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The Switch To
Digital Television Has Major Implications For UK Business.
Huge amounts of detailed information is
available about the implications to your business but what is not stressed
enough is the fact that it means that "each and every television on your
business premises will have to be converted to receive digital
transmissions" which could prove a costly if you do not begin the process
early enough.
Essentially the following information should be
sufficient to explain how most businesses in the UK will be effected by the
change to digital transmissions and why making the change early will help you to
pay less now rather than wait until the change is forced on your company and the
economics rule of "supply
and demand" will surely come in to
effect.
If you wish to find out out how your home will
be effected by the digital television switchover and to view some of the
available home digital TV options ... click
here
Why Move From Business
Analogue TV
To Digital TV?
- Digital technology provides a more efficient
way to deliver television than with normal analogue transmissions. It
enables the same services you now receive to be delivered in less space with
greater clarity.
- Sound and pictures are converted into a
digital format and compressed, using as much less memory as possible to
convey the information on a digital signal. This technique enables several
television channels to be carried in the space used by the current analogue
signals you now receive.
- Digital signals can be received by standard
aerials, satellite dishes or via cable but need to be decoded and turned
back into sound and pictures by using a separate set-top box, or a decoder
built into your television.
- Eventually you will have no choice because
over the coming years the analogue signal will simply be switched off in
your area and you will then not have any choice but to change.
Which Businesses Will
Be Affected By Digital
Changeover?
Televisions in non-domestic settings such as
schools, universities libraries, places of work, hospitals, day care centres,
residential care and nursing homes, pubs, bars, airports waiting, bed and
breakfast accommodation, youth hostels, government departments, prisons, hotels,
armed forces establishments and many many more businesses across the UK.
Will I Only Need One Digital Connection ?
All of your existing TVs will need to receive
at least the digital
free to view broadcasts after
digital switchover and each will need to be converted to digital via a digital
receiver or replaced by an integrated digital TV (IDTV) carrying a digital
adapter inside.
Equally VCRs, especially those aimed at
continued timer recording or your recording of a different TV channel to that
being viewed will also need to be updated or replaced.
Organisations that provide television viewing
to customers or those in the process of purchasing new televisions will need to
consider the impact of the Government's plans for switchover on their budgeting
and purchasing decisions because making the correct decision now will ensure you
pay less in the future.
Local Authorities and housing associations may
also want to consider making very clear cost assessments before the change is
forced on them.
Particular care should be taken to consider the quality of the existing TV
cabling within establishments when planning budgeting or purchasing decisions.
Many non-domestic installations are old and possibly based on connection to
various switches, plugs and adaptors.
Will My Business
Need A New Aerial?
A new aerial may be required as your existing
aerials may be old or damaged, and in some parts of the country, digital
terrestrial signals use a different frequency or transmitter to the one you
normally use for your analogue reception.
If you want to opt for a
digital
satellite television you will need
to have a dish installed on your business premises and have it connected to
a set top box or integrated digital television.
In the case of TV'S which use a set top box attached to an aerial, an indoor
digital tv antenna may be sufficient to receive the signals.
Where your business is situated
and the age and condition of your existing aerial will determine whether you may
require a new roof top or loft aerial.
My Business
Aerial Is Communal How Will I Be Effected?
Communal television systems, where one aerial or dish serves a number of
Business units and televisions in a building (or in some cases more than one
building) will be affected by the switch to digital television. This includes
systems in care homes, schools and other non-domestic settings.
Research carried out by the
Digital Television Group (DTG)
indicates that the majority of communal television systems set up to carry
analogue terrestrial transmissions will need some attention if they are to work
with a digital signal.
Will
I Need A New Television Licence?
A normal Business
Television Licence is all that is
needed to watch analogue or digital television. A separate licence is not
required to watch digital television services.
I
Have A VCR, Will This Be Effected?
Each VCR has its own analogue TV
tuner separate to that in the TV set so unless your VCR has an independent
digital tuner you will not be able to record one digital channel whilst viewing
another.
If this is important to you, you may need to invest in a new recording device
before the digital switchover. A Personal Video Recorder (PVR) such as a Sky+Box
provides this functionality and also
avoids the need for a separate set-top box.
Other solutions
include low cost digital adaptors and VCRs with an inbuilt digital tuner. With
these products you will still need a separate set-top box for your TV set.
If you want to view
more detailed information, we also recommend you view the government
advice and regulations regarding business digital television
(PDF). |