Freeview HD - final dates

2010 is the year for Freeview HD for many people. But not all. The full list is here.

2010 is the year for Freeview HD for many people. But not all
The dates include the relays unless otherwise specified.

  • Winter Hill (Manchester) NOT RELAYS, at switchover 2 December 2009
  • Crystal Palace (London) NOT RELAYS, advanced service 2 December 2009
  • Pontop Pike (Newcastle and Tyneside) NOT RELAYS, advanced service February 2010
  • Black Hill (Glasgow, Central Scotland) NOT RELAYS, advanced service February 2010
  • Emley Moor (West Yorkshire) NOT RELAYS, advanced service March 2010
  • Lichfield (Birmingham) NOT RELAYS, advanced service March 2010
  • Winter Hill RELAYS (Liverpool, Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire), late service March 2010
  • Wenvoe (Cardiff, Newport), March 2010
  • Kilvey Hill (Swansea), late service March 2010.
  • Blaenplwyf (West, Central Wales), March 2010
  • Stockland Hill (Exeter, Devon, Somerset, Dorset), late service April 2010
  • Carmel (Carmarthenshire), late service April 2010
  • Mendip (Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucetershire), late service April 2010
  • Long Mountain, Moel-y-Parc, Preslei, late service June 2010
  • Llanddona (Anglesay), late service July 2010
  • Beacon Hill, Caradon Hill, Huntshaw Cross, Redrith (Devon, Cornwall), late service August 2010
  • Caldbeck (Cumbria), late service October 2010
  • Douglas (Isle of Man), late service October 2010
  • Selkirk (Scottish Borders), late service November 2010
  • Fremont Point (Channel Islands), December 2010.


All the other transmitters will have Freeview HD at switchover.

The "advanced service" is on unknown frequencies, so it is possible that there might be different coverage to standard Freeview and a wideband aerial might be required. The advanced services will move to their correct frequencies at switch-over.

You will need an HDTV and a new Freeview HD box to view the service, and a roof top aerial will be essential.

Published on 16th Nov 2009 at 14:02:47 by Brian Butterworth

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Mr & Mrs Osborne: There isn't a single bit of kit out there anywhere that can receive Freeview HD yet, but there soon will be.

You don't need a new set or aerial, just the transmitter in-service and a Freeview HD box.
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Tuesday 1 December 2009 10:41AM GB
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Which will provide the best HD picture quality - Freesat, or Freeview when it comes ?

Thanks

Paul
Posted by Paul (6 posts) on Tuesday 1 December 2009 12:33PM GB
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Paul: There is capacity on Freesat for better pictures, but I suspect they will be comparable . You can see Freesat HD today, and we won't really know how good Freeview HD is until it arrives tomorrow.
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Tuesday 1 December 2009 3:05PM GB
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is HD available in my area on freeview Warrington WA 3 post code
Posted by unsworth (1 post) on Tuesday 15 December 2009 3:42PM GB
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Hi Brian,

Could you tell me if viewers in wales will get channel4 hd as well as s4c hd on freeview as i am having trouble getting conflicting info on this.

Mark Aberfan Aerials
Posted by Mark Aberfan Aerials (1 post) on Saturday 16 January 2010 3:56PM GB
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unsworth, HD is broadcast from winter Hill on Freeview but no receiving equipment is available yet!
Posted by Iain Davies (246 posts) on Sunday 17 January 2010 7:04PM GB
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So far, Freeview is a joke round here. No reception until Sept 2011 and when it does arrive, we can look forward to less than half the number of channels many folks can receive now. Not much use for folks who live in properties that can't have a satellite dish.

Very disappointing. I would have thought it should have been a given that everyone would eventually be able to receive ALL the Freeview channels, not just the lucky ones.
Posted by Steve (4 posts) on Monday 25 January 2010 7:48AM GB
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Steve: The commercial operators have decided it costs too much to broadcast to you. In these cases you receive the cross-subsidized public service channels only.

It's not a joke, it is the commercial reality of the situation.

