HD Freeview Box FAQ's

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Will my old freeview box receive Freeview HD?

Any freeview boxes purchased before December 2009 definitely cannot receive Freeview HD. If it is not a specific HD Freeview Box then it will not be able to receive the new channels.

Will my existing HD TV receive Freeview HD?

Many modern HD-Ready TV's do have a built-in Freeview receiver. Unfortunately this will NOT be able to receive Freeview HD. In order to receive Freeview HD buy a separate Freeview HD box (with DVB-T2) and connect it to the HD TV set.

When will TV sets with built-in Freeview HD receivers be on sale in the UK?

We expect that TV sets with integrated Freeview HD receivers will go on sale in Spring 2010. The planned release of other HD Freeview Products are:

Some of these products will connect to a HD ready TV. If however you don't already have a HD Ready TV then this is the perfect opportunity to upgrade to a Freeview HD Ready TV with built in Freeview HD.

When is Freeview HD available?

Freeview HD will begin transmitting in the Granada TV region and in the London area from the 2nd of December 2009. Freeview HD is being rolled out slowly and will continue into 2012. Before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, almost 50% of all UK regions will be able to receive Freeview HD (as long as they have a HD Freeview Box) and 98.5% bfore the end of analogue to digital switchover which is due to be completed before the end of 2012.

The first places to receive Freeview HD will be London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Bradford, Leeds and Newcastle which will receive Freeview HD by the end of March 2010. Other cities to receive Freeview HD will be Manchester, Swansea and Cardiff which ill receive Freeview HD as they go through digital switchover before March 2010.

We have provided more information about the Freeview HD Rollout Schedule on a separate page.

What channels will be available on Freeview HD?

Initially your HD Freeview box will be able to receive 5 channels:

Do I need a new TV aerial?

If you're already able to get all of the Freeview channels, then you won't need a new TV aerial once Freeview HD is available in your area.

Do I need new aerial cabling?

If you're able to get all of the Freeview channels with your existing aerial and aerial cabling, then you won't need new TV co-ax aerial cable once Freeview HD is available in your area.

Do I need a new Freeview box?

Boxes sold before December 2009 will not support Freeview HD. New Freeview HD boxes are expected to be on sale in stores and online from early 2010. More on Freeview HD boxes HT TV set

Do I need a new TV set?

To watch HD, you need an HD-Ready TV set. If you already have one of these, you should be able to connect a Freeview HD box to your HD-Ready TV. You'll probably do this using an HDMI cable.

How much will Freeview HD cost?

There's will be NO subscriptions, NO contracts - all Freeview HD channels will be 100% free to all the UK.

Where can I get a Freeview HD Box?

At the time of writing, these are not available. These are expected in early 2010.

Where can I get a TV set with built-in Freeview HD?

At the time of writing, there are no TV sets with built-in Freeview HD receivers. These are expected in the first half of 2010.

Will there be a Freeview HD box with a built-in recorder / PVR

Yes. We just don't know exactly when or how much yet but it should be Spring 2010.

What resolution will Freeview HD be broadcast in?

It's looking like Freeview HD will be broadcast in 720p and 1080i

Does BT Vision support Freeview HD?

No, not at this time

Does Top Up TV support Freeview HD?

Top Up TV boxes do not support Freeview HD. New boxes may be released in the future

Is there a difference between SD and HD boxes

Yes - existing Freeview SD boxes don't contain the software or hardware to get Freeview HD