JARGON BUSTER

Freeview
DIGITAL TELEVISION USED to be the preserve of satellite services, but that all changed with the launch of digital terrestrial broadcasts. After a few false starts, the service is now known as Freeview.
/ Via set-top box, integrated TV or combi recorder / Potentially superior picture quality/ Many free extra channels / Ability to pay for more channels Upgrading to Freeview
The easiest way to upgrade is to invest in a set-top box. This simply plugs into your existing TV and, once tuned, is ready. If you are looking to buy a new TV, however, you might as well go for one that has a builtin digital receiver. These IDTVs (Integrated Digital TVs) remove the need for an external box.

Reception

Freeview is easier to receive than satellite TV. Your existing TV aerial will probably be good enough (although some people will need to upgrade). The channels are also free (as the name suggests) so there are no subscriptions to pay. The problem with Freeview is that not all areas of the country can receive the signals, but that is being worked on all the time. You will need to check that you can receive signals in your area before buying by entering your postcode at www.freeview.co.uk
What the FAQ? TV compatibility
Even if your TV does not have an integrated digital tuner, it will still be able to display programmes from a set-top box, so dont worry that your TV is about to become obsolete. What is a CAM slot? Many IDTVs and set-top boxes have extra slots, called CAM (Conditional Access Module) slots. These can be used to add a viewing card for extra (paid
for) channels. Not all TVs and set-top boxes have these, so if you think youd like to add the extra channels, be sure to look carefully at the spec sheet of your prospective set-top box or IDTV before splashing out Z

Programme Guides

Top Up TV
A Top Up TV Starter Pack will cost around 23 and includes a viewing card that you place into the CAM slot of your set-top box so that you can subscribe to further TV channels. You then pay a monthly subscription to pick up a variety of channels such as Cartoon Network, Setanta Sport and Eurosport. Top Up TV Anytime has also launched its own set-top box that makes this service both easier and cheaper.
The Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) that Freeview offers is a very convenient feature, which gives you details of the next seven days viewing, presented in a grid listing, similar to those you nd in TV listings magazines. If you have a PVR with Freeview the EPG can be used to easily schedule recordings.

Combi decks

Most kit is now equipped with a Freeview tuner where once it would have simply had the analogue variety. This makes sense with the switch-off of analogue broadcasts getting ever nearer. Surprisingly, there are even some VCRs with Freeview tuners, but for the most part this is being kept in the digital family, with PVRs and DVD recorders increasingly coming with digital terrestrial tuners. Having the tuner built-in not only saves a plug socket (because you dont need a separate set-top box), it also lets you record the digital signal without the need for converting it to analogue, as would happen with a Scart link from set-top box to recorder.

Twin tuners

Having twin tuners means you can record one channel and watch another at the same time, or (in some cases) record two programmes once.
092 / What Video & Hi-Def TV / Issue 333
Toshibas RD-85DT DVD recorder has a Freeview tuner built-in

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