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Television is changing, with a raft of new services,
delivered over new platforms, set to transform the way
we
watch.
DIGITAL
Between 2008 and 2012, the analogue TV signal will be
switched off in the UK, meaning the country will have to
be 100% digital.
Digital TV can be sent through an aerial, satellite,
cable or phone line, and to watch it you need a set-top
box or
a built-in decoder in your TV set.
As well as extra channels, digital also provides
improved quality, electronic programme guides and
interactive
features via the red button, like voting or extra
coverage such as Ashes highlights.
While analogue signals work by transmitting sounds and
pictures as continuously varying waves, digital
information is sent as compressed computerised pulses of
information, coded as 1s and 0s.
Because these signals take up much less space than
analogue, more channels can be squeezed into the same
airwaves.
HIGH DEFINITION
High definition television, or HDTV, is a new format for
watching programmes, offering sharper, clearer and
brighter pictures and better sound.
You need an HD-ready TV and an HD set-top box or decoder
to receive the programmes, which are sent
through digital signals.
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Televisions are considered HD-ready if the screen has
enough pixels to display a high definition picture and
must be capable of displaying pictures with either 720
or 1080 vertical lines.
The programmes themselves must be made and transmitted
in HD.
The BBC is running free trial HD broadcasts, and Sky and
Telewest are offering a commercial HD service. HD
films are also available, but in two different formats -
Blu-ray and HD-DVD. |
Nature programmes
have leapt at the chance to use High definition |
PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDERS
Personal video recorders (PVRs) record digital
television straight onto computer-like hard drives.
They let you pause, rewind and replay action on screen
while you are recording a programme - allowing for time
-shift viewing of live TV.
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PVRs give you the
freedom of
video control while still recording |
PVRs have built-in programme guides, making it easier to
choose what to record. Some models let you tell them
to always record your favourite soap, or tape all
programmes on a specific subject.
Most PVRs are combined with a digital TV service - such
as Sky or Free view. |
ON DEMAND
"On demand" means being able to throw away the TV
schedule and watch what you want, when you want.
Dedicated services - such as HomeChoice and BT Vision in
the UK - send shows and films over a broadband
connection to your TV via a set-top box.
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Or viewers can watch at leisure on a computer, with many
US networks already offering hit shows online and UK
broadcasters fast catching up.
The missing link with this option is the device that
connects or combines the computer and the TV. |
Televisions could
become redundant as your PC turns TV |
TV MEETS COMPUTER
Connecting your TV to your computer, or just having one
machine that does both things, is expected to be big.
This will open up a huge library of video from the
internet to watch on your TV as well as using the
computer's
memory as a PVR.
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The Microsoft Media Centre can act as both a TV
and a PC |
There is some way to go before the technology and
usability are slick enough to make it truly viable, but
Microsoft's Media Centre has made a start.
Apple will bring out its iTV, doing a similar thing,
early next year. And games consoles such as the Xbox 360
let
you download shows to watch on TV.
A device called the Slingbox could really shake things
up, beaming your home TV signal to any computer
wherever you are in the world. |
MOBILE
Mobile phones can now be used to watch television on the
move.
High-speed connections on the 3G network enable pockets
of information to be watched on mobiles, but this
bears a heavy load on network.
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Competing technologies (DAB-IP and DVb-H) are being
trialled by phone manufactures to let more people
watch the same shows simultaneously.
All mobile operators offer some sort of video service,
with some now able to receive BBC One and ITV1 live,
while others allow you to watch a wide range of
"made-for-mobile" channels or download clips.
As well as mobile phones, watching shows or video
podcasts on iPods and other MP3 players is becoming
increasingly popular. |
TV to go - mobile
operators are working on providing more choice |
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