Television advice needed

[Square]

My mother needs to upgrade her televion to a digital set up, in time for when they switch off the analogue channels.

My question is, what is the easist way to do this? She hates technology, so a built in digital box (if there is such a thing) would seem to be the right way to go (less remotes, cables etc). But would she need anything else, or would this be enough?

If this is the wrong forum, please feel free to move it!

[Hitcher]

There are loads of TV with digital built in, just look for the DVB symbol on them.

You may need to upgrade the aerial, but most people I know (myself included) get a good signal with their old ones.

By the way, it's a good few years yet before they switch off the analogue transmitters - 5 years plus IIRC.

[Square]

Cheers for the response!

[MD]

Took over 15 years for the old 405 Line transmissions to be switched off. Should have been switched off in the early 70s, finally switched off in 1985... This was mainly due to people not upgrading their sets to the new fangled 625 Line service.

With the fairly low take up of Digital, I can't see the analogue signal being switched off until well into 2010... probably around 2015...

[Square]

With the fairly low take up of Digital, I can't see the analogue signal being switched off until well into 2010... probably around 2015...

[tankplanker]

Berlin managed the switch from analog to digitial in two years.

[MD]

But this is the UK... :P

[NeilMcRae]

I'm not so sure, the government needs the frequencies to sell to mobile operators and I suspect that they will turn it off so they can get the revenue.

Neil.

[mid]

Is that the mobile operators who are already sitting under a debt that would embarrass the average small nation after forking over the cash for 3G licenses that they haven't even bothered using?

[NeilMcRae]

Mobile operator != mobile phone operator. There are mobile data and other services that the spectrum is needed for. Personally I doubt it will happen also but if they don't free those frequencies up a number of other cool things will not come to the UK, such as wireless broadband for people in the sticks etc.

Neil.