Freeview - Digital TV Guide

Succinctly put, Freeview is digital TV for free. So Freeview is the cheapest and most straightforward way for households to switch to the next generation of digital TV. And remember all UK households need to switch to digital TV by 2012.

Unlike Sky and Virgin digital TV, which require customers to install satellite and cable technology respectively, freeview digital TV can be attained by simply purchasing a freeview set top box and plugging it into your existing aerial connection. Boxes can now be purchased from as little as £25 and that really is it. So TV viewers wanting to make the switch to glorious digital quality TV without breaking the budget can do it with Freeview.

And cost economy is not just the only attractive feature of Freeview. Choice is another key component. With a Freeview box viewers can get access to around 40 of the best satellite channels available and Freeview also offers interactive features to enhance the viewing experience.

What do you get?

With Freeview, digital TV viewers can watch BBC 1,2,3 and 4; ITV 1,2,3 and 4; Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4; Virgin 1, Sky 3 and much, much more. And don't forget that all these channels can be enjoyed for free. The only cost associated with Freeview is the initial one-off price for the Freeview box itself.

In terms of interactivity and features, it depends on the price of box you opt for. At the lower end of the market, around £25, Freeview set top boxes offer aerial and video connections, and an interactive electronic programme guide for easy viewing management. At the higher end, around £200, Freeview boxes come with aerial, video and several SCART connections for multi-media connectivity. The more expensive boxes also offer electronic programme guides, hard drives for programme recording and the ability to pause live TV.

In addition to the vast range of set top boxes available, customers can also choose to buy Freeview ready digital televisions. These sets have the Freeview box effectively built-in and so they make the switch to digital TV even easier. Prices for Freeview ready television vary depending on size. For example, a 20 inch set will cost in the region of £400. While a 32 inch set will cost around £1000.

To get Freeview customers should check to see if they are in a Freeview area. That is to say in an area in which the digital TV signal is being broadcast. Most areas are already covered, but customers can check their Freeview coverage at http://www.freeview.co.uk.

The full channel list for Freeview TV is: BBC 1,2,3 and 4; ITV 1,2,3 and 4; Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4; Virgin 1, Sky 3, Five, Five Life, Five US, UKTV History, Smile TV, S4C, S4C 2, Nuts TV, Dave, Tele G, CBBC, Cbeebies, CITV, BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, Sky News, Sky Sports News, the Hits, TMF, Community Channel, Teachers TV, Ideal World, QVC, Pricedrop TV and Bid TV.