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What's the difference between digital TV and high-definition TV?
Digital TV and high-definition TV (HDTV) represent the biggest shake-up in television for decades. Digital TV transmits TV programmes as computer code and offers many more channels than the old analogue service.
HDTV is the next step on from digital, because it offers stunning pictures that contain up to five times more information than standard-definition images. The result? Pictures sharper, richer and more vivid than those we're used to seeing on ordinary TVs.
To sum up: all HDTV channels are digital, but not all digital channels are in high definition.
How do I get HDTV?
You need an HD-ready TV, an HD set-top box plus an HDTV service from a provider such as Freesat, Sky or Virgin Media. If you simply connect your aerial to an HD-ready TV, you'll only see standard-definition pictures.
What is an HD-ready TV?
It's a TV with a screen whose resolution is sufficiently high to display HDTV pictures. HDTV signals contain fine detail which is beyond the capacity of ordinary TV screens to display. HD-ready is an industry standard; only sets that meet the standard requirements for HDTV are allowed to carry the HD-ready logo. But remember: to watch high-definition pictures on your HD-ready set, you'll need to feed it a high-definition signal!
Which HDTV services are available?
The Freesat service offers BBC and ITV HD channels, which are free. To receive them, you'll need a Freesat HDTV set-top box (prices start from around £100) or a TV set with a built-in Freesat tuner, plus a satellite dish which will cost around £80 to install - unless you have one already. For information on Freesat, go to www.freesat.co.uk, or call 0845 293 8240.
Sky offers Sky+HD, which will have 26 HD channels by the end of October 2008. To get Sky+HD, you pay a £10 monthly subscription (in addition to a normal Sky subscription, satellite dish and installation) and purchase a Sky+HD digital television recorder, which costs £75. For more information go to www.sky.com, or call 0844 241 0617.
Virgin Media also offers HD programmes on its cable TV service. Prices vary according to the package you take. For more information, go to www.virginmedia.com, or call 0845 840 7777.
Can I record HDTV programmes in HD quality?
Yes. With the Sky+HD box you can store up to 30 hours of HDTV programmes. Virgin Media's V+ digital television recorder stores up to 20 hours of HDTV programmes. A new Freesat+ digital recorder, designed for the Freesat service, will record up to 80 hours of HDTV programmes.
Does HDTV offer better sound?
Many HDTV broadcasts are in surround-sound, although to hear this, you'll need a TV set with a built-in surround-sound system and speakers, or to connect your HDTV to a home-cinema system.
Will there be HD channels on Freeview?
Eventually, yes (note, as mentioned above, HD channels are already available via Freesat). HDTV channels take up lots of frequency space and there isn't enough room for them on the existing Freeview service. But the picture will change once the analogue signal has been switched off in 2012.
The UK communications regulator Ofcom has allocated space for four HDTV channels on Freeview, although only three of them will be aired before 2012. Ofcom has given one HDTV channel to the BBC and other broadcasters have been invited to bid for the remaining three channels.
If all goes according to plan, the North West of England could be first to get Freeview HDTV channels in 2009, with the rest of the country receiving them by 2012.
However, if you want to receive Freeview HDTV channels, you'll need to buy a new Freeview HDTV set-top box, and these are not yet on the market.
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