Freeview - latest products, boxes, deals and offers
What is Freeview?
The Freeview service comprises 48 free-to-air digital TV channels, and 28 digital radio stations plus red-button interactive services - all accessed via an aerial. The TV channels include: BBC1, BBC2., BBC3, BBC4, ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, E4, channel 4, Five, UKTV History, Sky 3, Dave, Virgin 1, Film 4, S4C, More 4, Five US, Fiver and more. Because it is digital it has better picture and sound quality.
Unlike satellite TV, or cable TV, you do not have to pay a monthly fee to subscribe to any channels or entertainment packs or mixes – once you have bought your digital box, digital TV recorder or digital TV with a one-off payment, there are no further regular charges.
You need equipment with a digital tuner to watch or listen to Freeview channels:
• The Freeview box – access all the Freeview channels through your Freeview box. Choose one with two SCART sockets if you want to link it to your video recorder. Many Freeview boxes have an eight-day channel guide too.
• Digital TV with Freeview built-in.
• A Freeview+ box (previously called Freeview Playback). This allows you to record programmes without tapes, and pause, rewind and record live TV. The newer Freeview+ models allow you to record programmes split by the news as one programme, offer you related programmes for recording, and record a whole series just by pressing a button. To get Freeview+ just look for the Freeview+ logo on the equipment.
Please note, all channels are subject to coverage and may be changed, and an aerial upgrade may be required. Some older digital boxes and digital TVs may not work after the digital switchover - if this is the case with your current equipment, the advice is to replace them with a product carrying the “digital tick” logo (which indicates that there is a built-in digital tuner) as these have been designed to work after the digital switchover.
What does Freeview cost?
Freeview just costs the price of your Freeview digital box or the Freeview+ digital recorder box (you may also need work done on your aerial) – or a digital TV with built-in Freeview. But there are no ongoing subscription charges for Freeview. You can get a Freeview box for around £23, and a Freeview+ box for around £103.
You can buy digital TVs, Freeview boxes and Freeview+ digital recorders from retailers including John Lewis, Dixons, Curry’s, and Comet.
Freeview channels are also included in some other TV services such as BT Vision.
Still not convinced? The Freeview website has a comparison page showing the cost of Freeview compared to popular digital TV services such as Virgin TV and Sky TV.
How do I get Freeview?
Just order your Freeview equipment from John Lewis, Dixons, Curry’s, and Comet, and plug it in.
You need to be in the Freeview coverage area. All UK television will be digital by 2012, and at that stage Freeview will be available to 98.5% of the UK population.
