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On-demand
Digital TV is now available in a host of different formats and you can pay for it in loads of different ways too. On-demand digital TV allows you to only ever pay for what you want to watch, when you want to watch it as well as offering free-to-view programming.
What is on-demand digital TV?
On-demand TV lets you watch what you want, when you want. It comes in various forms; paid-for or free catch-ups and as an add-on to a subscription or as a stand-alone service.
It can also be received through cable, satellite and broadband TV or on internet web platforms like the ITV and Channel 4 websites or via the BBC iPlayer and Sky Anytime.
Why should I get it?
On-demand sets you free from the TV guide. It allows you to watch a selection of programmes and movies, at the touch of a button and some services even allow you to select an entire series to store on your digital recorder. Using an on-demand service like that offered by BT Vision (www.BTVision.bt.com) means that you can watch normal Freeview (www.Freeview.co.uk) with the option of adding on programmes and movies from their library and paying for them only when you want - like renting movies without having to leave the house.
What do I need?
This really depends on how you want to watch on-demand programming. Because it covers such a wide area there is loads to choose from.
You can watch programmes on your computer via your broadband connection, using both free and paid-for services. For example, the ITV on-demand service allows you to watch and download 30-day catch-ups of your favourite entertainment, as well as vintage programming, on the website free of charge.
Increasingly in the US, broadband customers can watch shows on websites as well as on the TV. This has allowed programmes such as Heroes and America’s Next Top Model to massively increase their audiences and it is only a matter of time until we get the same services here.
And of course, there’s the already massively popular sites like Joost and YouTube where user-generated content can be uploaded and accessed free of charge.
There are also on-demand services for Tiscali and Virgin Media subscription customers. All of these providers offer both a free on-demand service as well as paid for options for the latest films, programmes and sporting events.
How much does it cost?
Again this depends on how you choose to watch, and what you want to watch. Because there’s so much free content available, you can quite easily take advantage of all the great programmes and movies available without parting with a penny. However, if you want to want to get the very latest content, or want a free service where you only pay for extras when you choose to, then average costs start from around 29p for a music video going up to around £3.75 for the latest and most popular films.
