When Freeview HD goes live, do I need a new TV?

[Digiboxer]

I understand that one of the Freeview multiplexes will be reused to deliver 4 Freeview HD channels after digital switchover in 2012.
Has anyone got more information on this?
Will my existing HD ready Freeview TV receive these new channels? or will I need a Set-top box!!!!

[oldnewbie]

First we need to know what tv it is, There are some new panasonic tv's that receive hd channels but need a satellite dish. If yours is a standard hd tv with freeview built in then no it will not receive any hd channels without a satellite dish and set top box now or in the future. Hope this helps.

[scribbler101]

I am no great expert - and hopefully you will get replies from same, but afaik you will need a new stb to be the tuner for the HD transmissions, but hopefully the HD should be in a format that your present TV can understand, so you need not buy a new TV.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Digiboxer

I understand that one of the Freeview multiplexes will be reused to deliver 4 Freeview HD channels after digital switchover in 2012.
Has anyone got more information on this?
Will my existing HD ready Freeview TV receive these new channels? or will I need a Set-top box!!!!

You will need a new DVB-T2 freeview stb (there aren't any yet just pre production prototypes). Your HD ready TV will be just fine although you will need a spare hdmi socket.

[Digiboxer]

Thank you for your replies so far....

I did a bit of a 'google' search and came up with some information on cnet, its a good few months old, but seems to explain the situation?

How will Freeview HD work? - Crave at CNET UK

[Geofbob]

This article is more recent - Ofcom confirms three Freeview HD channels 'by end of next year' • The Register

Note the geographical phasing in - London (my location) won't get Freeview HD until 2012; I suspect I will have succumbed to Freesat before then.

[simon11]

Apparently freeview on an aerial will not be true HD but will be 720p due to bandwidth.

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by simon11

Apparently freeview on an aerial will not be true HD but will be 720p due to bandwidth.

There isn't a great deal of difference in terms of bandwidth between 720p and 1080i and 720p is a recognised HD resolution.
If you mean only 1080p can be recognised as "True HD" then I would say if it isn't 1080p/24 than it doesn't count either but regardless there are no commercial realtime 1080p broadcasts anywhere so it's not real a cause for concern.

[Geofbob]

Originally Posted by oldnewbie

First we need to know what tv it is, There are some new panasonic tv's that receive hd channels but need a satellite dish. If yours is a standard hd tv with freeview built in then no it will not receive any hd channels without a satellite dish and set top box now or in the future. Hope this helps.

To avoid confusing others, it should be clearly understood that this post by oldnewbie is incorrect. Freeview is a service received via a terrestrial aerial, and this will still be the case after some limited HD programming is introduced (which is planned well before analogue switch-off in 2012).

Freesat is the free service received via a satellite dish, and this already has some HD programming.

Though I am not certain of this, although the digital tuner in the current crop of Freeview HD TVs will not be able to cope with these Freeview HD transmissions, the TVs themselves should be able to show the programmes in HD if they are hooked up to the approprate Freeview HD receiver (in the same way as those TVs can currently display Sky or Freesat HD programmes).