Major UK TV Retailers Go Digital -

Major UK TV Retailers Go Digital
January 23, 2008 | by Christopher Nickson

As the UK prepares to switch from analogue to digital TV, three major retailers have announced they will no longer sell analogue TVs.

By 2012 television in the UK will all be digital as analogue signals are switched off around the country. For most people that will mean using the Freeview service, a set-top box that receives a free digital signal. The first part of England went digital last year, and the Scottish borders area will make the changeover later this year.

Because of all this, the BBC reports, three major British retailers – Currys, Dixons and PC World – have all announced that they will no longer sell analogue televisions. Instead they’ll take the tack of pushing set which have integrated Freeview tuners.

Currys managing director said,

"We believe that it is appropriate to ensure that our customers are able to select from a future-proof range of televisions. Integrated digital televisions are relatively simple to operate, offer superior technology and are an important window on the digital future."

The three chains, which are all owned by the same company, will also stop selling DVD recorders that use analogue tuners.

Post Your Comment...Comments

Dave Farrance on Jan 23rd, 2008 at 8:19 AM:

Good article. It's about time that a major retailer did this. Unfortunately, there's still elderly and technically-disinclined people buying analogue-only TVs from supermarkets with no idea that the tuner is going to stop working -- and they're exactly the people that'll have difficulty with setting-up and using a set-top-box. Here's an online petition asking that warning labels be placed on analogue-only TVs, which might do some good if it's accepted by the Government:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/analogue-warn/

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