High Definition TV will soon be available to viewers in the UK without the need for a satellite or cable subscription. Freeview HD will be available to around half of the UK in time for the World Cup and in the majority of the UK by the end of 2012.
Free HD TV in the UK
Free HD broadcasts on BBC, ITV and Channel 4 HD channels will be available along with S4C HD in Wales.
Viewers in London, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Bradford, Birmingham Cardiff and Swansea will be the first to be able to receive Freeview HD by the end of March 2010.
To check availability in your area you can enter your postcode on the Freeview website:
HD Receivers
To be able to watch HD broadcasts on Freeview you will need an HD TV. You will need a Freeview HD Receiver or a TV with Freview HD receiver built-in.
The Freeview HD box will be available early 2010 and the Freeview+ HD recorder will be available Spring 2010.
Humax HD-Fox T2 Freeview HD Set-top Box
The Humax T2 is the first set-top box to be able to decode the Freeview high definition signal. MPEG 4 compatible and fully compliant with UK DVB-T2 standards, the Humax is now available to buy in the UK.
Main Features
- Watch subscription-free HD broadcasts from BBC HD, ITV HD and Channel 4
- 8 day on-screen program guide
- Dolby Digital output
- Auto detection and tuning when new channels become available
- Built-in USB connector enables you to view images and movies from external devices such as digital cameras, video recorders and USB media players
- Ethernet connection for connection to internet and future services such as BBC iPlayer broadcasts.
- Receives standard digital broadcasts
- Standby power of less than 1watt
- 2 year manufacturer’s guarantee
Specifications
- Dimensions – 280mm x 200mm x 44mm
- Weight – 1.42kg CPU: BCM7405
- Flash memory 32MB SDRAM 256MB(+64MB)
- Tuner & Channel : Terrestrial Number tuner 1 DVB-T/DVB-T2
- Frequency Range 48.5MHz to 226.5MHz(VHF), 470MHz to 862MHz(UHF)
- Signal Level -70 to -10 dBm Aspect Ratio 4:3, 16:9
- Video Resolution 1080p,1080i,720p,576p,576i
- Audio Decoding MPEG/MusiCam Layer I&II Input voltage AC 90-250V
- Detailed spec sheet here (pdf)