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Can I watch analogue and digital TV together?
About Freeview
Can I watch analogue and digital TV together?
If you currently receive some but not all the digital channels available from Freeview and can not receive BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, C4 or Five in digital, there is a way you can revert to viewing these channels in analogue. Here are some simple instructions depending on what product you have.
Digital box or digital TV recorder
- Attach the digital box or digital TV recorder, using the supplied scart lead, to your television. Put your incoming aerial RF lead into the aerial/RF in socket on the digital box. Now run RF lead supplied from the RF output socket of the digital box to the aerial input/RF socket on the TV*. This will take the analogue signal to the TV.
- Scan in the digital box as per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Watch BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, C4 and Five on the TV using the TV remote to change channel.
- When you want to watch digital channels, use the AV channel on your TV remote. Then change channels on the digital box remote supplied with your box.
- To return to the analogue channels press 1,2,3,4 or 5, on the TV remote to return to the channel you want.
[* most digital boxes come with an 'RF loop through' which carries the aerial signal to the RF output. A few boxes have an RF modulator which also sends the selected digital channel through the RF cable to TVs that have no scart sockets. In this case you will need to tune your TV to receive the digital channels throught the RF cable.]
VCR or DVD recorder
If you want to use a video or DVD recorder then take the RF output from the digital box to the RF input of the video or DVD recorder. Then run a scart cable from the VCR output of the digital box to the A/V input of the VCR. Connect the video to the TV with both an RF and scart lead -- ideally your TV would have at least two scart sockets.
Then tune the video into the analogue TV channels as normal. To record digital channels select the A/V channel on the VCR that corresponds to the input from the digital box.
Digital TVs
Most digital TVs will find both the analogue and digital channels that are available in your area. Connect the aerial and follow the set up procedure in the manual. Then use your TV remote control to switch between analogue (the normal five channels available now) and digital using the analogue/digital or A/D buttons on the remote.
If you are thinking of buying a digital TV ask your retailer about how you can view in both digital and analogue before you buy.