TELLY fans affected by the BBC’s upcoming satellite switch could be entitled to a voucher for help towards a brand new set-top box.
The broadcaster is embarking on a major shake up that will see its standard definition (SD) channels ditched on satellite next year.
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Beeb bosses have already started, going through the various regional and national versions of BBC One and BBC Two first.
It means all BBC channels will eventually be in HD only.
And as a result, anyone with an older SD-only satellite set-top box will no longer be able to receive them.
So you’ll have to fork out for a brand new box.
The BBC believes only a small portion of households will be affected.
Some people whose kit will be rendered useless by the move will be able to apply for extra support.
Assistance will be given depending on your “household and lifestyle”.
Those eligible customers may be entitled to a voucher or a home installation visit.
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“We are providing some assistance for elderly audiences or those in need of extra support,” the official switch site says.
“However, depending on demand, the quickest way to get yourself ready for the switchover will be to buy your own HD TV Box from one of the high-street retailers above.”
You’ll have to register at hdsatelliteupgrade.co.uk.
How do I know if my set-top box is affected?
The changes affect SD-only satellite boxes.
There is a clever way to check if you’re not sure.
Freesat owners can go to channel 799 and it’ll automatically tell you whether you’re in the clear or whether you’ll need to upgrade your box.
Anyone with an old Sky set-top box could also be affected.
The best way on Sky is to go to channel 105.
If it’s showing Channel 5 HD as the channel then your box is capable of handling HD.
But if it only says Channel 5 and has no mention of HD, it means you’ve got an old SD-only box and you’ll need to upgrade.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
