With the digital television switchover taking place across the UK, it’s easy to become confused by the wealth of information on offer.

Do you need to buy a wide range of expensive equipment? Is your own existing television capable of showing digital television? What do all the technical terms mean and do I actually need to know?

Ricability has been working with the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to produce independent consumer test reports on digital TV products.

On their website, www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk, they offer simple, impartial advice to help consumers make considered decisions about what sort of equipment they should buy.

Ricability Project Manager Caroline Jacobs said: “Our experience is that consumers can be easily bewildered by digital TV jargon and choices.

“We’re here to serve the public and ensure that the digital switchover is a smooth process, not something which has to cost a lot of money or ends up with a blank screen. The digital switchover offers such a huge variety of enhanced services and can dramatically enhance the viewers’ experiences.”

1. It is possible to convert analogue TVs?
Analogue TVs will not receive the digital television signal without additional equipment. There is a wide variety of options from simple inexpensive top boxes to more expensive state-of-the-art digital televisions.

2. What is the cheapest option for upgrading?
Simple digital Freeview top boxes can cost as little as £20 and financial support is available for those over 75 or eligible for certain disability benefits/allowances.

3. Do we just plug the equipment in and it will all work perfectly?
Those who already have a Freeview digital TV, or box, Top up TV or BT Vision will need to re-tune to continue to receive television channels.

Satellite and cable users don’t have to do anything because their retuning will be done automatically.

4. What if we live in an area where Freeview digital reception is poor?
There are alternative ways of getting digital reception other than an aerial. There are satellite and cable subscription services, as well as the non-subscription Freesat from BBC & ITV.

5. What if we live in a flat with a shared aerial?
Four million UK homes share an aerial and many of these will need to be upgraded.

Whoever manages your building will be responsible for ensuring that it is ready to receive a digital TV and you may be required to contribute with other residents to the cost of any works to your aerial.

6. My building is listed or in a conservation area – does this make a difference to any aerial amendments I need to make?
Listed buildings and conservation areas can be subject to a wide range of additional restrictions which may restrict your options.

It is advisable to speak to the local planning officer to check the current situation.

7. What happens if I have all the channels but the wrong regional service?
If you live in an area with overlapping transmitter signals, your regional service may still be tuned into your television but lower down the channels.

You can use your ‘favourites’ button to save your preferred TV channels so that you can find them more easily or you can do a manual re-tune to put your preferred channels back at the top of the channel list.

8. What should we do if our signal freezes?
Ricability recommends trying your new digital TV or set top Freeview box with your existing aerial. If you get problems like freezing or no signal, you may well need to upgrade your aerial.

Make sure you use a registered aerial installer and avoid door to door salesmen or installers, who in our experience are unlikely to be registered.

Remember, an aerial alone will not provide digital television access. You will need a receiver such as a set top box or a digital television, for instance.

9. Can we use our VCR or DVD recorders?
You can use your VCR recorder to record digital television, but the new digital recorders offer a wider range of facilities such as simpler recording, pausing live TV and recording and watching different channels at the same time.

There are digital Freeview recorders available and satellite receivers for Sky and BBC Freesat with built in recorders.

10. Where can we go for more information?
Anyone who has any concerns about the digital switchover can visit the Ricability website which has free, independent information, explained in clear, simple language that cuts through the jargon.

For more information and to search for products with the features you want, please visit www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk.

For media inquiries please contact:
David Alexander, Calacus PR on 07802-412424.

Editor, Third Age.