My researcher, who is more of a whiz with technology than I am, confessed this week that his eyes glaze over whenever “Digital Switchover is mentioned. Me too – but it is about to happen here in Penarth so we’d better get a grip on it.
The good news is that where the switchover has already happened – closing down our old style TV reception (analogue) to make way for the new digital TV service, it has all gone very smoothly and proved quite simple.
As with anything, the problem is that the less you understand about something there more there is to worry about, but when you face up to it your tears soon disappear. The first thing to do is to read the literature circulated to every household. It is actually quite well written.
Since the first pilot areas were switched over last year the Digital Helpscheme has provided help to over 250,000 people, and if you aren’t ready then there is still time.
The second thing to do is to use the helpline if you have queries about retuning equipment, and indeed anything more complex.
Thirdly, if you are over 75 or receiving certain benefits then you qualify for the helpscheme. The scheme should pick up most people who are eligible automatically, but if you think you or someone you know is eligible for help and hasn’t been contacted then please call the Helpscheme on 08456 50 50 50.
The chances are that if you receive analogue TV with a pretty good signal then you WILL NOT need a new aerial for digital TV, if you are unsure then check on www.digitaluk.co.uk, and if you do need a new aerial make sure you use a registered digital installer find one on www.rdi-lb.tv. By the way here is no such thing as a ‘digital aerial’, if you aerial is 20years old and still working well, it will probably be ok.
The scheme will convert one television set, however it doesn’t have to be your main set. If you have already switched the TV in the living room to digital but the one upstairs in the bedroom is analogue then you can get that one converted, providing of course that you qualify for the helpscheme.
If you are all set up for the change, then check on friends, family and neighbours. BBC2 switches over on 3rd March and the rest of the channels on 31st March. So if after 3rd March you can’t get BBC2 anymore then you need to do something about it!