- The quality is state-of-the-art, the choice is phenomenal and the value for money is fabulous.
- Digital TV was phased in across the UK by the end of last year, upgrading the public’s viewing experience.
- Both residential customers and commercial clients are reaping the rewards of digital TV as this fast-developing technology becomes part of daily life.
What is digital TV?
You have probably been told that digital TV has multiple benefits over analogue, but what exactly are these?
Digital TV is a method of receiving a television signal in a digital format, allowing higher quality of sound and vision. As well as the high quality there is a wide choice of TV channels, many of which focus on specific themes like nature, business or fitness.
Advantages over analogue
It isn’t solely quality and choice which make digital TV attractive. Digital TV is interactive, which means viewers can access extra information via themed menus on the screen.
They can also tune into radio, watch shows which have been archived and record multiple programmes if they can’t watch them at the broadcast time. With some packages, users can access the internet through their television. These features all add to the convenience of the service.
Types of digital TV
Several types of service come under the heading of digital TV. Digital terrestrial is the name of the service used by viewers who are upgrading from analogue.
You can do this simply by installing a box such as Freeview onto your existing aerial. There is a one-off payment for the box with no monthly bills.
Digital satellite TV is available for viewers who already have a dish installed. You can get this service anywhere as the signal comes from satellites, so it is convenient if you are in an area where Freeview is not very strong.
Digital cable television comes into homes through fibre optic cables, ensuring very good sound and picture quality. Fibre optics are minute, glass wires bundled into a cable which transmit signals of consistent quality.
You can even get digital TV via your telephone line if you are BT customer. This type of TV allows for recording and playback of live television.
Finally, internet protocol television employs a broadband connection to channel the service into homes. Customers subscribe to this service for access to archived content or pay for a small box device which enables activity.