Why not get Freesat today, you will get all the channels you will in 2011? Freesat | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Monday 25 January 2010 8:01AM GB
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Brian's correct Steve.
Although Freesat probably isn't quite as good as the full Freeview service (No Dave, Five USA etc.) it's a damned sight better than Freeview Lite and has channels that aren't on Freeview at all. I know if I was in a Freeview Lite area, and didn't have Sky, I'd go for it.
There are also some very good Freesat HD PVRs, like the Humax Foxsat and the new models from Sagem and Grundig.
Posted by Peter Henderson (8 posts) on Monday 25 January 2010 11:41AM xx
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What's all the complaning about Freeview not getting the whole lot of channels? As I have said before, all we had with analogue was FOUR or if you were lucky FIVE channels any more channels is a bonus! At no extra cost to your licence fee. Any way who wants any more, most of the people I talk to are quite happy with FIVE. When installing TVs as soon as you go to CH6(ITV2) you see confusion come over there face, and they say "I'm fine with five channels don't tune in ant more" and when you tell them there are umpteen more the first thing they is "how much will it cost me?" when you say "nothing" they say "I don't want all those channels".
Posted by Iain Davies (246 posts) on Monday 25 January 2010 7:56PM GB
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Iain Davies: That certainly was the argument right back at the beginning. It is one of the reasons that many people don't like Sky/Virgin very much is the endlessness of it all.

I'm happy most of the time to use the iPlayer to watch good things and listen to music or the radio the rest of the time...
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Monday 25 January 2010 8:03PM GB
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Some good points, chaps, and thanks for answering. My main gripe is that some of the channels I'd love to view (such as Film Four) will not be available to me. Freesat would indeed solve my limited viewing problems, but we live in a bedsit that's part of a Grade 2 listed building and the local council have refused permission for a dish. As we can't afford to move for the forseeable, Freesat is not currently an option. I do understand now why we have only been granted a limited Freeview service, but it does seem a little unfair. Of course, if you are in a position to get all the channels, there's really no problem.

Ah well, life wasn't meant to be easy, I guess. Thanks again for explaining.
Posted by Steve (4 posts) on Monday 1 February 2010 8:49PM, 4 days ago. GB
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Steve: You have not been "granted a limited Freeview service", the digital public services have the same coverage as they had analogue.

The commercial operators are free to provide services where they want, and they have chosen not to do it from any more transmitters after switchover.
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Tuesday 2 February 2010 7:11AM, 4 days ago. GB
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Thanks very much, Briantist.
Yes, "granted" was perhaps the wrong word to use.
I can see now that the commercial operators have done an excellent job and clearly aren't in a position to ensure everyone has the same choice.

Thanks for explaining, mate.
Posted by Steve (4 posts) on Tuesday 2 February 2010 7:21AM, 4 days ago. GB
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Steve: It's just a question of cost-benefit analysis. The commercial operators can run from the existing 81 sites, three multiplexes on each and cover 90% of the population.

They were given the option of extending their services to the other 1074 transmitters, but as these cover only 8.5% of the population it's just too expensive for them.

http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051024 No new full Freeview transmitters | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Tuesday 2 February 2010 7:28AM, 4 days ago. GB
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When is the Oxford transmitter transmitting HD freeview.
Posted by Simon Dale (1 post) on Friday 5 February 2010 2:01PM, 2 days ago. GB
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It appears that the Channel Islands are not going to get other than very limited Freeview channels. Considering that they are not part of the UK, why do they have to give up channels to the British Government to sell? They have currently four analogue channels, why can't they use all four for Freeview?
Posted by Doug (1 post) on Saturday 6 February 2010 5:21PM, 1 days ago. GB
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Doug: It is down the commercial operators to provide the service, and they declined to do this as the number of viewers in the channels islands is so low compared to the transmission costs.

The commercial operators are not required in law to act uncommercially.
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Sunday 7 February 2010 11:28AM, 1 days ago. GB
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Simon Dale: At switch-over, Wednesday 30th March 2011.
Posted by Briantist (17,034 posts) on Sunday 7 February 2010 11:30AM, 1 days ago. GB
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