Online TV is set to make a big impact in the UK digital TV market and SeeSaw will be very much involved in the battle.

Online TV allows digital TV viewers to watch on-demand and linear digital TV content via a broadband connection (either direct to the TV or into a digital set top box).

Virgin Media, the UK’s second largest pay digital TV provider already offers this experience with a broad range of catch-up TV from BBCiPlayer and more. 

But things are moving very rapidly, and now there is a range of subscription free online TV propositions about to enter the market.

SeeSaw is one contender.  It has just has announced further content deals for its video on-demand service, including agreements with Channel 4, Five and various independent production firms.  This brings its total on-demand content library to over 3,000 hours.  And among a broad range of on-demand programming, SeeSaw digital TV viewers will be able to see  4OD and  Five On Demand.  It fully launches in the Spring..

SeeSaw is based on technology developed for the now defunct “Project Kangaroo” and bought by the technology company Arqiva.

But there are other contenders for the online TV crown.  The biggest is Project Canvas, which is a joint venture between BBC, ITV, BT and others to create a standard “Freeview box” capable of showing a wide range of on-demand content, piped in via a broadband connection.  Project Canvas is likely to launch in late 2010 or early 2011 and will put major pressure on pay digital TV providers such as Sky and Virgin Media.

The digital TV manufacturers are also getting in on the act.  Samsung and others are soon to launch broadband enabled digital TVs which will have on-demand content available in “app stores” including YouTube and LoveFilm.

And there is another minnow in the running.  Fetch TV is already on sale and brings a subscription free TV service with 50 digital Freeview channels, a choice of single and twin tuner PVRs that let you pause, record and rewind live TV. 80 or 160 GB hard drives, plus access to Catch Up television and FetchTV’s video-on-demand movies, TV series, documentaries and music concerts on demand.

So it will be interesting to see who prevails.  But whoever wins, it is clear that on-demand TV is a major phenomenon set to transform our digital TV viewing behaviour and bring the digital TV in the living room closer to a PC-based browsing experience.

Written by Charlie

BT has launched its first super-fast fibre-optic broadband package, claiming it offers better value than rival fibre optic broadband services including Virgin Media’s XXL Broadband package.

For £19.99 per month, BT Infinity Option 1 offers broadband download speeds of up to 40Mbps - £7.47 cheaper than Virgin Media’s XXL broadband package which has up to 50Mbps download speeds.

BT customers must pay a £50 connection fee to take up the £19.99 broadband package, which offers upload speeds of 2Mbps. The package also has a 20 GB usage cap.

Speedier Option 2 package offers 10Mbps upload speeds and unlimited downloads.  It costs £25 per month and comes with free installation.

Virgin Media’s XXL broadband package offers an up to 50 Mbps download speed and a slower 1.5 Mbps upload speeds.  Rumours abound however that Virgin Media will soon increase the upload speed to match BT Infinity.

The big difference currently however is availability.  Virgin Media’s fibre-optic XXL Broadband package is available to about 50% of UK homes today.

BT has not released details of current availability, but it is clear that BT Infinity is currently available in a very limited number of postcodes (31 exchanges by the end of February), though it will roll out to 4 million homes and businesses by the end of the year and 10 million by summer 2012.

When you take into account the cost of line rental, the Virgin Media XXL package costs £39 per month, while the BT packages will work out at £31.53 and £36.53 per month with a BT line included.

So what’s all the super-fast broadband fuss about?  For the uninitiated, super-fast fibre-optic broadband really does transform your internet use, just as Sky+ transforms TV watching.

Downloading a one hour episode of TopGear from iPlayer currently takes 42 minutes via an 8Mbps broadband service. However, this will reduce to just six minutes with an up to 40 mbps broadband connection.  Similarly

uploading a 20-second video clip to YouTube takes 12mins on 8Mbps, but this will come down to 2min 30.  And online gaming is also up to 30% faster.

But perhaps the biggest advantage is that it allows families to connect to the web to carry out multiple tasks at the same time, putting an end to freezing and crashing.  It also future-proofs you as more and more household devices become broadband enabled (such as broadband enabled digital TVs) and more content is consumed in high definition (HDTV).

