The SwitchHelp Site was designed for the 2012 Switchover. The Switchover is not complete, so this site is no longer maintained. We keep it live as it still may contain some useful historical information. See SwitchHelp Index for a list of all pages.

Will I need a new TV aerial for digital TV?

Probably not.

Assuming you’re looking to get Freeview (and not satellite or cable), then you will need a TV aerial (ideally a good quality one on the roof).

As of the start of 2008, around 75% of people in the were able to Freeview. The reason that the number wasn’t higher is because some transmitters have not been upgraded to digital, and some are on reduced power, so that they don’t affect analogue telly. As your TV region gets closer to the switchover, Freeview signal will improve and the number of homes able to get Freeview on existing TV aerials will increase.

If you currently don’t get a very good signal on the standard analogue TV channels at the moment, chances are your existing aerial won’t be able to get Freeview. As to whether you need a new aerial for Freeview, use your postcode to check whether you’re in a Freeview area. Check here.

Also, check with your neighbours – if you’re in an area of good Freeview reception, but you can’t get Freeview on your digital TV or Freeview set-top box, there could be a problem with your aerial, or your aerial cabling.

Note that you won’t need a TV aerial if you’re planning to get digital TV via satellite or cable on all of your TV sets.

Will I need a digital aerial?

There is no such thing as a Digital Aerial. Aerials that were installed long before digital TV was created, are still capable of getting Freeview, as long as they are in range of a Freeview transmitter.

Freeview, as well as analogue TV, is transmitted in the band 21 to 65 UHF, which can be received by standard TV aerials. Some aerials only work for a certain range of frequencies (known as groups), so in some cases may have to be replaced with a wideband aerial, capable of getting from 21 to 65 UHF. For more, see the FrequencyCast Freeview Advice page.

Will I need special aerial cable?

No, standard aerial cable and TV aerial points should be fine for Freeview.

It’s important to note that to get a decent picture without breakup, ensure your cabling is in good condition. If your system is prone to interference, or close to a lot of mains cable, higher quality co-ax cable can help to screen out interference.

If you need TV cables, boosters or adapters, we recommend either maplin.co.uk or tvcables.co.uk.

More information:

• Freeview Reception help: Radio and Telly Freeview Advice
• Signal boosters and amplifiers: Signal Booster FAQ
• Freeview on an indoor aerial: Indoor aerial FAQ
• What is a digital aerial?