Three high definition digital channels are offered through Freeview: BBC Hi-def, ITV 1 Hi-def, Channel 4 Hi-def, as well as a fourth channel, S4C, offered only to viewers in Wales. The intended launch of a Fifth Hi-def channel in 2010 may be cancelled, but if Channel 5 can get yet another license for Hi-def they may perhaps be capable to launch in 2012.

Apart from BBC Hi-def, which presently shows a selection of specially picked Hi-def programs, these channels will have exactly the same schedules as their normal definition versions. Viewers who obtain the Hi-def version on an Hi-def Television will probably be experiencing them in much much better high quality, however.

These Hi-def channels are gradually becoming offered across the UK, and needs to be offered nationwide through the time the digital switchover is completed in 2012. London may be receiving Hi-def Freeview Television since 2009, but viewers in other elements of the country are still waiting for their very first glimpse of an Hi-def channel- and may perhaps need to continue waiting for yet another couple of years.

Some elements of the country currently have a Freeview HD signal. Throughout 2010, it will probably be expanded to cover elements of Wales, the Midlands, the South West, the North and Scotland, including the Shetlands and Orkney. The Isle of Man plus the Channel Islands must also be receiving Hi-def Freeview channels through the end of the year. Most of the larger cities inside the UK needs to be receiving Freeview Hi-def through the time we enter 2012. The service will probably be brought to most of the remaining elements of England in the course of 2011, including large elements of the North, the South East plus the Midlands, with the final few areas in England plus the whole of Northern Ireland getting their Hi-def signal in the course of the following year.

It can be estimated by Freeview that 16 million homes inside the UK will probably be capable to obtain large definition Freeview channels through the end of 2010. In 2012, as soon as the switch to digital television may be completed, about 98.5 percent of the UK population needs to be capable to watch Hi-def channels through the Freeview service.

To be able to watch Freeview Hi-def as soon as it’s offered within your area, you will need a Large Definition Freeview receiver, like the Humax HD-FOX T2 and an Hi-def television. The box is attached to both the Television plus the aerial. Freeview Hi-def is delivered applying MPEG-4 coding plus the DVB-T2 Hi-def normal. Most digital tuners presently use DVB-T technology, which uses the MPEG-2 format. These will not be capable to obtain the Hi-def channels, so you may perhaps need to purchase a new Freeview box, even should you currently watch the normal definition channels.

Hi-def televisions which have built in digital receivers aren’t yet capable to obtain the Hi-def channels. If you have a digital Hi-def Television with a Freeview tuner, you will still need to purchase a Freeview Hi-def box. Digital televisions with incorporated Freeview Hi-def DVB-T2 receivers will probably be released inside the near future.

Your Freeview tuner will also obtain the regular Freeview channels, including offerings from the BBC, Channels 4 and 5, plus the ITV. Reception can vary depending on where you live. You may need a Freeview box, or some other means of applying digital television signals as soon as the digital switchover occurs within your area, should you wish to continue watching Television. To be able to watch Hi-def channels, you will need a Freeview receiver than is compatible with Hi-def.

For more information, please check out http://www.freeview-hd.org/