A caveat though is that both Virgin Media and BT are using a fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) fibre-optic broadband network which relies on copper or cable for the last yards from the street cabinet to the home.  As a result the broadband speed you receive still depends on how far you are from the exchange or street cabinet.

If you would like help to compare fibre optic broadband packages, why not speak to our impartial broadband experts on 0800 1 388 388 to discuss the best broadband deals available in your area.

Written by Charlie

Here at Simplifydigital we work closely with our service provider partners to deliver you market beating exclusive digital TV, broadband and home phone deals.   Cashbacks are a speciality of ours!  Each week we offer a different cashback.  We’ve had broadband cashbacks from Orange Broadband and TalkTalk; and digital TV cashbacks on Sky and Tiscali.

And now we have launched our biggest ever digital TV, broadband and home phone cashback with our friends at Virgin Media.  This market beating Virgin Media cashback offers new Virgin media customers up to £165 cashback on Virgin Media cable (fibre-optic) bundles.

This awesome Virgin Media deal gives you £130 cashback on all Virgin Media “triple play”  digital TV, broadband and home phone bundles.  Virgin Media digital TV, broadband and home phone bundles start from as little as £18 per month (plus £11 per month Virgin Media line rental).

 What’s more, if you choose a high-value Virgin Media bundle you receive the maximum £165 cashback.  This includes any triple bundle with Broadband XL or XXL; or digital TV L or XL; or phone size L or XL.

If you go for one of Virgin Media’s great value fibre-optic broadband and phone bundles, you receive £50 cashback.  Choose any higher value fibre-optic broadband and phone bundle (Virgin Media Broadband XL or XXL; or Phone L, XL), and receive £75 cashback.

These amazing Virgin Media cashbacks are the biggest Virgin Media cashbacks available anywhere.  The cashbacks are paid 90 days after install by Simplifydigital.  The cashbacks are paid by cheque sent to the install address.

Written by Charlie

Hundreds of people may be throwing away their old televisions because they think they need new sets to adapt to the digital switchover (DSO), according to reports.

Yet analogue sets can easily be adapted to receive digital services, and Argyll and Bute Council have warned viewers not to waste money unnecessarily.  The council said the number of electrical goods taken to amenity sites had seen a “significant increase” from the 840 tonnes recycled in 2008/09. It expects the total to hit 940 tonnes this year, with the 12% rise thought to be caused by an upsurge in discarded analogue TVs.

 Councillor Donald Macdonald, chair of Argyll and Bute’s Environment Policy and Performance Group, said only people who “actually want” a new TV need to buy one.  “There are many people out there who believe that they have to replace their analogue TVs with new digital models in order to be able to receive digital transmission,” he said.

“This is not true. With very rare exceptions, all TVs can be converted to digital with a digital box - even black and white models.”

There are indeed four ways to adapt you existing TV for the digital switchover in order to receive digital TV.  The first is to buy a Freeview box so that you can receive digital terrestrial TV via your existing TV aerial (though your aerial may need upgrading); the second is via a digital satellite connection from Freesat or Sky; the third is via digital cable TV from Virgin Media; and the last is via IPTV (digital TV received via a broadband connection) available from TalkTalk TV, BT Vision and others.

If you would like help to go digital, why not speak for free to the Simplifydigital impartial digital TV experts on 0800 1 388 388.    

Written by Charlie

We wrote today on our website of the big excitement at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where 3D TV is set to be the talk of the town in Las Vegas. As a result the pundits are predicting very big things for 3D TV globally in 2010. 

The news from CES is that LG, JVC, Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, and Sharp are all rumored to be unveiling new 3D technology at this year’s CES, with Nvidia, Corel, AMD and CyberLink likely to unveil 3D Blu-ray video playback technology.

Despite this optimism behind 3D TV - much of which is fuelled by the huge global success of Avatar, which has taken over $640 million at the global box office - Sony is less optimistic.

Sony does not believe that the  “explosion” in demand for 3D TV will happen until 2012.  Sony’s chief marketing officer Mike Fasulo told Business Week: “We don’t expect to see an explosion of 3D in the home until the 2012 time frame.”

