Getting ready for North Devon's digital switchover
THE first stage of the digital television switchover will start in North Devon on Wednesday next week.
The switchover — which has been widely advertised for months — will take place in two stages.
The first stage starts shortly after midnight on Wednesday, July 1, when analogue BBC Two will be switched off and replaced with the BBC's full range of digital channels.
Stage two will take place four weeks later, on Wednesday, July 29, when the remaining analogue channels (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and Five) will be replaced in digital form with public-service TV, radio and text services.
On switchover days, all terrestrial TV services will be off air during the night and are expected to be restored in most areas by morning.
In some areas served by relay transmitters, services will be off air until mid-afternoon; at that point, Freeview, BT Vision and Top Up TV boxes will require re-tuning, a spokesman said.
Most of North Devon is served by the Huntshaw Cross transmitter, which bounces signals to smaller relay transmitters at Great Torrington, Hartland, Westward Ho, Swimbridge, Barnstaple, Muddiford, Braunton, Woolacombe, Ilfracombe, Chambercombe, Berrynarbor and Combe Martin.
Ofcom and Digital UK claimed that 98% of viewers in the West Country region were aware of switchover and 88% know what to do.
Digital UK has run a high-profile information campaign — on-screen captions have appeared on televisions receiving analogue signals in the Huntshaw Cross area warning people they will need to convert.
Letters are also being sent to every household in North Devon eligible for help from the Switchover Help Scheme, which offers assistance and equipment to convert one television for those aged 75 or over, registered blind or partially sighted, or on certain disability benefits.
There are three main options for going digital: through an aerial via Freeview or Top Up TV services using either a digital box or television with a built-in tuner; by satellite; or through cable. A postcode checker on the Digital UK website can tell people which options are available to them (www.digitaluk.co.uk)
● What has been your experience of the digital TV switchover? Let the
Journal
know on our website at www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk
2 Comments
by Colin Newton, Barnstaple EX31 1QQ
Friday, July 31 2009, 7:15PM
“Today, 31.07.09 we have lost Freeview channels 11,19,29,32,82,83 and108 despite having retuned four times. Are we expected to report this as an achievement? When will we have our previous level of service restored?”
by the big boss, combe martin
Friday, June 26 2009, 3:13PM
“does this mean that in ilfracombe and combe martin we will actually get english t.v?
as if it isnt bad enough having welsh t.v the signal isnt even good enough to be able to put up with that.
i wonder if s.wales has westcountry t.v? or is it simply that they have much better services than our providers will be bothered to give us so they simply overpower our crappy little transmitters.......”