I am very excited by the launch today of Freesat. It is a joint initiative by the BBC and ITV, and offers free digital and HD satellite TV to 98% of the UK population. I will definitely be investigating this, as soon as a set-top box with hard drive recording is available.
Freeview is ok, but the signal for Mux B (which includes ITV and Channel 4, E4 etc) is pretty poor where we are in Oxford. And when the signal is bad, unlike analogue TV where the picture just goes a bit funny, or there's a hiss, the picture is pixellated and the sound clicks and pops, make it completely unwatchable.
Satellite TV suffers from the same problem when the weather is bad, but it is far less frequent. Therefore, a new HD TV and set-top box are required!
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I think most of the channels available on Freesat were available for free already on satellite TV, although I certainly welcome this venture by the beeb and ITV.
I wonder if DVB-T quality will improve when terrestrial TV is switched off, although that won’t be until 2012 here in Teesside. I too have some issues with multiplex B.
“I wonder if DVB-T quality will improve when terrestrial TV is switched off, although that won’t be until 2012 here in Teesside. I too have some issues with multiplex B.”
That isn’t encouraging, as my wife and I are about to move to Stockton-on-Tees! Oh well.
As far as I know, the government is planning to sell off the analogue TV VHF bands, perhaps to mobile phone companies for mobile broadband.
I wouldn’t say it’s a problem to receive with a good fixed rooftop aerial, but the signal is definitely weaker than the other multiplexes.
That is an exciting prospect if they do sell it for mobile broadband. I think mobile/wireless broadband is something that will become the norm in several years. IIRC, Darlington FC were planning to attach WiMax antennas to their stadium, and sell wireless broadband.