This is despite the fact that Sony’s arch rival LG has set a sales target of 400,000 3D-ready TV sets globally in 2010, rising to 3.4 million in 2011.
So despite being late to the party, Sony still  forecasts  that 50% of its total TV shipments will be 3D-ready models by the financial year ending March 2013. It also intends to add 3D capabilities to the PlayStation 3 console and other consumer products in its range.

The success of 3D TV in the UK is clearly also in the hands of the digital TV platforms such as Sky and Virgin Media, who need to actually broadcast 3D TV content.  Sky is a big advocate of the new medium, but still sees 3D TV as niche in 2010.  Sky plans to launch the first 3D TV channel which will be available to those with Sky+ HD boxes.

So Sony’s prediction seems correct for the UK market.  2010 and 2011 will be the years of high definition TV (HDTV) and 3D TV is likely to move mainstream thereafter.

If you would like help to compare digital TV packages and to hear more about HDTV and 3D TV why not speak to the impartial Simplifydigital TV experts on 0800 1 388 388 or use our clever new online digital TV comparison service.

Written by Charlie

January is a very big month for the UK’s broadband providers.  As a result the top UK digital providers are competing very hard for your custom, so whether you’re looking for fibre-optic broadband; mobile broadband or a cracking home phone calls package – there are some amazing deals to choose from.  Here is our pick of the January broadband deals.

O2 Standard Home Broadband offers award winning 8 Mbs broadband for £7.34 per month (excluding line rental) for existing O2 customers and £12.23 for new customers.  The service comes with a free wireless router and free set up.  Plus in January, O2 is offering 2 months free.  So if you’re looking for a good all round family broadband service with UK based free technical support  - then O2 is a great choice. 

Sky is offering six months free on their top broadband package - Sky Broadband Unlimited. Any new or existing Sky digital TV customer who signs up before February 5 2010 can get Sky Broadband Unlimited (if it is available at the post code)free for six months and it costs £10 per month thereafter.

This great broadband deal is however only available if you also take a Sky Talk home phone package.  Sky Talk offers free evening and weekend calls at no extra cost.  And Sky Broadband Unlimited offers super-fast broadband (up to 20 Mbps) with unlimited downloads.

Virgin Media offers three fibre –optic broadband packages: Broadband Size L which provides up to 10 Mbs fibre-optic broadband for £12.50 per month; Broadband Size XL which offers up to 20 Mbs broadband for £20 per month; and Size XXL which offers the fastest broadband available in the UK at up to 50 Mbs with unlimited downloads for £28 per month.  The Broadband XXL package offers broadband speeds over twice as fast as anything available from the other top UK broadband providers.

For a limited period, Virgin Media is offering two months free across all three fibre-optic broadband packages.  

TalkTalk already offers very low cost broadband and home phone packages.  TalkTalk Essentials, their best selling package is just £6.99 per month (excluding line rental) for up to 8 Mbs wireless broadband with free evening and weekend calls.  In January, TalkTalk is going one better to offer free set up - a saving of £29.99 on the standard set up cost.

Written by Charlie

Regulations regarding the broadcast of TV content on the internet and via mobile phones have not been modernised by some of the biggest countries in the EU, despite the European Commission issuing guidance in 2007.

The failure to modernise regulations means digital TV channels could be missing out on large sums of advertising revenue.  Under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive member states were given until last week to update their domestic laws.

Only Belgium, Romania and Slovakia have provided the Commission with details on how they will change laws to take into account the growth of internet, wireless and video-on-demand streaming.  Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK have all made some progress in this area, but the desired “single market” for audiovisual material is still yet to emerge.

Viviane Reding, the information, society and media commissioner, argued “two years ago, industry and consumers were already waiting impatiently for new, more flexible EU rules that … take account of new technological developments.”

“There can be no excuse for any more delay with their implementation.”

Among the new forms of TV advertising approved by the EU’s guidelines are split-screen spots, as well as product placement, which would be allowed in all programmes except documentaries, news bulletins and shows aimed specifically at children.  Moreover, the proposals remove limits such as requirements on broadcasters to leave a gap of 20 minutes between commercial breaks.

