In 2011 the analogue TV transmitters in this area will be switched-off.
What does this mean?
Up until now - since the advent of colour TV in the late '60s - television has been broadcast in a form known as analogue. This means the electronic signal copies what the eyes and ears detect, and converts it to a picture on a screen and sound from a loudspeaker. (It's a bit like an interpreter translating one language to another). Since the 1990's there has been an alternative in the form of digital TV. The difference with digital is that the light and sound is converted in to an electronic signal which is then turned into a code. This code is received and then has to be decoded in order to create a picture (now we need an interpreter AND a cipher clerk to do the job!)
Why digital?
The disadvantage of analogue is that it is very greedy! Imagine, if you will, a small car park - an analogue TV channel is like a large 4x4 taking-up a full parking space, whereas a digital TV channel is like a bicycle, taking only a fraction of the space, leaving plenty of other bicycle-sized spaces. It is possible to squeeze many more digital TV channels into the TV part of the terrestrial radio spectrum, but there is no more space at present because the remainder is taken-up by the 4 analogue channels. Switching off these will allow space for many new terrestrial digital channels and services.
What happens then?
Quite simply, after the switch-off date - yet to be announced - but some time in 2011 for the South, all non-Freeview TVs and Video/DVD Recorders will cease to pick up "live" programmes. Where channels 1 - 5 were on your set you will just pick-up "noise" (static). However you will still be able to play Video tapes or DVDs etc through your set. (Also see Set-top boxes) .
