July 2, 2009
It looks as if the average UK TV viewer will be faced with retuning their digital TV receivers in order to stay in touch with changes to the spectrum, as planned by the regulator Ofcom.
According to 'What Satellite' Ofcom plans to create more space for pan European mobile broadband and TV services, but in the process householders will be forced to retune, possibly as many as three times.
The ...
Ofcom has plans for 800 MHz spectrum
by David Allen
June 30, 2009
Around ninety per cent of all UK homes are now using digital TV according to figures released by the media regulator Ofcom.
These latest figures show that around eighteen million homes in the UK have digital receiver.
The figures for digital video recorders are also on the rise, with one million sold during the first three months of the year, taking the total to just under nine million.
It is Sky+ ...
Digital TV in 90% of UK homes
by David AllenConsumers warned over Digital TV scams
by David Allen
June 26, 2009
The official launch of Freeview HD has been a long time coming, but finally high definition will arrive in the cities of Liverpool and Manchester as the HD signal is switched on for free in December.
According to the Head of Distribution Technology at BBC Operations, Graham Plumb, the official date for the first switch on will be the 2nd December when the Winter Hill transmitter is switched to ...
Freeview HD to launch in time for Christmas
by David Allen
June 25, 2009
It is just a few days since the launch of the Mio Navman Spirit satellite navigation system which has a built in digital TV tuner, capable of picking up the free-to-air service provided by Freeview.
The Navman offers the user the standard sat nav maps and directions, but at the touch of button it displays the Freeview Electronic Programme Guide (EPG).
However, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ...
Safety concerns over Freeview on Sat Nav
by David AllenCumbria takes switchover in its stride
by David Allen
June 24, 2009
Cello has introduced its new Freeview PVR TV, but this time there is no hard drive as recordings will be stored on removable SD Cards.
This is an interesting development as this LCD TV no longer has a noisy, bulky and sometimes unreliable hard drive, as this has been replaced with the smaller SD Card unit.
At this time, there is little information on the maximum size of the ...
New Freeview PVR TV uses SD card for recording
by David Allen
June 23, 2009
The first satellite navigation systems to feature access to the Freeview digital TV service will go on sale in July.
There are two versions of the Mio Navman Spirit TV system being made available, the 7 inch V735 and the 4.7 inch V505.
Both devices come with touchscreen technology, Google search, TruMap, a Freeview digital tuner, remote control and access to the Freeview seven day EPG.
There are already some ...
Sat Nav with Freeview prices announced
by David Allen
June 22, 2009
Following the decision by the top Formula One racing teams to think about breaking away from the current series and forming their own, the BBC is believed to be checking out the small print on a £200 million contract for a get out clause.
The BBC swooped in on the F1 deal when it became obvious that the sport was not fitting into the ITV plans for live sport, ...
BBC’s £200 million F1 deal under threat
by David Allen
June 19, 2009
The electronics giant LG will begin to sell its first 3D TV!
The forty seven inch 47LH50 will go on sale in Korea next month.
The 47LH50 is a current model and the 3D version will share this number for the interim, although the company intends to be selling thirty million units by 2012.
The release of this 3D TV will assist BSkyB in its push to launch Sky+ 3D ...
LG to release the first 3D TV
by David Allen
June 16, 2009
The BBC could be forced to take a £100 million pay cut from the money generated by the TV Licence fee, under recommendations in the Digital Britain White Paper.
This cash would then be passed on to the other broadcasters, such as Channel Four and ITV, in order for them to provide regional news programming.
Currently the £142.50 TV Licence fee raises around £3.6 billion for the treasury, which hands ...
BBC could hand over cash to rivals
by David Allen
June 15, 2009
The US shut down all analogue TV signals early Saturday morning as the country turned to digital TV.
However, despite all of the advertising, warnings and in some cases letters and visits to householders, it is estimated that there could be around three million US homes without TV.
The digital switchover US style has been slightly different to how the plan in the UK is being operated, because there ...
Digital switchover for the US
by David Allen
June 12, 2009
The terrestrial broadcaster Five has been granted a licence to deliver high definition terrestrial television through the Freeview service as soon as space becomes available.
This is expected to be in 2010.
However, Five will need to meet Ofcom's rules of eligibility by the end of this year.
This is good news for Five which was up against some serious competition for the place, including bids from Channel Four ...
Freeview HD slot for Five
by David Allen
June 10, 2009
There is a new device called the Wyplayer which is a neat little set top box that has a built in DVB-T receiver, allowing users to watch the UK Freeview service provided by the free to view digital TV broadcaster, and because it has two tuners viewers will able to watch one channel while recording another.
The device also has photo and Mp3 playback and users can produce their ...
The Wyplayer launched in the UK
by David Allen
June 8, 2009
The commercial broadcaster, ITV, is appointing the Swiss based investment bank, UBS, to organise and run the sale of the Freeview operator, SDN.
USB and Lazard were in competition for the job to organise the auction, which could quite easily raise around £200 million for ITV.
SDN is the business that rents out Freeview space to other broadcasters, such as Five and the shopping channel QVC.
This sale is part ...
ITV appoints UBS for Freeview sale
by David Allen
June 5, 2009
LG is launching a new DVD recorder complete with built in hard drive, to go with the Freeview+ tuner, that offers the user a similar service to that which subscribers of Sky+ are currently enjoying.
The LG RHT497H offers the user up to forty Freeview channels with the ability to pause, rewind and play live TV.
There is also the option to record programmes and store them on the ...
LG launches Freeview+ and DVD Recorder
by David AllenTiscali launches new EPG
by David Allen
June 3, 2009
LG has been bringing out some good equipment recently, complete with Freeview and Freesat tuners, such as the LG 42PQ6000 42” HD Ready Plasma TV which features 600Hz sub field technology which is supposed to produce the best quality picture, with the minimal amount of blurring.
This particular TV has been equipped with a Freeview tuner which allows the user to access all of the ...
LG launches 42″ HD TV with Freeview
by David Allen
June 2, 2009
There is a question mark hanging over the estimates made by the media regulator, Ofcom for the cost of providing regional news services on ITV.
The BBC is saying that the Ofcom estimate of between £40 million and £60 million for a basic service and for a full service between £80 million and £100 million are well out and in fact have called them a fantasy.
The BBC’s figures are ...
BBC and ITV hit regional news block
by David Allen
May 24, 2009
It is estimated that around eighteen million homes will need to manually retune their Freeview set top boxes, as the free to air television service has a reorganisation in order to add high definition channels in time for the World Cup.
The issue comes as Freeview adds the BBC HD and ITV HD channels to the system, but this requires a reorganisation of the digital terrestrial TV transmission signals. ...
Freeview retune needed for World Cup
by David Allen