So in the new digital TV world, the age of linear TV channels with 4 minute advertising breaks every half hour is soon to be a thing of the past.  As broadband penetration has resulted in an explosion of on-demand viewing online and on-demand digital TV viewing continues to grow via Virgin Media, Sky and Project Canvas next year – advertising “consumption” is set to change radically.

Written by Charlie

Whether you’re looking for a high definition digital TV package, sports, movies or just the basics - we review the best digital TV deals from Sky, Virgin Media and the rest and check out whether you are likely to get installed in time for Christmas.

Indeed, there are some cracking digital TV deals on offer this Christmas, but time is running out if you want to be installed in time for the big day.  Here is our guide to the top digital TV deals this Christmas…  

Top-of-the-range digital TV packages – Sports, Movies and high definition TV (HDTV)

High definition TV (HDTV) is the big seller this Christmas.  It provides stunning pictures in 4 times the detail of a standard TV programme.  HDTV is particularly impressive for sporting events, documentaries, movies and dramas. 

In a nutshell, to enjoy HDTV you will need to make sure you have an HD Ready TV; a receiver that can decode the high definition signal, (such as a Sky+HD box, HD Freesat box, or Virgin’s V+ box); and a TV package that includes high definition programming.

Virgin Media’s top of the range digital TV package costs £38.50 per month for the first two months and £60 per month thereafter (a total of £677 per year including line rental).  For this you get their XL TV package with over 160 channels (including 7 high definition TV channels), Sky Sports, Sky Movies and their V+ box.  There is a £75 upfront cost.  Virgin Media quote a two week lead time for installation, so you are very unlikely to get installed in time for Christmas.

Sky’s equivalent package costs £69.50 per month (£834 per year including line rental), but you get a much broader TV channel selection and 37 high definition TV channels, including Sky Sports and Sky Movies in HD.  Sky comes with the award winning Sky+ HD box, if you are serious about watching in HD, Sky is the best choice available on the market.

Sky is still taking bookings for Christmas, but only just, so you will have to hurry to ensure that you get set up in time for the big day.

Middle-of-the-range digital TV packages with premium movies

If you are not interested in paying for premium sports and high definition TV (HDTV), then you will pay significantly less.  We do however strongly recommend including a PVR (personal video recorder) in your package.  It is no exaggeration to say that PVRs absolutely revolutionize how you watch TV.  You can record whole series of TV programmes at the touch of a button and you can pause live TV (to answer the phone for example) and then resume your viewing where you left off.  Sky+ is perhaps the best know PVR, but all the major providers offer similar devices.

Again, in this price bracket the two key choices are Sky and Virgin Media.  Tiscali and BT also offer mid-priced digital TV packages, but you would need to subscribe to their broadband services too, in order to buy the package

Of the two, Sky comes out a little cheaper, offering their Sky 6 Mix with Sky Movies and a Sky+ box for £50 per month (including line rental), with a £30 set up cost.  Virgin Media’s equivalent package is £41.50 per month for 2 months and £51.50 per month thereafter, working out a shade more expensive.  The Virgin Media set up cost is £75.  And remember you are very unlikely to get the Virgin Media package installed in time for Christmas.

Budget digital TV packages

For households on a budget, there is the option of going with a subscription free service, like Freeview or Freesat – or choosing a budget pay-TV service.  The pay TV providers offer excellent value for money, particularly if you bundle in your broadband and home phone calls.

Freeview boxes start at about £20 and gives you access to over 70 digital TV and radio channels, though many are of questionable interest.  Freesat on the other hand offers over 140 channels with no monthly subscription, including ITV and BBC in high definition.  The Freesat boxes start at £68 with a further £80 install charge.

Whatever your needs this Christmas, an impartial digital TV comparison service can help you find the best deal!

Written by Charlie

2009 saw big changes in the digital home.  Broadband continued its relentless path across UK homes, with three quarters of UK homes now having internet access.  Mobile broadband hit a hot sales streak, selling over 150,000 per month.  And in the digital TV world, Sky switched to high definition TV (HDTV) as its lead product, with the result that over 1.6 million Sky customers now watch in HD. 

The good news for consumers is that the pace of innovation is accelerating, as providers compete for business.  So 2010 should be a great year of more choice and better value.

