How to stay switched on to the TV revolution
GET A GREATER CHOICE OF FREE TV
WE ARE no longer stuck with a handful of terrestrial television options – but can get access to hundreds of free channels over the radio waves, cables and the internet.
You can join this revolution by investing as little as £20 for a set-top box that will give you more than 100 channels offered through Freeview. You plug a cable into your old TV aerial socket and the other end into the back of your television. On top of the usual channels – such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 – you get a host of others including Dave and Pick TV.
Alternatively, you might want to take advantage of Freesat if you have a satellite dish on the side of your house. Boxes cost from about £80 but will give you access to more than 200 channels and you do not need to pay for a subscription.
Each TV usually needs its own set-top box but if you buy a modern TV you may find it already has Freeview or Freesat technology inside the set. Viewers still pay £147 a year for a TV licence – although if aged over 75 you can enjoy TV for free. Multi-room systems can be set up with a single set-top box or DVD player serving several screens. There is also a host of streaming services that let you watch TV over the internet. Providers such as Netflix charge from £5.99 a month for access to thousands of shows. If you want to watch using more than one TV you pay £8.99 for a ‘premium’ service. Each TV needs to be plugged into the internet.
Amazon Prime TV starts from £7.99 a month and also gives subscribers access to its nextday postal service and access to its streamed music.
If you want access to Sky and its hundreds of channels subscriptions start from £22 a month. This includes a box on which you can record shows.
A set-top box usually only works for one TV but if you want a ‘multi-room’ deal, Sky charges from £32 a month, including required extra boxes.
Anyone wanting to watch TV in several rooms and perhaps include a surround sound system to give the feeling of being in a cinema, should consider using a professional installer to ensure that no unsightly cables are left lying around the home.
Ion Smith, of Cyberhomes, says: ‘Be future ready. For example, the latest technology is 4k – ultra-high definition TV. Make sure any wiring is ready for this as in a few years it could be the norm.’