Freesat, Free-to-air

What is Digital TV?

Digital television is the future of television and will soon be the standard way of receiving your television services. It has been available since the end of the 1990s, but has become more mainstream over the last decade. Over the next four years the older analogue broadcasts of television will be phased out across Ireland and Europe - and by 2012 you will only be able to watch television via digital broadcasts.

The main reasons that broadcasting corporations and the government have been in favour of the digital switch over is the increased functionality, efficiency and flexibility of digital broadcasting as opposed to analogue.

Also many more channels can be offered on digital TV, giving the viewer much more choice.



What is the difference between Freesat and Free-to-air?

Free to air digital TV services have been around for a few years now, offering a greatly expanded number of channels without the need for a subscription to TV licence payers all over Ireland and the UK.

But recently a new free to air TV service called Freesat has been launched by the BBC and ITV.

There are differences between the two free to air services. Essentially the main difference is in the set top box as both services are received from the same satellite feed, the Astra 2 satellite, located at 28 degrees east.

Freesat receivers are essentially a free to air receiver with additional benefits such as:

8 day EPG: (electronic programme guide), so you can see what's coming on over the next few days
Red button interactive feature: i.e Multiscreen viewing for more choice
Freesat+:
With freesat+, Freesat's HD recorder receiver, you can record, pause and rewind live TV.

Freesat outside Ireland and the UK

It is possible to receive Freesat outside Ireland and the UK, although a larger dish may be required as the Astra 2D footprint is mainly focused on the UK and Republic of Ireland. Freesat receivers ask for a postcode during installation, but this is just to determine which regional services to select. Non-UK residents would be best to enter a London postcode, as the ITV HD channel is currently not made available to viewers in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In the weaker signal areas, Channel four reception can be a problem, but by entering a Northern Ireland postcode (ex BT135) into any freesat box, the strongest regional variant will be received.