What is Freeview?

Whether you loved or hated the "enigmatic" ads that first announced the service to us, Freeview is upon us. Up to 15 new channels have been promised, but what exactly is Freeview, and what do you need to do to receive it?

The basics
When it boils down to it, almost all Australians are already receiving Freeview — it's just not called that at the moment. It's essentially a rebadging of the digital service that has been broadcasting in Australia since 2001.

Freeview began in the UK in 2002 as a digital standard-definition service, but it differs from the Australian version because as we speak there is still no high-definition content available. The name was then co-opted by New Zealand in 2006 for its digital services, and naturally Australia will now follow suit.

As for the 15 channels, all five major networks — ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine and Ten — will get to broadcast three channels each. Each station will get to broadcast one high-definition channel, and two standard-definition ones.

While this may change, 11 of the 15 promised channels are already broadcasting, with ONE (SD and HD) due to hit on 26 March. The third channels from Seven and Nine are yet to be formally announced.

Why do I need it?
Depending on which area you live in, digital TV is an inevitability. If you happen to live in Mildura, for example, it will happen sooner than most, with the analog signal switching off in the middle of 2009.

From there it's a progressive switch-off until 2013, and so at some point in the next four years you'll need to get a digital tuner of some sort. The idea behind Freeview is that the networks would rather you do it sooner than later.

And if you're still clinging to the analog TV tuner that came with your TV, then you'll find digital TV to be something of a revelation. Not only is the picture quality so much better, but the amount of choice greater. Even if you don't have a HDTV, you'll still be able to watch HD broadcasts on a CRT — just not in high definition. Most networks play exclusive content on their HD channels so you'll be getting more stuff for the paltry cost of a digital tuner (about AU$60).

What stations will I get in my area?
If you live in a metropolitan area then by the middle of 2009 you should be receiving all of the promised 15 stations. If you happen to live outside one of the major centres then you may not be as lucky.

Network Ten has already announced its ONE channels will broadcast from the end of March, replacing HD content such as House and Rove with 24-hour sports. According to Freeview, there will be a rolling schedule of new channel announcements following the introduction of the Freeview education campaign in late February 2009.

Here are the channels as we know them right now, and we will continue to update this list as more channels are announced.

What equipment will I need?
From April onwards, Freeview-branded equipment will start appearing on the shelves. But you don't necessarily need one to pick up Freeview television. If you have an existing SD or HD tuner, the service will continue as it always has. You'll even be able to pick up the electronic-program guide (EPG) so you can record future programs, or even just browse the shows for the next week on-screen.

PVRs such as the Topfield TF7100HDPVRt use their own guides and won't need the Freeview EPG. (Credit: Topfield)

The only caveat is that in most cases you'll need a Freeview-branded tuner or television to pick up the Freeview EPG. According to the Freeview people, the Freeview guide will offer exclusive content and functionality not available on the current guide. Although, no one really knows what that is yet as the guide isn't expected to come online until the end of 2009.

Equipment with the Freeview logo on-board are expected to appear from April onwards, and according to LG, firmware updates should enable users of existing TVs to receive the EPG. Of course, it was only 12 months ago that the first EPG was released on the market necessitating a major upgrade of people's equipment.

Users of TiVo can relax though, as Freeview is working with the PVR manufacturer to release a Freeview EPG for the recorder as well. All that and pizza too!

Lastly, if you have a PVR from the likes of Foxtel, Austar or an Ice-enabled product such as Topfield, then you won't have to worry about Freeview — all of these recorders use their own EPG.

Conclusion
It could be argued that the Freeview branding is a cynical ploy to wrest eyeballs (and advertising dollars) back from Foxtel. However, Foxtel does offer quite a few more channels (about 100) — admittedly, with a lot of duplication.

We look forward to finding out more about the Freeview service, and will watch with interest whether niche channels such as ONE HD can sustain the public's interest.