Freeview LCD HD TV
HD over Freeview has finished its trial and is being made public on a rollout basis during 2010. The complete service will be rolled out on full switchover in 2012. By such time 98% of the population should be able to receive Freeview HD. You can find out when this will happen in you area: Freeview HD
What do you need to receive Freeview HD?Make sure that your area is withing t he roll out plan for the HD upgrade. Roll out timescales are subject to the transmitter engineering implementation plans so it is worth checking your transmitter region/area. You can click upon the link above to check for this.
All the main providers BBC, ITV and Channel 4 will be offering Freeview HD channels. Your favourite soaps and dramas, documentaries in HD and even the 2010 World Cup. Five HD aims to launch on Freeview HD in late 2010.
What is the time scale for complete Freeview HD roll out? 50% of the UK population will be covered by Freeview HD by the 2010 World Cup. When the full digital switchover occurs in 2012 almost all of the UK population will be able to get Freeview HD.
The first March 2010 Freeview HD rollout areas will be:
- London
- Glasgow
- Newcastle
- Leeds
- Bradford
- Birmingham
The March 2010 digital switchover will also bring HD services to the following areas:
- Manchester
- Cardiff and Swansea
Other areas, which have gone through switchover, should be able to receive Freeview HD by the end of November 2010.
Check out your region
- Freeview+ HD recorder - available Spring 2010
- Freeview HD box - available early 2010
The above will enable you to receive and decode the HD signals. In addition you will, of course, need a TV for viewing the HD channels - either HD Ready or Full HD TV. If you are planning to get a HD TV then the simplest solution is to go for a 1080p HD TV and have it connect to your receiver via an HDMI cable.
Some built in Freeview HD digital LCD TVs are expected to be available by Easter 2010
You need to look for only approved Freeview HD logo products. Freeview LCD HD TVs will be able to receive the HD as well as normal high quality digital TV channels. Make sure that your aerial is upto the job before expecting to be able to receive Freeview HD TV.
Freeview is free over the air digital TV with 50+ channels of TV entertainment coming to you via your TV aerial. All this with no monthly contract cost or subscriptions. Digital radio channels are also carried with better sound quality and additional channel information.
While progress is made towards digital switch over you will need to check your coverage. The complete roll out of digital TV will be be completed by 2012. You will need a digital box (digibox), digital TV or digital recorder and of course a quality aerial system. A local freeview installation specialist can make sure that you have an aerial system which renders a quality signal for reliable and trouble free TV channel viewing.
Freeview relies upon an aerial but there are other alternative to obtaining free over the air digital TV. Freesat is an additional service using a satellite dish.Your choice of Freeview or freesat depends upon your preferences, availability of each service and how many HD TV channels you wish to receive.