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What is digital television and why use it?
There are many benefits to digital television including being able to receive more TV channels and special interactive features that can help disabled people. From 2012 all television signals will be digital.
How does it work?
Sound and pictures are converted into a digital format and compressed, taking up less space when transmitted than they needed in the old system. This allows more channels to be sent out.
Digital signals are picked up by standard aerials, satellite dishes or through cable. They are decoded and turned back into sound and pictures using a separate set-top box, or a decoder built into your television. The second way is known as an integrated digital TV set or iDTV.
Why use digital television?
Television in the UK is changing between 2008 and 2012 from the current analogue system to digital transmission only. This means unless you adjust your television to receive digital signals you will not get any TV channels in future. This is called digital switchover.
Digital TV offers more choice
You can get more channels from the public service broadcasters (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five) as standard, the option of paying for further channels, and a range of extra benefits such as interactivity (often through the red button), on-screen TV listings and wide screen pictures. Depending on how you choose to receive digital TV, you could get a wide range of information services and interactive features too.
Digital TV is clearer
In most cases digital TV can improve the quality of TV pictures and sound.
Digital television can be received in more ways
Digital TV is more flexible than the old analogue television system as you can pick it up on digital cable, digital satellite, digital terrestrial or broadband/DSL.
What benefits are there for disabled and older people?
Digital TV offers specific services for viewers with sight or hearing impairments - such as audio descriptions and subtitling.
Feedback from older people involved in digital trials has been very positive, and shows that they liked features like the electronic programming guide, something that gives easy-to-read programme information at the touch of a button.
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