Radio Times

Q My area goes digital in April. I have three TVs - so if each has a digital box, will they be able to receive different channels at the same time?
Helen Redclift, Torquay, Devon

A Yes - different Freeview boxes can receive different channels via a digital signal, just as traditional sets can via an analogue signal. The only stumbling block might be if one or more of your current sets uses an indoor aerial: these can struggle to pick up digital TV.

If you can't arrange for all your digiboxes to be connected...

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Q I subscribed to Sky solely to receive the channels Performance and Mainstreet, both oases of top-quality music. But several weeks ago, Performance disappeared, and then Mainstreet followed suit. What's happened?
Roger Dickinson, via email

A When Performance closed in July, its sister channel, the more rock-oriented Mainstreet, continued (Performance's old slot was taken by Sky Arts +1). But then Mainstreet did indeed stop broadcasting rather suddenly, on 10 September - after our listings for the following week had gone to press! It's being rebranded as Rock-On TV, but it's not clear yet when the new-look channel...

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Q Since upgrading to a Virgin V+ box I can no longer record radio programmes, only television. Why?
Michelle Elsden, Hertford

A Virgin tell us that this is a "technical issue" that they're currently working on, but they weren't able to give a date for when the problem will be fixed.

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Q As advised by RT, I rescanned my Freeview box to ensure my channel list was up-to-date. But it's made things worse! The main channels are now up in the 800s - help!
Roger Mills, Birmingham

A This is tied in to the signal upgrades that recently caused a small number of Freeview boxes to stop working altogether, as discussed in 30 August's Feedback. Following those changes, if you're within range of two transmitters, your digibox can become confused and reassign channels to the wrong numbers.

The answer is something called an over-air download. Your digibox is essentially...

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Q Different set-top boxes work better than others in receiving a Freeview signal. This is easily rectified by changing boxes. It's a different story if you need to return a bulky, expensive television. How should one go about assessing a TV with a built-in Freeview decoder?
Richard Price, Boulton Moor, Derbyshire

A Over to a Freeview spokesperson: "Digital products differ in design, as manufacturers focus on different features to distinguish their boxes in a competitive market. But all Freeview products - digiboxes or integrated Freeview TVs - are tested to industry standards to ensure they deliver the...

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Q What a joy it was to watch the Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Beijing without the commentary (via the red button). Will this facility now be available for football, snooker etc? They're currently viewed in our home with the sound turned down.
Jean Cove, Stevenage, Hertfordshire

A BBC Sport tell us that they plan to provide this option "occasionally" for live sports events - and may do so more often in future when BBCi incorporates an "audio switcher" function. But this will normally be on satellite and cable only, as was the case with the...

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Q I'm a compulsive radio listener, with ancient analogue radios tuned to Radio 4 in every room of the house. But, it seems, not for long…soon, but nobody can tell me when, all my radios will be dead following the digital switchover. When is this likely to happen?
K Evans, Bull Bay, Anglesey

A No need to panic yet - the TV and radio switchovers are quite separate, and nobody can tell you when the analogue radio signal will be switched off because the plans aren't in place. In June, a Government working group described moving fully to...

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Q Perhaps sadly, I like my wristwatch to be correct to the second. But which final Radio 4 "pip" is the correct time? The one on analogue radio or the one via digital TV? There's a few seconds' difference.
Peter Ford, Frome, Somerset

A It's the analogue one - digital information takes a small amount of time to be encoded before broadcast, and then decoded by your digital receiver.

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Q Why does UKTV History end at 6:00pm on Freeview?
Bernard Hope, Sunderland

A Before last October, when some Freeview channels changed, UKTV History broadcast all day, and UKTV Bright Ideas finished at 6:00pm. But when new Freeview channel Dave launched, it took UKTV History's slot, UKTV History took UKTV Bright Ideas' limited slot, and UKTV Bright Ideas ceased to be. So why does any channel have to stop at 6:00pm? On Freeview, apparently separate channels can share the same airspace, broadcasting at different times. The bandwidth that carries UKTV History during the day now carries Virgin 1...

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Q Could you explain why thousands of set-top boxes are apparently no longer able to receive digital signals?
Brian Collins, Yeovil

A A number of Freeview boxes did stop working recently. Over to a Freeview spokesperson for the details: "It's a consequence of technology evolving. In 2002, when Freeview launched, there were around 30 TV channels. Since then, DMOL , the company that manages technical changes to the Freeview platform, has made enhancements to the infrastructure, and Freeview now offers up to 48 TV channels plus digital radio and red button features.

"As a result, some...

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Q RT lists More4 as Freeview channel 14, when in fact it's Freeview 13; and E4 as Freeview 29 (rather than 14). I don't know how many other channels are given the wrong Freeview number…
Pilar Lizana, via email

A With apologies to readers who have seen this query answered in Radio Times before: the channel numbers on our listings pages are correct! But sometimes, if a channel's Freeview number changes (as Channel 4's digital channels did last year), your digibox might not register it and will keep displaying the old numbers.

To put it right you...

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Q Currently in Wales, BBC2 splits its programming on weekday evenings. Analogue carries the national programmes while digital carries programmes commissioned by BBC Wales. With the digital switchover due to start in Wales in 2009, will we still have a choice of viewing, or will we have to put up with Welsh-made programmes whether we want them or not?
Dick Thompson, via email

A After switchover there will indeed be a single BBC2 Wales service, which will continue to carry regional programming, although how much is as yet unknown. BB C Wales says the new amalgamated digital service...

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Q What's so good about Blu-Ray? Should I be buying Blu-Ray discs instead of DVDs now?
Helen Martin, Sheffield

A Blu-Ray is better than DVD. But all the technical details come down to this: Blu-Ray discs can hold more data than DVDs - typically up to six times as much. And that extra room means Blu-Ray can carry high-definition releases, such as the HD version of Torchwood. So Blu-Ray will always be the better buy for picture quality.

But it's also more expensive. Prices are falling, but a Blu-Ray player still costs about £190, while you can pick...

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Q What exactly does "widescreen" mean? Are widescreen TV broadcasts only available via digital transmission? When we look at TV sets in the shops the "aspect ratios" seem wrong, with news journalists sporting Arnold Schwarzenegger-width shoulders, and incredibly fat faces!
Mitch, via email

A The only way to see a true widescreen picture (sometimes referred to as a 16:9) is via a digital set-top box, so invariably when you view programmes in analogue on a widescreen TV the picture will look distorted. Very often, electrical goods shops' picture source may be digital, but it's then "piped" across...

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