Here is Simplifydigital’s pick of the big events likely to play out in 2010…

Tesco to shake up the broadband market

Broadband prices fell by 6% last year with the result that the average broadband household is now paying about £10.70 per month.  And good quality family broadband packages can now be found for under £7 per month, including free calls in the evening and weekends. 

But Tesco’s major push into the broadband market in 2010 should put a cat among the pigeons and put further downward pressure on prices.  BT remains the biggest broadband player, followed by the TalkTalk Group, Virgin Media and Sky.  All the big players will be watching Tesco carefully and expect a tit for tat price war if Tesco go in hard on price.

On the other hand, broadband providers have invested heavily in recent years and are looking to increase their margins, so there will be plenty of upward pressure on prices too.  So we expect broadband prices to fall, but not by much.

 PAYG to drive mobile broadband popularity

Mobile broadband is proving hugely popular among UK broadband customers.  “Dongles” are available in all shapes and sizes and allow broadband access wherever you can get a mobile phone signal.  The only drawback is the unreliability of the service, which is at the mercy of the mobile signal strength. 

All the big mobile phone players offer competitive mobile broadband packages starting from about £5 per month.  But PAYG mobile broadband is setting the category alight.  The flexibility of 1 month contracts is proving hugely popular, so 2010 will be the year of PAYG mobile broadband. 

As such we fully expect mobile broadband sales to outstrip home broadband sales in 2010.  

 Consumers thirsting for more broadband speed

2009 saw Virgin Media heavily pushing the advantages of fibre-optic broadband.   Fibre-optic technology allows far faster broadband speeds than is possible via copper wire (so-called DSL broadband).  DSL broadband is used by all the major broadband providers with the exception of Virgin Media.

The net result is that UK broadband consumers do not enjoy the fruits of super-fast broadband.  The average broadband speed is just over 4 Mb/s, versus an average of over 90 Mb/s in Japan.   And many UK broadband customers are simply unaware of how much better their internet experience could be with a faster broadband connection. 

But 2010 will be the year when UK broadband consumers wake up to the attractions of super-fast broadband and start demanding more.  Super-fast broadband makes watching video online and online gaming a trouble free experience - and means that whatever the time of day, and however many members of the family are online – your surfing is a tip top experience.

 2010 – the year that high definition TV (HDTV) hits the big time

HDTV is an avalanche waiting to happen.  56% of UK households have HD Ready digital TV sets which are designed to view in HD, but only a small fraction (circa 10%) actually watch TV in high definition.  This is because you need not only an HD Ready TV set, but also an HD compatible digibox and HDTV channel package.

But three big things are happening in 2010 to kick start the HD phenomenon. 

HD will launch on Freeview in early 2010, making it available without a subscription to millions of homes; the World Cup will be broadcast in HD in June 2010, giving a huge boost to the category – and Sky will continue to put its marketing might behind HD, which is now Sky’s lead digital TV product.

Bundles will rule in 2010 saving households more money

Already the majority of digital TV, broadband and home phone customers buy their packages in bundles, from one or two providers.  The savings to be had by bundling are very big (Simplifydigital estimates that people save an average of £360 per year by bundling all three services from a single provider).  What’s more bundling makes life easier by ensuring a single bill.

2010 will see some cracking new bundle deals on the market from all the big players.  There will be a myriad of deals offering everything from mobile phone and broadband bundles; to TV and home phone bundles.  With the right advice from an impartial expert, there is bound to be a bundle for you that will save you a lot of money.

And 3D TV takes a bow for the first time

3D TV is causing a lot of excitement among the techie community.  New 3D technology means that 3D viewing is coming to the movies (witness Avatar the latest James Cameron movie blockbuster to hit the screens just before Christmas); coming to gaming and also to TV.

Sky has been testing 3D TV intensively in 2009 and plan to launch the UK’s first 3D TV channel in 2010. So expect to see everything from movies to the Premiership jumping into your living room.   

Written by Charlie

There has never been a better time to snap up an amazing deal on your digital TV, broadband and home phone services.This Christmas, you the consumer are well and truly in charge, as the top UK digital providers are competing very hard for your custom, so some of the deals on offer are terrific value!

