How to setup Freeview
Set-top boxes
Freeview equipment comes in a number of different shapes and sizes. Some Freeview set-top boxes retail for very low prices as low as £15-£20, with others ranging into regions of £250 and upwards. All Freeview set-top boxes sit underneath or on top of your TV set - the earliest Freeview boxes were small and lightweight enough to comfortably sit on top of your average TV set, hence their given name. You plug your standard TV aerial cable into the back of your Freeview box and then connect the box to your TV set using an RGB adapter (the three red yellow and white pin plugs) or a SCART lead, just as if you were connecting a DVD player or games console.
After you have connected your Freeview box to your TV, all you need to do is switch everything on, turn your TV over to a free audio-visual channel (AV on your remote) and the menu of your Freeview box should be displayed. After the Freeview box has performed a quick scan for available channels, you should be able to start watching.
IDTV
Freeview IDTVs are considered more convenient than purchasing a Freeview set-top box, as everything you need is already built in to the TV set - no need for any extra SCART leads of messy cables at the back. Freeview IDTVs are therefore much easier to set up than Freeview set-top boxes as you simply plug the aerial in to the back of the IDTV set as you would with a traditional analogue TV, switch it on and wait for the tuners to scan an that's it.
Freeview IDTVs come with EPGs built in allowing you to conveniently plan your week's viewing ahead. Unfortunately, there is currently no IDTV set which offers the 'pause, rewind, record' functions of a Freeview+ set-top box. You can in theory record programmes through a Freeview IDTV set with a recordable DVD player, but this requires a degree of technical know-how and requires you to store programmes on blank DVDs. This defeats the convenience and space efficiency of an IDTV set. If you want to be able to record programmes for later viewing, then your best bet is to invest in a Freeview+ set top box.
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| Type | Satellite | Cable | Broadband | Aerial | Satellite |
| Monthly Cost | From £12.50 | From £6.50 | From £4 | FREE | FREE |
| Setup Cost | From FREE | From £40 | From FREE | FREE | £80 |
| Channels | Over 240 | Over 165 | Up to 70 | Up to 50 | Over 140 |
| HD | Yes - Up to 60 channels | Yes - 17 channels | On Demand | Yes – Subject to Coverage | Yes – Subject to Coverage |
| Sky Sports | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Sky Movies | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Multi-Room | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Gifts | £25 M&S voucher | No | No | No | No |
| More Info Buy Now | More Info Buy Now | More Info | More Info | More Info |
