- Photo: 3View
Freeview is a free-to-air digital service receivable with an aerial. Thus, virtually every television set in the UK is capable of receiving it. The service is a joint venture between five companies – transmitter operator Arqiva, as well as television services ITV, Sky, BBC and Channel 4. It has been the catalyst for the adoption of digital TV, and Freeview HD is the next step in this broadcasting evolution.
The importance of HD
- Photo: Samsung
Freeview HD is set to fill the gap in the UK market between HD- ready television and HD content. While many homes have HD-ready television sets, a large portion of them watch SD content exclusively, due to the vast majority of HD content being available on subscription-based digital TV services only, often with very high start-up costs and prohibitive monthly costs. Freeview’s HD content, on top of their full SD offering, will consist of a BBC HD channel, ITV1 in HD, and the soon-to-be-launched Channel 4 HD. Content from Five is expected at a later stage, too.
What you will need
The only hardware you will need is an HD-ready TV, as well as a Freeview HD box, which will be available from February 2010. The aim is to make the transition as painless as possible, although there has been some backlash regarding the need to buy an additional box. Consumer watchdogs feel too little has been done in alerting consumers, who may have bought HD-ready televisions with built-in Freeview (SD) decoders, and need additional hardware in the form of HD decoders.
In time for the World Cup
The full roll-out is expected to last until 2012, the cut-off date for digital TV compliance, but the aim is to make it as widely available as possible in time for the Fifa 2010 World Cup. No less than twenty terrestrial transmitters will be ready come kick-off on June 11, meaning major cities like London, Glasgow and Manchester will have Freeview HD, as well as the bulk of Wales, the Orkneys, Shetlands and the Granada region.
For those who have just shelled out money for a Freeview decoder, having to shell out another £150+ may be a hard pill to swallow. For the rest of the television viewing audience, Freeview HD will be the first time many have seen what true HD content really looks like, and it’s an important step in the slow march towards HD only content.
Tags for this article: freeview HD, hdtv, tv
February 12th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
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