How to tune in to Freeview

Tuning in Freeview on my TV?

“Just got myself a new TV which has HD and Freeview. I have a skybox and have managed to tune Sky into my TV, but how do I tune in the Freeview facility into my TV? Have tried to tune in without success.

Question submitted online by Graham

What you need to get Freeview

First off, make sure you can get Freeview correctly. Here’s what you need to be able to tune your Freeview TV into the Freeview channels:

1. You need to be in a Freeview coverage area. You can check by entering your postcode into the Freeview Postcode checker

2. You must have a suitable TV aerial. In most cases, you can get Freeview from a standard rooftop aerial. Indoor TV aerials are only any good if you are in a strong coverage area

3. You need to connect your Freeview TV set to your TV aerial correctly. A direct connection between TV and aerial is best, and you should not use damaged cabling or connectors / splitters that are in poor condition.

 

Tuning in the Freeview

Freeview is a digital TV service, so you need to tune in the digital channels. This is not the same as how you used to tune in the old analogue channels before the digital switchover.

The way that you tune in depends on the TV set that you have – Each make and model of  TV set is different, and how you tune in to the Freeview channels can vary depending on the make and model that you have. If in doubt, refer to your TV set’s manual for details of how to tune in Freeview.

Here is a basic guide on how to tune in Freeview. This was completed on a Sony Bravia TV set:

 

Step 1: Go to the TV’s Settings menu (typically a button marked “Menu” or “Settings”

Step 2: Look for an option labelled “Digital TV Settings”, “Digital Set-up” or “Digital Channels”

Step 3: Look for an option labelled “Auto-Tune”, “Add channels” or “Scan for Channels”

Step 4: Start the channel scan. This should scan for all available channels in your area, and may look something like this:

Once you have scanned for channels, you should see a message saying how many channels have been found. Assuming you have found channels, exit the Setup screen, and you should be able to view the Freeview channels

Can’t get the Freeview channels?

If you perform a channel scan and no channels are detected, that is likely to indicate that your TV can’t get a Freeview signal. This could mean: (a) you are not in a Freeview area, (b) your aerial is not able to get a good signal, (c) you have not plugged in the aerial correctly, or (d) there is a problem with your aerial cable or aerial connectors

Not sure how to scan for channels?

Take a look in the manual that came with your TV set. All manual should explain how to add channels somewhere. Failing that, look through the on-screen menu for anything connected with “digital setup” or “adding channels”. Remember, you want “Digital” not “Analogue”