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Freeview HD - High Definition
Freeview now offers four high definition TV channels. Here, you'll find details of the new HD service from Freeview, plus details of how to get HD.
What is HD Freeview?
In April 2008, UK Regulator OfCom announced that we can expect up to four high-definition digital TV channels to be delivered via a TV aerial on Freeview.
What HD channels are available on Freeview?
The following HD channels are, or will be, available on Freeview in parts of the UK:
- BBC HD (now)
- ITV 1 HD (now)
- Channel 4 HD (now)
- S4C (now - Wales only)
- STV HD (now - Scotland only)
- BBC One HD (Expected Autumn 2010)
Five HD: This was set to launch by the end of 2010, but their licence was withdrawn by Ofcom in March 2010: Five loses HD licence.
When will Freeview HD channels become available?
Freeview HD is live in some parts of the UK now. It won't be until 2012 that all of the proposed Freeview HD channels become available across the whole UK.
Freeview HD services started from the 2nd of December 2009 in the Granada TV region and in the London area, with the rest of the UK getting Freeview HD gradually between 2010 and 2012 in parallel with the Digital Switchover rollout.
Based on the information we have, here is a rough timetable for HD on Freeview:
| Region / Area | Transmitter | HD Date |
| Manchester / Granada region | Winter Hill | 2 December 2009 |
| London area | Crystal Palace | 2 December 2009 |
| Newcastle and Tyneside | Pontop Pike | February 2010 |
| Glasgow, central Scotland | Black Hill | February 2010 |
| Leeds and Bradford | Emley Moor | March 2010 |
| Birmingham | Lichfield | March 2010 |
| Liverpool, central Lancashire, Cheshire, North Staffordshire | Winter Hill Relays | March 2010 |
| Cardiff and Newport | Wenvoe | March 2010 |
| Swansea | Kilvey Hill | March 2010 |
| West and Central Wales | Blaenplwyf | March 2010 |
| Carmarthenshire | Carmel | April 2010 |
| Exeter, parts of Devon, Somerset and Dorset | Stockland Hill | April 2010 |
| Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire | Mendip | April 2010 |
| Shetland | Bressay | May 2010 |
| Orkney | Keelylang Hill | May 2010 |
| Caithness, North Sutherland | Rumster Forest | Mid-June 2010 |
| Rest of Wales | Long Mountain, Moel y Parc, Presely | Mid-June 2010 |
| Devon, Cornwall | Caradon Hill, Redruth | Mid-June 2010 |
| Anglesey | Llanddona | July 2010 |
| Lewis, Wester Ross, North West Sutherland, Western Isles | Eitshal Skriaig | July 2010 |
| Angus, Dundee, Perth, and parts of Fife | Angus | August 2010 |
| Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly | Beacon Hill, Huntshaw Cross | August 2010 |
| Aberdeenshire | Durris | September 2010 |
| Morayshire, Strathspey, and parts of Easter Ross | Knockmore | October 2010 |
| South West Scotland | Caldbeck Scotland | October 2010 |
| Inverness and the Great Glen | Rosemarkie | October 2010 |
| South West Highlands and Islands | Torosay | October 2010 |
| Cumbria and the Lake District | Caldbeck | October 2010 |
| Isle of Man | Douglas | October 2010 |
| Scottish Borders | Selkirk | November 2010 |
| Channel Islands | Fremont Point | End 2010 |
| Bedfordshire, Berkshire (parts), Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, East Anglia, East Midlands, East Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Humberside, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire (parts), Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands (remainder), and West Yorkshire (remainder) | Various | 2011 |
| Berkshire (remainder), County Durham, Greater London (remainder), Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Teesside, Tyneside | Various | 2012 |
| Northern Ireland | Various | 2012 |
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How do I get Freeview HD?
To get Freeview's high definition channels, you'll first need to wait until they're available in your area. In some cases this may not be until 2012.
As with Freeview, Freeview HD will be received via a TV aerial.
You will need a DVB-T2 High Definition Freeview receiver with support for MPEG-4. See our list of Freeview HD boxes for a summary of Freeview HD boxes, TV sets and recorders on offer in the UK.
Will my existing box or TV get Freeview HD?
Freeview HD uses the DVB-T2 High Definition standard, and MPEG-4 coding. These require a special Freeview HD receiver:
HD Set top box:
- Freeview HD boxes started to become available in the first half of 2010 - our favourite being the Humax HD Fox T2. More on our Freeview HD Boxes page.
TV set with Freeview HD:
- If you have an HD TV set with a built-in Freeview receiver, this will NOT be able to receive Freeview HD. You will need to buy a Freeview HD set-top box (with DVB-T2) and connect it to your existing HD TV set.
- TV sets with built-in Freeview HD receivers started to appear in Spring 2010.
Freeview HD boxes
The first Freeview HD boxes that conform to the DVB-T2/MPEG-4 standard started to appear in early 2010 - the first of these, was the Humax HD Fox T2.
We have a page dedicated to Freeview HD Boxes, which will be updated with information on new Freeview HD boxes as they're released.
Want to know more?
Sign up to our Podcast, FrequencyCast, where we cover topics including Freeview HD, Freesat, Sky and BT Vision.
- FrequencyCast - Listen online
- FrequencyCast - Get us via iTunes
Also, sign up to our newsletter for Freeview HD updates:
Updates on Freeview HD? Sign up to our free newsletterWe won't pass on your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time |
Don't want to wait for Freeview HD?
- Consider Freesat (offering HD via a dish), Virgin (cable TV) or Sky+ HD.
- Also, see our HD page for other options
The HD Alternatives? You may have dismissed the Sky satellite TV option (as it's not subscription-free), but if you want to make the most of your HD TV set, here's why you may wish to think again:
Full details and pricing info on Sky's HD site |
Price: Sky is currently offering a free Sky+ HD receiver / recorder - there's a £10 a month subscription for HD channels -
Got a question on Freeview HD? Ask in our Freeview forum , or contact us |
Handy Links:
- Your Freeview HD Questions Answered
- Freeview HD Boxes - Our list of Freeview HD boxes and recorders
- More on Freeview - Freeview Info
- More on HD - High Definition Explained
- UK HD Channel list - Find out which HD channels are available
- More on Freesat HD - Freesat Explored
- Need help? Ask in our Freeview forum
Is this page correct? Something wrong or missing on this page? Report a site problem If you're looking for help, please don't use this option - instead ask in our forum |
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