DIGITAL TV FAQ’s
What are my choices for digital TV ?
A lot depends on where you live, how much you want to pay and what you need…..
Satellite TV is available to about 95 per cent of homes, basic Freeview will reach 98.5 per cent by the end of 2012. Virgin media passes about 50 per cent of UK homes, BT vision and Talk Talk TV both use Freeview and broadband to deliver services, you need terrestrial coverage and to be within a few miles of suitably equipped broadband exchange.
If you don’t want to pay ongoing subscription, then its between Freeview and Freesat.
The cheapest subscription offered is ESPN terrestrial sports channel. Sky is potentially the most expensive pay TV provider, but the complexity of bundles for TV, phone and broadband make choosing a subscription package one of the biggest decisions you could make.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CONNECT A SET TOP BOX TO MY TV?
The optimum connection is via a HDMI, which can carry both uncompressed High Definition digital video and audio.
Sky + HD boxes use HDMI 1.1, which can only send stereo audio (with Dolby Pro Logic surround sound ) but most other devices can send Dolby Digital or HE-AAC audio signals with digital surround sound.
Older digital TV’s may use DVI, which can only carry the HD video signals, or analogue component video ( for HD and standard definition ). Both require a separate audio connection. The best standard definition video connection is via RGB scart, which also carries analogue stereo audio. Noticeably lower in quality than this is composite video, via either scart or a separate cable.
HOW CAN I RECORD DIGITAL TV?
Every digital platform now has a plus brand for digital TV recorders, also known as PVR or DVR Freeview +, Freesat +, SKY + and so on . These are typically hard disc recorders with two tuners which can record one channel while you watch another, or record two channels while you watch a recording from previously made that’s stored on the hard disc.
Disc sizes are rising all the time , with 500 GB now typically and 1TB available, allowing you to record hundreds of hours of High Definition TV.
Panasonic also makes Freeview+ HD and Freesat + HD recorders with an integrated Bluray or DVD recorder, which can also be used for archiving from the hard disc.
Many Freeview and Freesat single tuner zapper boxes can also record to storage attached to there USB ports both memory stick and hard discs.
HOW CAN I WATCH DIGITAL TV IN OTHER ROOM ?
Both SKY and Virgin Media offer ‘multi-room’ subscriptions where users can obtain a second set top box and mirror their second subscription in one or more rooms around the home.
Freeview viewers need only an extra cable from their aerial to any room, although you may need a distribution amplifier to boost the signal levels.
Freesat owners can add a Quad or Quattro LNB to their dish. Quad LNB’S have four outputs, which can be routed as required.
Quattro LNB’S connect to a multi switch which can use as many receivers as you require.
Sky and some Freesat receivers have a modulated UHF output which can share what’s being watched to a second TV via coaxial cables.
Sky boxes can also be controlled from the second room using a remote eye infra red relay.
Several systems are also available to distribute audio and video via Ethernet cables from either the RGB scart output or HDMI.
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