[jambutty]

The switch over for the North West in the Granada Region will happen some time in 2009. Once it does and the analogue transmissions are switched off your old analogue TV will be nothing more than a piece of junk.

But there is no need to rush out and buy a new digital TV, you can buy a “Digi Box” instead. Prices vary but less than £40 should cover it.

Some “Digi Boxes” come complete with a “Scart” lead and some do not so find out before you part with your cash. A separate “Scart” lead will cost you about £15. Indeed check your existing TV to see if it has a “Scart” socket at the back. If it doesn’t then it must be an old TV and although you can still connect a “Digi Box” to it, it would probably be better to get a new digital TV. Some shops are still selling the non digital TV’s so beware what you buy. Of course you could go the whole hog and buy a brand new HR LCD or plasma digital TV. You should be able to get a decent sized one for £500 or so.

In the majority of cases, your existing aerial will be good enough, in spite of what some shops and some ‘aerial experts’ tell you. They just want to sell you a new aerial at an inflated price, of course. A good yardstick is if you can get Channel 5 OK then your aerial will be good enough. But that doesn’t mean that if you cannot get Channel 5 you will need a new aerial. Try your digital set-up to see.

Connecting your “Digi Box” is simple enough and once installed it will sort out all the ‘free view’ channels available to you and you can then put them in your own order of your viewing preference if you want to.

Of course you will have another remote control to lose down the back of the couch but think of the fun you can have searching for it before that match starts.