The map below shows the 14 TV areas of the UK and which year each area is expecting to switch off the analogue TV signal.
When it comes to the question of equipment, almost all televisions are capable of displaying digital TV, as long as they have some way of receiving the signal. Your old TV has an analogue tuner which currently picks up the 5 terrestial channels through your aerial - this is what will gradually be switched off between now and 2012, so you need to replace it with Freeview (via a set-top box or by buying a TV with Freeview built in) if you want cheap digital TV, or a satellite or cable subscription or a service which provides TV through your broadband like BT Vision. So, your TV is probably safe for now, but when you come to buy your next one you will need to consider firstly "Do I want a built-in digital tuner?", to which the answer is yes, preferably two to enable you to watch one and record another, and secondly "Do I want HD TV?" - you can see a selection of great TV deals here.
Recording-wise on Digital TV Switchover your current recorder, be it DVD, hard disc or good old-fashioned VHS, will be able to record all of the digital channels you receive but remember a VCR, like your old telly, picks up the terrestial channels through it's analogue tuner, which will no longer work. This means you'll only be able to watch the channel you're recording and vice versa, but there are several ways to get round this. On Freeview you can have two tuners (a set-top box or TV with two tuners, or one in your box and one in the TV), or you could opt for a single tuner set-top box coupled with a hard disc/DVD recorder with a Freeview receiver built-in - in a nutshell you need two tuners to receive two different channels at the same time. Sky, Virgin and BT Vision all offer PVR or Personal Video Recorder services like Sky+, Virgin V+ and the V-Box too.
We've selected random areas of the UK to see the different timescales for switchover, what will be required in terms of retuning or replacement of aerials and availability of digital TV packages.
Lincolnshire See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 5 random postcodes in Lincoln, Spalding, Skegness, Horncastle and Grimsby in the county of Lincolnshire - switching to digital TV in 2011. Click for more about Lincolnshire TV switchover...
Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan The Wenvoe transmitter switches over in March 2010 - check the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 4 random postcodes in Bridgend, Porthcawl, Barry and Cowbridge in Wales. Click for more about Bridgend TV switchover...
South Gloucestershire A case study showing the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Yate, Almondsbury and Thornbury in the county of South Gloucestershire - switching to digital TV in 2010. Click for more about South Gloucestershire TV switchover...
Wyre See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Warren, Garstang and Brock in the Wyre district of Lancashire - switched to digital TV on two dates in late 2009. Click for more about Wyre TV switchover...
Stoke-on-Trent See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Tunstall, Hanley and Fenton in the Staffordshire city of Stoke-on-Trent - switching to digital TV in 2011. Click for more about Stoke-on-Trent TV switchover...
London Borough of Southwark See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Walworth, Peckham and Dulwich in the London Borough of Southwark - switching to digital TV in 2012. Click for more about Southwark TV switchover...
Torbay Borough Council - the English Riviera See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Torquay, Blagdon and Brixham in the Borough of Torbay - switched to digital TV in two stages in April 2009. Click for more about Torbay TV switchover...
Exeter City Council See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Whitestone, Exeter and Whimple in the city of Exeter - switched to digital TV in two stages in May 2009. Click for more about Exeter TV switchover...
South Somerset As this area covers two different TV regions and transmitters, switched in May 2009 and then in March-April 2010, we've taken 4 random postcodes in Yeovil, Ilminster, Chard and Wincanton to compare the results. Click for more about South Somerset TV switchover...
Carlisle City Council See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Carlisle, Stanwix and Rockcliffe in the Carlisle City Council area - switched to digital TV in two stages in June and July 2009. Click for more about Carlisle TV switchover...
Dumfries and Galloway See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Dumfries, New Galloway and Moffat in the Dumfries and Galloway area - switched to digital TV in two stages in June and July 2009. Click for more about Dumfries and Galloway TV switchover...
North Devon See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Barnstaple, Bideford and Hatherleigh in the part of North Devon covered by Huntshaw Cross transmitter - switched to digital TV in two stages in July 2009. Click for more about North Devon TV switchover...
Cornwall - Redruth See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 random postcodes in Penzance, Redruth and Falmouth in the part of Cornwall covered by the Redruth transmitter - switched to digital TV in two stages in July and August 2009. Click for more about Cornwall Redruth TV switchover...
Sheffield See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 postcodes where Sheffield Homes has properties, in Leverton Gardens, Callow Mount and Roscoe Court covered by the Sheffield and Emley Moor transmitters - switching to digital TV in 2011. Click for more about Sheffield Homes TV switchover...
Preseli, South West Wales See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 postcodes covered by the Preseli transmitter in Pembrokeshire, switched to digital TV in August and September 2009. Featured areas are Haverfordwest or Hwlffordd, Cardigan or Aberteifi and Fishguard or Abergwaun. Click for more about Pembrokeshire TV switchover...
Swansea Switched to digital TV in August and September 2009 as part of the Kilvey Hill transmitter - See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 postcodes. Featured areas are central Swansea or Abertawe, Morriston and Neath. Click for more about Swansea TV options...
Sedgemoor See the Freeview channel availability and results from Sky, Virgin Media and BT in Bridgwater and Highbridge. Switchover date in two stages on March 24th and April 7th 2010. Click for more about Sedgemoor switchover...
Stroud See the Freeview channel availability and results from Sky, Virgin Media and BT in Stroud, Nailsworth and Chalford. Switchover date in two stages on March 24th and April 7th 2010. Click for more about Stroud switchover...
Carmel, South West Wales See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 postcodes covered by the Carmel transmitter in Carmarthenshire, switched to digital TV in August and September 2009. Featured areas are Carmarthen or Caerfyrddin, Tenby or Dinbych-y-Pysgod and Llanelli. Click for more about Carmarthenshire TV switchover...
Caradon Hill - Devon and Cornwall See the results from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Digital UK in 3 postcodes covered by the Caradon Hill transmitter in Plymouth, Launceston and Tavistock. Caradon Hill covers much of Devon and Cornwall and switched to digital TV in two stages on August 12th and September 30th 2009. Click for more about Devon and Cornwall switchover...
The main government website for the switchover is Digital UK, and there are many specialist help areas too, such as information on the Digital Switchover Help Scheme which can provide free installation and equipment to people over 75 and those with certain disabilities.
The first place in the UK to have the analogue signal switched off was Whitehaven in the Copeland area of Cumbria, on 14th November 2007. The first channel to go was BBC 2 on October 17th 2007. The MP for Copeland is Jamie Reed, who said "All eyes will be on Whitehaven, and Digital UK must continue it's good work and make sure it gets the switchover right". Reed is also chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Digital Switchover. An excellent guide to the channels available to each area of the UK can be found here.
This site deals with the UK digital switchover - if you've arrived looking for details of US and Australian switchover click on the Blackstump banner here for useful links in those territories.