Technology

Digital Switchover

Summary: The future of digital television in the UK

• Introduction
• Audio Description
• When to change
• How do we change
• Assistance in Switching
• A Users Perspective
• Further information
• References

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By Anna Jones, Media & Culture Officer, RNIB

Introduction

Digital television is inevitable! Sooner or later we will all have to convert our existing TVs to receive digital signals if we want to continue watching our favourite shows. Why? The current analogue signals that we all receive will be gradually switched off around the country, therefore every household will need to switchover to digital TV over the coming few years.

The benefits of digital television include better sound and picture quality, more radio and TV channels to choose from and another benefit for viewers with a serious sight problem is that audio description is available for many mainstream programmes.

Audio Description

Audio description is a narrative that’s inserted between programme dialogue that describes what’s happening on screen including action sequences, facial expressions or body language. Audio description is available on digital satellite TV (Sky), digital cable TV (Virgin Media) and certain digital terrestrial TV (Freeview) devices.

All sorts of programmes are now described: films, soaps, dramas, documentaries, comedy, children's’ shows and more.

“I just wanted to say thank you for putting Taggart with Audio Description. My husband has been totally blind for just over two years and is finding it difficult to adjust. His life has changed drastically, as you can imagine. We used to watch a lot of television together but now he finds it very hard to keep up with what is happening on screen. There are far more long silences, which involve just action and no dialogue than you would think unless something like this brought it to your attention. We only recently got digital TV and were thrilled to know that we could now get audio description.” Wife of a RNIB Customer.

When to change

The process of digital switchover across the UK will take place between 2008 and 2013, one TV region at a time.

The current regional switchover start dates are:

• Whitehaven: Autumn 2007;
• Border: 2008;
• West Country, Wales, Granada: 2009;
• West, Grampian, Scottish: 2010;
• Central, Yorkshire, Anglia: 2011;
• Meridian, London, Tyne Tees, Ulster: 2012;
• Channel Islands: 2013.

How do we change

There are three main methods of receiving digital TV:

• Digital Satellite (Sky)

Sky gives you digital TV via a satellite dish. Customers can subscribe to any number of TV packages offering film, children's' and sports channels. How much you pay each month depends on which channels you want to watch and subscribe to. If a viewer doesn’t want to pay every month then another option is to use Sky’s Freesat service instead. This is a one-off payment of approximately £150 for a set-top box, satellite dish and equipment installed and viewing of many TV and radio channels. It doesn’t allow access to the premium subscription channels.

Audio description is available via all Sky systems.

• Digital Cable (Virgin Media)

Virgin Media, previously Ntl and Telewest, gives access to digital television via underground cables. The service is offered on a subscription basis and various packages are available. Virgin Media provide the necessary installation of the equipment.

Customers can enjoy programmes with audio description, although there are regional variations on which channels description is available.

• Digital terrestrial (Freeview)

This is digital TV through your TV aerial. To convert your existing TV to digital via Freeview, all you need to do is buy a set-top box and connect it to your TV aerial, or purchase a new Integrated Digital Television (IDTV).

Panasonic and Sony have both produced Integrated Digital Televisions (IDTV) that can deliver audio description. Relevant model numbers are available from RNIB and these TVs can be purchased at usual retail outlets.

There is currently only one set-top box on the market that delivers audio description. This is the Portset Accessible TV Receiver and Personal Video Recorder. Portset also sell a stand-alone device that delivers sound-only TV with audio description for those who do not require a screen, the Portset Digital Media Centre.

• There’s one more alternative

For viewers to receive Freeview with audio description on a computer, there is a plug-in card that works very well with screen readers. It’s called DigiTV and is available from Nebula Electronics.

Assistance in Switching

Over the past year RNIB has been advising government departments about the effects of switchover on blind and partially sighted people and how they can best be helped through the switchover process. As a result the government has confirmed that the following households will be eligible for the government help scheme.

Households where:

• One person is registered blind;
• One person is registered partially sighted;
• One person is 75 or over;
• One person with a significant disability on attendance allowance or disability living allowance.

The scheme will be free if the eligible person is in receipt of pension credit, income support or jobseekers allowance. Others will pay a small fee.

The scheme will give people an accessible digital TV receiver to convert one television set in their house to digital before switchover as well as help with installation of the equipment and practical advice on how to use the receiver.

The receivers delivered through the scheme will all be very accessible, having at the very least the capability to receive audio description. The assistance will probably not be available more than a year before switchover happens in the region the person lives in. More information about the help scheme is available from Digital UK.

A Users Perspective

Digital TV user Trevor, aged 61 contacted us recently to say

“The audio description for The Godfather on Five last night was stunning, absolutely amazing - I could actually smell the olive trees! The description was perfect and didn't interfere with the film at all. I followed the whole film. I was gob smacked.

I remember seeing the film over 10 years ago before I lost my sight and last night the description brought all my memories of the movie flooding back. I can't wait for next Wednesday to see Godfather 2!”

Further information

RNIB is offering information talks to local groups around the UK to advise blind and partially sighted people about digital switchover. If you would be interested in a speaker attending your group then please contact Anna Jones on 020 7391 2150 or email anna.jones@rnib.org.uk

References

Sky audio description: 0870 566 3333

Virgin Media: 0845 454 1111 (new customers), 0845 840 7777 (existing customers)

For further information on any aspect of digital TV, including Sony and Panasonic IDTV model numbers:

Jill Whitehead (RNIB): 020 7391 2398

Portset: 01489 893919,

Nebula Electronics: 01689 89 70 90,

Digital UK: 0800 519 2021

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Content author: digitalaccess@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 08/04/2008 18:38