Programme - Children's TV

How you can receive digital satellite service.

Satellites have been placed into position at 28.2° East and these are now beaming digital channels to the UK. A small satellite dish (43cm) externally installed is cabled to a set top box which will convert the signal and input it into your present vcr and television. Connection of the set top box to your existing telephone line allows interactive or Pay-Per-View services to be used. Programme subscription packages start from £12.50 per month. The Digital service offers a wide range of television and radio channels to suit all tastes, including BBC1&2, other BBC digital-exclusive channels, ITV1 and its digital-only sister channel ITV2, Channel 4, their digital entertainment channel E4, and Channel 5.

In September 2001 Sky launched their new generation TV boxes. Please refer to our special TV section dedicated to this product with many exciting features.

If you want a dedicated Digital system it is now possible to have up to 8 standard Sky boxes or 4 TV boxes all linked to the same 43cm dish. You pay a monthly subscription charge of £10 or £15 for each additional box subject to channel packages selected and Sky's terms and conditions. The channels and services received via the additional subscription(s) will "mirror" those chosen for your first box.

Via a digital set top box that uses your roof-top aerial, you can receive the new free to air terrestrial digital television and radio channels. With simply a one-off payment for the set-top-box and no channel subscription, Freeview receivers are easy to self-install and the perfect solution for those who want basic digital television. They are also ideal if you already have a satellite system but want a second independent system providing the complete line up of nationally available BBC TV and radio channels, ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4, Channel 5 plus  a few other channels.  Freeview is operated by the BBC and Crown Castle International, and partly funded by the BBC license fee.

A Freeview receiver incorporating a hard disk drive is now available with a capacity of around 10 hours. Recording is made simple using an easy to navigate on-screen viewing planner.

The system allows you to watch one channel whilst recording another or to watch different channels on two televisions. With pause live TV you can freeze a programme whilst taking a phone call etc. and then continue watching where you left off.