HD TV Options

Dunwunderin

Hi,
Have recently bought a new Samsung LCD TV with 1080p HD potential.

What do I need to buy to receive HD programmes .I don't want to pay Sky a subcription! Freeview is borderline here (Mux1 channels always missing) but should improve after digital changeover.

Is Freesat any good?

Do I need a PVR Hd Box--my old VCR is still OK?

Inactive

Freesat is your only option to watch free HD broadcasts, unfortunately they only transmit one part time HD channel via BBC and a few sporadic HD programmes via ITV.

To get anything else via broadcast TV involves paying Sky or Virgin.

savemoney

As inactive says BBC HD and the occasionally ITV HD (this is not a channel as such) is the main option. You need a freesat HD box around £100 or a freesat+ box (pvr) around £270 to watch boardcast HD via freesat plus the dish, lnb a sky dish usually does the trick

You dont get full HD via broadcast its 1080i (i being interlaced) the quality is extremely good especially on BBC HD

TO get full 1080p you need either ps3, blue ray player or a pc capable of displaying 1080p many modern pc's do

almillar

Yes, Sky, Virgin and Freesat are the only broadcast HD options at the moment. Humax Foxsat HDR, mentioned above, is available from Richer Sounds for £250 AFAIK.
You can certainly plug your VCR into any of the above, they'll all have at least 1 SCART available if you plug the box into the TV with HDMI, but recording HD content onto VHS really is a waste...