When will HDTV happen in the UK?
There is already an HDTV channel (Euro 1080) broadcasting from the Astra satellite platform to Europe - and it's receivable in the UK. But for all practical purposes, the first commercial UK service launched on BSkyB on May 22nd 2006 as a premium satellite-delivered service. The BBC began free-to-air promotional HDTV transmissions from satellite on May 11th, nearly two weeks earlier. Cable operator Telewest already has an HDTV service up and running.

However, there isn't currently enough capacity on Freeview or Top Up TV to transmit HDTV signals, so in all likelihood you're not going to see HDTV appearing as an over-the-air or DTT service until after analogue television has been switched off - the target date is 2012, following a rolling regional conversion which could start in 2007 or 2008. idtv.co.uk is sceptical about the 2012 deadline being met, however. Be that as it may, after analogue switchoff, there may be enough capacity to allow HDTV to be transmitted terrestrially, although the UK government hasn't committed to that yet.

In the meantime, UK broadcasters are proposing to trial HDTV over Freeview frequencies in London this summer.

Consumers also need to bear in mind that HDTV versions of DVD are coming to market in the UK shortly. Whether for broadcast or DVD playback purposes, consumer will require a special TV set if the HDTV pictures are to be properly displayed.