Becoming a member of the family

Technical Improvements
Freeview have undertaken significant technical work to make Digital Terrestrial transmission technology more robust for Freeview. The result is that more households can receive Freeview than previous Digital Terrestrial TV services and fewer homes will be affected by impulsive interference.

The technical improvement also includes doubling power at the thirty-five main transmitters on the UK digital network to strengthen the signal. Specific work has also been done to help interference issues by changing the transmission mode from 64QAM to 16QAM on four of the six Multiplexes (MUX).

Postcode Database
The existing Digital Terrestrial postcode database has been drastically improved. This is where consumers and retailers are able to check whether a household is in a Freeview coverage area by typing the postcode. The database is now more detailed and more accurate. To check whether you are in a Freeview area, try clicking on to the Freeview website www.freeview.co.uk or by calling the Freeview information line on 08708 809980.

Retuning
Consumers with former ITV Digital set top boxes & owners of existing free-to-air adapters and integrated televisions may need to retune their equipment to receive the full line up of channels. If people do not retune, they will not receive the full range of Freeview channels. Retuning is simple to do and can be done anytime. Some Digital equipment is “smart” and can carry out retuning itself, without being prompted.

Freeview boxes
There are now a range of Digital Terrestrial boxes available in the market and Solutions Group are a stockist of many including Netgem, Thomson, Panasonic, Strong, Triax and Pace.

Pace are now taking the DTT box further by launching the Digital Terrestrial Twin Digital TV Recorder with a built in hard drive that enables you to record one channel whilst watching another. These revolutionary boxes are now going a storm and day by day companies are entering the Digital Terrestrial market & developing new DTT boxes with extra features….. so you just have to watch this space!

Entertainment:
uktv Channel- is a new lifestyle daytime channel bringing original UK produced programmes to the multi-channel world.

Shopping and Travel:
Bid up TV- is a new interactive auction channel.

Digital Radio channels include:
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4