Although going from analog to digital may have been a real headache for many people, it has been worth the change, as digital television offers many benefits. Now there are many more options than the five channels that people without satellite TV subscriptions can get. This is just one of the benefits, but what others are there?
The range of channels and options
As mentioned above, one of the biggest changes in the way we watch TV through Freeview is the sheer number of channels that residents can now get and don’t have to pay for a monthly subscription. Before switching to digital, if you wanted more than the five standard channels, you had to purchase a monthly subscription to one of the satellite television services. This meant the installation of Virgin TV by cable or Sky TV by satellite, two of the most popular options.
Things turned for the better with Freeview as it brought with it access to around 50 channels and music stations and nothing to pay for after installation. Residents of households across the UK often have access to comedies, documentaries, movies, sports, news, reality shows, and children’s TV shows. There is something to suit the needs of all members of the family. Another option to access more channels is Freesat. With Freesat you have a satellite dish installed and once you have paid for the installation, you will not have to pay anything more to access hundreds of channels and music stations.
Different options for decoders
Whether you prefer to have Freesat, Freeview, Sky, or YouView installed to watch digital TV, you have a choice when it comes to the set-top box you want. If you want to do nothing more than choose what to watch, you can choose the standard decoder with no frills. This offers a basic TV guide so you can check what’s going on and tune in to channels. Of course, in the case of Freeview, this is built into many of the modern TVs you buy now as well, so you don’t need an extra set-top box unless you want to watch it in another room.
Then there’s the Plus decoder and it’s more expensive, but it may be worth the outlay. With the decoder Plus you can record TV shows and watch them at a time that suits you best. Not only can you record with the push of a button, but you can also have the set-top box record an entire series of your favorite show so you don’t miss an episode.
With Cable Box Plus you can also pause and rewind live TV if you are watching it through the cable box. For example, you can tune in to the last episode of a soap opera that you watch and then someone comes to visit you. In this case, just hit the pause button and the rest of the show will be waiting for you to start watching from where you left off when you hit play. If you missed something that was said or there is a funny moment you want to rewatch, you can hit the rewind button and watch it again.
Digital television for several rooms
You may want to watch TV in other rooms in the house via Freesat, Freeview, Sky or YouView and this is made possible by multi-room installation. You can request multi-room installation when you book your installation with your TV antenna company.
Multi-room means that you can have decoders installed in other rooms of the house and only have one satellite dish in the case of Freesat or Sky. With multi-room installation, people living in your home can choose to see what they want to see in different rooms. This can be helpful if you have teenagers who like to watch TV and music channels. You can install multiple rooms in the bedroom to watch digital TV in bed, in the kitchen, or anywhere else you want to watch TV.
So while it might have been a hassle during the move from analog to digital, you have to agree that it was worth it thanks to the many benefits that digital has brought.
