Analogue terrestrial transmissions of BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 started to be shut down after the first trench of around 25,000 households in the Whitehaven area of Cumbria were the first to have the signal switched off on the 17th of October 2007.

BBC 2 was the first of the television channels to go in this area with the other analogue channels switched off on 14 November 2007 and so far the change to digital television has been relatively smooth which bodes well when all the remaining UK areas are switched over to digital.

This section along with the other digital TV sub-sections (shown in the side menu bar) will help you find the information you need to choose the right digital television equipment for you and your family by explaining the choices and highlighting the best links to information about the easiest to use set top boxes, digital TV recorders, available digital channels (free or subscription) and integrated digital televisions (IDTVs).

Things You Need To Know

• One of the first and most important things you need to know, is that the UK Government has decided to help more vulnerable members of the public by providing Free Digital TV equipment through its digital television help scheme. It may be worth checking to see if you or members of your family might qualify for free digital equipment before you or they go to the expense of a purchase
• Research has found that many people have not yet realised that each and every television in their house will have to be converted to receive Digital TV signals, which could provide some unexpected shocks for those households with 3 or more television sets and they will at the least require a room distribution kit.

We will also show you how it is possible to effectively be able to receive digital television, whether that be via digital satellite, terrestrial free to view or even digital television via the internet & broadband and all without it necessarily costing you any more money than you are currently paying for both.

This year (2011) will see at least further 3 regions switching from Analogue to Digital including:

• Central TV Area (e.g. Nottingham, Birmingham, Oxford)
• Anglia TV Area (e.g. Peterborough, Cambridge & Ipswich)
• Yorkshire TV Area (e.g. Hull, Leeds, Sheffield)