Kingsbridge

Kingsbridge will switch once and for all to the new digital television platform next spring, it has been announced.

The Beacon Hill transmitter group, which serves the South Hams, will switch from analogue to digital on Wednesday April 8, 2009.

Any TV set that’s not converted to digital when the switchover takes place will no longer receive TV programmes.

Digital TV is more efficient. It frees up airwaves that could be used for innovations such as high definition television (HDTV) or mobile television, and will also provide people with a greater choice of affordable digital options.

Not only will digital improve the picture quality of your television, but it will also provide extra TV channels as standard.

As well as all the usual TV channels, stations such as BBC Three, ITV2, E4, More 4, S4C2, Sky News, Cbeebies, CBBC, CITV, ITV3 and FilmFour will be available once the switchover has taken place.

VHS videos and analogue DVD recorders will play still be able to play tapes and discs, but they will only be able to record the same channel that is being watched.

For those who have digital on all their TVs now, the cost of the switchover is potentially nothing.

But for those who have yet to convert, the cost varies according to how many TVs are owned, whether consumers wish to replace their video, and whether they need a new aerial.

For a typical Kingsbridge home with two television sets and a video recorder, the cost of switching this way would be in the region of £100-150.

An estimated 20 per cent of homes in the region will need a new aerial on their roof to receive digital pictures.

Digital UK, the non-for-profit company responsible for leading the digital switch-over, has developed ways to test an aerial in advance of switchover, such as a test card on teletext p284 and a handheld aerial checker available from retailers.