switchover. Also check the connections you have on your TV. Most TV’s have a SCART socket but if yours doesn’t then you need to get a digibox with a RF modulator built in.
If you use a recorder to record one channel while you watch another then you should think about buying a digital recorder that will convert your TV as well.
Zenostore.co.uk is a leading electronics retailer stocking over 6,500 products. For electronics, Zenostore – Online Shopping as You’d Expect………….
Tom Jacobsen is a writer for www.zenostore.co.uk and has worked in the electronics industry for many years.
