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What is the crack about digital TV and Freeview Q
DarrenW - 19/4/07 at 02:20 PM

Ive got a 7yr old anaologue TV. When will it stop recieving a signal? does anyone know. Ive been trying to tempt SWIMBO to get a 42" plasma but she wnt be on so im using this to bring her round to my way of thinking.

If you have Sky and the analogue signal stops does this mean you just have to watch TV via the sky box instead?


Also - ive just moved to a house with no sky dish. Im developing it so dont want to get one put up. Is freeview any good? (i only had basic £21 package before, not bothered about sports / movie channels etc). I do however like to keep the kids happy from time to time while im busy!.

mackei23b - 19/4/07 at 02:21 PM

As long as oyu have a freeview box, you will be able to watch digital on your existing analogue T.V.

Sorry! Just don't tell SWIMBO!

DarrenW - 19/4/07 at 02:24 PM

he he - thats fine. I need to know the fiddles and how to get around it so i can avoid that part of the conversation

02GF74 - 19/4/07 at 02:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
, not bothered about sports / movie channels etc). I do however like to keep the kids happy from time to time while im busy!.


by them each a hand held dvd/mp4 player and thell them the are showing repeats on TV.

and how come your children have time for TV? They should be out there sweeping chimneys, operating looms or working down t'pit.

[Edited on 19/4/07 by 02GF74]

iank - 19/4/07 at 03:09 PM

Standard kids channels on freeview:

CBBC
Cbeebies
History Channel (my 6 year old is addicted to David Attenborough reruns, Fred Dibnah and Coast)
Channel 4 for Scrapheap Challenge
Sky3 for Brainiac

David Jenkins - 19/4/07 at 03:12 PM

If you shop around you can get a freeview box for an analogue TV for less than £50 - sometimes a lot less.

Ideally the TV will have a SCART socket, but some boxes have a TV aerial output (not ideal, but it works).

You will need a decent signal, as digital either works, or it doesn't - there's no 'OK but a bit grainy' that you get with analogue. It's 'good' or 'nothing'.

DJ

DarrenW - 19/4/07 at 03:42 PM

No probs with the tv as it has all the right connections etc.

Ive seen a good box for less that £40 on the web (Comet). Am i right in thinking you just buy the box and connect to std TV arial? No other bits to buy (like cards or subscriptions?).

Cheers,
Darren.

iank - 19/4/07 at 03:46 PM

yes that's it, though there is a card that provides access to more channels, worth making sure your digibox can take it if you decide you want those later.

But picture quality is much better with scart or red/white/yellow phono if you have them.

[Edited on 19/4/07 by iank]

trogdor - 20/4/07 at 08:01 AM

buy yourself a decent box as the one i have is rubbish, no tv listings and the remote is horrible and it box reacts very slowly. but then it was only £25, is a shame as the one we had before which was even cheaper was really good but just stopped working one day.

MikeRJ - 20/4/07 at 01:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by iank
yes that's it, though there is a card that provides access to more channels, worth making sure your digibox can take it if you decide you want those later.


The card slot for TopUp TV is now worthless, as the standard top up package has been decimated, it's just a few extra crap channels. The best channels from the package (Discovery, TCM and Eurosport) have been chopped

They have done this as they are promoting their new TopUp Tv Anytime package. However, you have to buy their own hard drive based recording box to be able to use this service. Basicaly they transmit about 100 hours of "premium" (hah!) programming through the week which is continuously recorded on the hard drive so you can watch it whenever you want.

Personaly I would go for Sky or Cable over the TopUp package, a little more expensive but if you want broadband as well it's pretty cheap overall.

mark_mcd - 20/4/07 at 05:45 PM

search here http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=156