Digital TV and recording
The end of the race? B
Although the finishing line is finally in sight, customers are still confused with digital TV options on offer, both in terms of services and recording, reports George Cole
y the end of the year, the UK will have completed the switchover from analogue to digital television. UK Digital, which has been managing the switchover, says the last analogue signal will be switched off on 24 October 2012, and at the time of writing, just four TV regions – London, Meridian, Tyne Tees and Northern Ireland - have yet to complete the switchover. Around 18 million UK homes now have Freeview, and Freesat sales have passed two million.
On track and under budget The digital switchover (DSO) timetable is on track and more than £50 million under budget, so it’s no surprise that UK Digital believes the programme has gone well. Graham North, commercial director, Humax Electronics, agrees, “The digital switchover has gone relatively smoothly, given the size of the regions that have gone through the transition. Humax has received limited calls from consumers and we have seen an increased uptake in sales within the DSO areas of the country.” Peter Hainsworth, Sony’s field technical marketing manager,
Sony SVR-HDT1000 hard disk recorder
says, “As each region switches, we are seeing a steady reduction in the complexity and volume of calls related to the switchover event.” Warren Hampton, Samsung’s general manager of STB [Set-top Box] division, notes that, “The UK is rapidly embracing the move from analogue to digital. Major sporting events and more TV channel choice have encouraged people to upgrade their home entertainment, and we expect to see this trend continue as the switchover goes through its final stages.” For Glenn Zanoni, Toshiba product marketing manager, TV & Blu-ray, “The digital switchover has had a positive impact on basic consumer awareness and understanding of the digital TV market.”
16 The Independent Electrical Retailer January 2012
But some challenges remain. Warren Hampton thinks, “There’s the risk that some people may leave it until the last minute, or might need a little extra advice as they may be confused by the wealth of information already out there. Similarly, people may not know that set-top boxes are a simple way to switchover.” Graham North says there are still some big areas yet to go digital, including London. “However, many people within this region are already digital TV users and are therefore much better prepared than those in some of the regions
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