Digital TV Guides

Freeview channels

Updated: Wednesday 4 April, 2012

By Editorial

Ready to take the plunge and “go digital”? Subscription-free service Freeview has more than 50 channels, from Sky1 and ITV2 to BBC3 and Film4. But is Freeview the right TV service for you?

Freeview is the subscription-free digital TV service that’s being rolled out across the country with the digital switchover. Every home in the UK will have access to Freeview by the time the digital switchover is complete in 2012 - but is Freeview the best option for you?

Channels on Freeview

The number of Freeview channels you can get will depend on whether your area has gone digital yet or not. Once the digital switchover has completed in 2012, you should be able to receive over 80 TV and radio channels - however, until then, you may find that you can’t receive certain channels. You may also notice that they regularly change places on your TV listings menu.

Some of the channels that are available on Freeview include:

• BBC1 - The channel has been at the forefront of broadcasting since 1936, and is home to many household favourites, like EastEnders, Waking The Dead and Bargain Hunt
• ITV2 - ITV’s second channel, ITV2 has some original programmes as well as some repeats of the main programmes on ITV1, such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Britain’s Got More Talent
• Dave - A channel that’s aimed primarily at men, it shows repeats of Top Gear, Dragon’s Den and Mock The Week
• E4 - Channel 4’s digital alternative channel, E4, shows a range of Channel 4 programmes, many of which are broadcast first on E4. Highlights include Friends, Shameless and Skins.

HD channels on Freeview

Freeview also has four HD channels - so if you don’t want to sign-up for a TV package with a monthly subscription, you can still watch some of your favourite shows in super sharp high-definition. To watch Freeview HD channels you’ll need a HD ready set-top box, and to live in an area that can get Freeview HD.

The HD channels available on Freeview are:

• BBC HD - The channel shows a selection of top BBC programmes such as Hustle, The Royle Family and Silent Witness in high-definition. Programmes on this channel are from BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3
• ITV1 HD - ITV1 HD is a high-definition simulcast of ITV, showing a range of entertainment programmes, like Coronation Street, X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, to millions of viewers
• 4 HD - The HD simulcast of Channel 4 brings you a variety of entertainment programmes, including Desperate Housewives, Deal or No Deal and Shameless, in all the close-up detail of high-definition
• BBC1 HD - A high-definition simulcast of BBC1, the channel shows everything that’s shown on BBC1 in HD, such as EastEnders, Waterloo Road and Casualty.

The HD channels available to you with Freeview will depend on where you live, so it’s important you do a postcode check first - you don’t want to buy a HD set-top box only to find that your area will not receive the free-to-view HD channels until 2012.

Adding new Freeview channels

Rescanning your set-top box is really simple and a great way to check for new channels. You can do it as often as you like, and you may find lots of new channels the more regularly you do it.

Freeview recommends that you check with your manufacturer to find out if your hardware will rescan automatically. If not, you can follow the simple step-by-step instructions below:

1. Press “menu” on your remote control
2. From the on-screen options, select “tuning menu” - sometimes called “installation” or “default settings”
3. Select “update” to rescan. This might also be referred to as “auto setup,” “retune,” “replace” or “store channels.”

Should I get Freeview?

Don’t know which digital TV high-definition service to go for? Use our online price comparison tool to find out more about the digital TV providers available in your area.

Although you may be looking to reduce your monthly costs with Freeview, packages from Sky (www.sky.com) or Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) may suit you more, as subscription TV deals tend to offer a wider selection of channels, so make sure you consider all your options before buying a set-top box.