Whether you’re looking for fibre-optic broadband; a cracking home phone calls package or a top-of-the-range digital TV package with sports, movies and high definition TV – there are some amazing deals to choose from.  Here is our pick of the Christmas digital deals…

High definition TV (HDTV)

High definition TV (HDTV) is the big seller this Christmas.  It provides stunning pictures in 4 times the detail of a standard TV programme.  HDTV is particularly impressive for sporting events, documentaries, movies and dramas.  Football in HD for example is a huge improvement on the standard TV experience – with players (and the crowd!) visible in extraordinary clarity.  In addition, HDTV signals are also broadcast in surround sound making for a much richer sound, as well as visual experience.

In a nutshell, to enjoy HDTV you will need to make sure you have an HD Ready TV; a receiver that can decode the high definition signal, (such as a Sky+HD box, HD Freesat box, or Virgin’s V+ box); and a TV package that includes high definition programming.

The best high definition TV deals this Christmas come from Sky and Freesat.  Sky has by far the largest range of digital TV channels to choose from in the UK, with 35 HDTV channels on offer including Sky OneHD, documentaries, drama, Sky SportsHD, Sky MoviesHD and more.  This Christmas Sky is offering a terrific deal on Sky HD with Sky Movies.  The deal offers Sky 1 Mix, Sky HD pack and Sky Movies from £36 per month - plus a free Sky+HD box.  There is a £30 set up cost. 

Freesat on the other hand offers over 140 channels with no monthly subscription, including ITV and BBC in high definition.  The Freesat boxes start at £68 with a further £80 install charge.

As Charlie Ponsonby, CEO of Simplifydigital comments:  “HDTV is the next big revolution in TV entertainment in the UK.   It has moved from a niche luxury for the few, to an affordable mass-market entertainment phenomenon – as such it will be one of the big sellers this Christmas.”  

Best value digital bundle deals – digital TV, broadband and home phone 

All the top UK providers offer great “triple play” bundle deals.  These are typically the cheapest way to buy your digital TV, broadband and phone services.  In fact Simplifydigital’s recent research show that customers save an average of over £460 per year by switching to the best value bundle deals.  

These deals come in all shapes and sizes.  At the value end of the market, Tiscali is offering the best deal of all this Christmas.  The Tiscali package is just £9 per month (excluding line rental) for digital TV, broadband and home phone services!   

The package offers 65 digital TV channels including Sky One and a range of on-demand TV content;  up to 8 Mb/sec broadband with unlimited downloads; and free weekend calls.  Tiscali is also throwing in a Tiscali+  box for free – normal price £100!  The Tiscali+ box is a PVR (like Sky+), which allows you to pause and record your favourite TV programmes. 

At the top end, you can get Sky’s market leading HD service with Sky Movies; up to 10 Mb broadband and free evening and weekend calls from £41 per month.  The Sky+HD box is free with a £30 set up cost.  

Alternatively Virgin Media offer super-fast, up to 20 Mb/s fibre-optic broadband size (XL); 175 TV channels (size XL); and free daytime, evening and weekend calls for £5.50 for the first 2 months and then £47 per month.  The package has a £35 set up fee and is only available in cable areas. 

Best value broadband and home phone bundle deals 

Again there is lots to choose from in the crowded broadband market.  At the value end of the market, TalkTalk is offering a cracking deal this Christmas. 

TalkTalk already offers one of the best value broadband and home phone services, offering up to 8 Mbs wireless broadband for £6.49 per month (excluding line rental of £11.25).  The package is exceptional value and includes free evening and weekend calls.  What’s more TalkTalk is offering £30 of gift vouchers to every new customer. 

At the other end of the spectrum, for the ultimate Christmas treat, why not go for Virgin Media’s unbelievably fast XXL broadband service.  This up to 50 Mb/sec fibre-optic broadband service is by far the fastest available in the UK from the top UK providers. 

It doesn’t come cheap, but the speed has to be seen to be believed.  Virgin XXL Broadband costs £18 per month for the first 3 months and then £28 per month (excluding £11 line rental).  This is reduced from £35 per month.

Written by Charlie