Getting Digital TV - Satellite or DTT (Digital Terrestrial TV) ?

 

If you want to watch free digital tv, then satellite is not the only way to get a service. There is also the DTT service which comes off the UK tv transmitter network. DTT services are generally currently only available off main transmitters, so if you are served by one of the relays, you are out of luck. Various DTT receivers are available - the old "OnDigital" & "ITV Digital" boxes will still work, but are horribly slow compared to modern receivers, and are no longer supported by the manufacturers.

If for any reason you cant have a satellite dish, then its certainly worth considering DTT to widen your channel choice.

 

The big advantage of DTT services for many people is that quite a few channels are free on DTT, but are part of the Sky pay tv packages on satellite. Channels which fall into this category include  The Hits, FTN, and UKTV BrightIdeas.

 

UKTV BrightIdeas logo The Hits logo FTN logo

 

FreeView (free to anyone with a suitable receiver)
TopUp TV channel (requires subscription)
Radio Channel

 

Pleasse note, ABC1 and QVC are not available in Wales - the capacity required for these services is in use carrying S4C and S4C2.

 

The DTT channel line up in october 2004 is:

TV

Service
   
1 BBC 1
2 BBC 2
3 ITV 1 (0925-0600)
GMTV (0600-0925)
4 Channel 4 (except Wales)
S4C (Wales only)
5 Channel 5
6 ITV 2 (0925 - 0600)
GMTV 2  (0600 - 0925)
7 BBC 3 (1900 - 0200)
8 Channel 4 (Wales only)
Tele G (Scotland only) (1800-1900)
9 Teletext
10 BBC 4 (1900-0200)
11 Sky Travel (0600 - 0100)
12 UKTV History (0700 - 0100)
13 S4C2 (Wales only) (0600 - 1800)
14 E4
15 ABC 1 (0600-1800)
16 QVC (not Wales)
16 QVC (1800 - 0900 Mon-Fri & 24hr Sat-Sun Wales only)
17 UKTV Gold (1200 - 0050)
18 The Hits
19 UKTV BrightIdeas (0600 - 1800)
20 ftn (2000 - 0600)
21 TMF
22 Ideal World
23 Bid.tv (0800 - 0100)
ScreenShop (0100 - 0800)
24 price-drop.tv (0800 - 0100)
Screenshop (0100 - 0800)
25 TCM (1900 - 0500)
26 UKTV Style (1800 - 2300)
27 Discovery Channel (1200 - 2300)
28 Discovery Real Time (0600 - 1200)
29 UKTV Food (1000 - 1600)
30 CBBC (0700 - 1900)
31 CBeebies (0600 - 1900)
32 Cartoon Network (0600 - 1800)
33 Boomerang (0500 - 1200)
34 ITV 3
36 Xtra View
38 Men & Motors (1100 - 2300)
39 E4 +1
40 BBC News 24
41 ITV News
42 Sky News
43 Sky Sports News
44 Bloomberg (0500 - 1000)
45 BBC Parliament (0500 - 0000)
46 Community Channel (0600 - 0900)
47 Teachers TV  (0000 - 0600)
49 Top Up TV new channel
50 4 Text
51 BBC i
53 Yoo Play
54 Teletext TV Guide
55 Teletext Holidays
56 Teletext Cars
60 TVX The Fantasy Channel (2300 - 0500)
61 Red Hot
   
Radio Service
   
70 BBC Radio 1
71 BBC Radio 1 Xtra
72 BBC Radio 2
73 BBC Radio 3
74 BBC Radio 4
75 BBC Radio 5 Live
76 BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
77 BBC 6 Music
78 BBC 7 (0700 - 0330)
79 BBC Asian Network
80 BBC World Service
81 The Hits
82 Smash Hits
83 Kiss 100
84 Heat
85 Magic 105.4
86 Q
87 Oneword
88 Jazz FM
89 BBC Radio Scotland (Scotland only)
BBC Radio Wales (Wales only)
BBC Radio Ulster (N Ireland only)
90 BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal (Scotland only)
BBC Radio Cymru (Wales only)
BBC Radio Foyle (N Ireland only)
91 Mojo
92 Kerrang
94 Talk Sport
95 3C
96 Premier Christian Radio
   
Test Channels Service
   
701 701 (often used for BBC interactive)
702 702 (often used for BBC interactive)
703 703
704 704 (4TV interactive)
705 Big Brother 6 Interactive (May-June  2005)

 

May 2005: E4 leaves Tits up TV and goes free, (and is joined by sister channel E4 +1)
February 2004:    TV Travel Shop has ceased off Channel 17
February 2005:    Teachers TV on Channel 47 overnight

 

 

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