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Why can’t I get Freeview HD on my HD TV?

Our digital TV expert says...

Hello Andy, thanks for your email. There’s a very straightforward answer to your question and that is, unfortunately, having an HD-ready television doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be able to view HD channels - even with built-in Freeview.

Luckily, it’s a problem that can easily be fixed. There’s a good chance all you need is a Freeview HD set-top box, but it might be worth reading the following guide anyway. It explains what you need for Freeview HD and looks at a few alternatives.

Why can’t I get Freeview HD channels?

First of all, to watch Freeview HD channels you need a television that can handle high-definition (HD) broadcasts. That’s basically a HD-ready TV like yours, Andy.

The majority of new TVs will be HD-ready, but if your telly’s more than a few years old there’s a good chance it is unsuitable for HD viewing. It’s not essential to have a TV with a built-in Freeview receiver, a Freeview set-top box is easy to come by on most high streets.

However, just because you have a HD TV with built-in Freeview, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re watching Freeview HD channels. There are several reasons why this might be the case, but the most likely solution is that you don’t have the equipment required to receive Freeview HD.

What do I need for Freeview HD?

Before you can start watching Freeview HD, you need to make sure you have all of the following:

HD-ready TV - Although Freeview HD is still a relatively new system, TVs capable of tuning into HD channels have been around for some time now. Any television displaying the HD TV logo on its packaging is able to produce an HD picture. Even if your telly isn’t HD-ready, you may still be able to watch certain HD channels - but the image will actually be in standard-definition (SD) like normal channels. The vast majority of new TVs are now HD-ready - some even have a built-in Freeview HD receiver.

Set-top box - If your HD-ready TV has a built-in Freeview HD receiver, you won’t need a separate set-top box. However, a standard Freeview system - whether built-in or set-top box - will not allow you to watch the Freeview HD channels, even if the TV is HD-ready. So unless your HD telly has a built-in Freeview HD receiver you will need to purchase a box. These are widely available on the high street and online, and usually cost less than £100.

Freeview HD signal - Freeview’s HD service has now been rolled-out to most of the UK, with 100% coverage expected as Britain’s digital switchover moves towards completion in 2012. Before spending money on a set-top box or TV with built-in Freeview HD, use our HD coverage postcode checker to ensure HD channels are available in your area. If not, don’t worry - there are other HD TV services available.

Is Freeview HD available in my area?

The nationwide roll-out of Freeview HD has been underway for some time now. In fact, most of the UK should now have a signal. Use our postcode checker to make sure Freeview HD is available in your region.

It’s worth remembering that Freeview comes through an aerial, so if you had problems with poor TV reception before, there’s a good chance Freeview HD will not work. This is often the case for homes surrounded by especially tall buildings or trees.

However, when the switchover comes to your area, the relatively weak analogue signal will be replaced by a digital one. This should significantly improve most people’s reception, though certain geographical issues may still cause problems.

To find out how and when the digital switchover affects you, visit the Digital UK website. If Freeview HD is unavailable at your property, you could consider Freesat HD, which provides a similar subscription-free service via satellite.

How many channels will I get?

With Freeview HD you can watch BBC HD, ITV1 HD, and 4HD, as well as S4C Clirlun if you’re in Wales. You also get up to 50 standard Freeview channels.

Is Freeview HD the best choice for me?

Whether it’s a good digital TV option for you depends mainly on how much you want to spend and how many channels you want to receive.

The best thing is that it only requires a single one-off payment upfront, for the set-top box or TV with built-in Freeview HD receiver. After that, there is no monthly fee to pay, in the same way that satellite TV service Freesat is also subscription-free.

Freeview HD could be a great choice for anyone looking to get the most from their HD-ready TV on a limited budget. However, while you could be getting more than 50 channels with Freeview HD, there are many others which only subscription TV providers can offer.

If you’re happy to spend more money on a wider selection of channels and programmes, you might want to think about getting Sky, Virgin Media or BT Vision.

What are the alternatives?

Any of the following could make a possible alternative to Freeview HD:

Freesat HD - A subscription-free TV service very similar to Freeview HD, but received via satellite dish instead of an aerial. Freesat HD can provide more than 150 free TV and radio channels with no monthly fee to pay and relatively low set-up costs. It is often a better choice than Freeview if you live in an area where reception is traditionally quite poor, as satellite technology usually has better coverage. With a Freesat HD set-top box you can watch all the standard Freesat channels as well as BBC HD, ITV1 HD and 4HD.

Sky HD (www.sky.com) - If you’re looking for a wider variety of HD channels, a satellite subscription from Sky offers the biggest line-up of HD entertainment from any UK provider. As well as getting BBC HD, ITV1 HD and 4HD, you could also receive Sky Sports HD1, Discovery HD and Sky Movies HD Family. This means you can watch everything from documentaries to Disney films in stunning detail. Signing up to Sky could be the best option if you’re looking for a broad range of HD channels to choose from. But remember, there is a monthly cost of anything from around £25 to £60.

Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) - As the UK’s biggest cable TV provider, Virgin Media offers customers a good selection of HD programming, with channels including ESPN HD, Living HD, National Geographic HD and Film4HD. In addition, there are movie channels like PictureBox, and Virgin Media’s on-demand service also shows some HD content. In order to subscribe to Virgin Media, you will need to live on a cabled street. Again, it can make a good alternative to Freeview or Freeview HD as the fibre optic cables mean an aerial reception is not required.

BT Vision (www.btvision.bt.com) - Unlike most of its rivals, BT does not provide live broadcasts in HD and doesn’t offer its own range of HD channels. The basic selection of BT Vision channels is essentially what you get with a standard Freeview set-top box. However, if you’re a BT broadband customer, there is also a wide range of on-demand content available - some of which is in HD.

For more information download a free copy of our Complete guide to HD Television.

TV, broadband and phone packages

Company	Package Name	Channels	Broadband	Home Phone
	Sky Entertainment TV + HD + Sky Broadband Unlimited + Talk Freetime	Get channels like Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic and more
	TV Essential + More Broadband and Calls	70 Freeview channels
	TV: L + Broadband: 30Mb + Phone: M	100 channels including Virgin 1, Sky1, Comedy Central, Bravo and many more

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