Digital TV set top boxes are the basic equipment that allow you access to your favourite digital TV services.  Digital TV set top boxes come with a range of features and differ between service providers and even manufacturers.  Read all about the range of digital TV set top boxes here.

Today’s digital TV services aren’t just about the channels that you watch and the content that you can see on digital TV.  Finding the right digital TV service for you can also depend on what kind of equipment that is available with a particular digital TV package.

Freesat set top boxes start from around £150

Unfortunately for most viewers it isn’t straightforward with a range of different set top boxes available from the likes of Sky, Virgin Media, BT and even Freesat and Top Up TV.  What services and features are available will depend on which package you go for, but with things like PVR’s (personal video recorders), EPG’s (electronic program guides), and compatibility with high definition and even 3D, it can all be a bit daunting if you don’t know what you are looking for.

Most services come with a set top box of some description, so if you purchase a digital TV package from a pay TV supplier like Sky, Virgin Media or BT, you’ll get a set top box which will plug into your TV and enable you to view the service that you have signed up to.

However if you purchase a newer TV, and just want to get Freeview, then you won’t need to get a set top box as most (if not all) modern TV’s come with a built in Freeview receiver which means that you can watch the full range of Freeview channels without needing an additional set top box to plug into your TV.

At Digital TV Selector we’ve put together a list of some of the popular set top boxes which are available from the digital TV providers, simply click on the picture from our range of set top boxes below to find out more.

Compare the best digital TV packages with the set top boxes that they provide using our comparison service on Digital TV Selector or call our team of experts on 0800 840 4942 today.

Read about the Sky+ HD Box

Read about the V+ HD box

Read about the BT Vision+ Box

Read about the Virgin Media TiVo

Here are also the more popular terms that you will hear when reading about set top boxes.

PVR (Personal Video Recorder) – PVR stands for personal video recorder, but most digital TV providers don’t refer to PVR as a PVR so you are more likely to have heard of services such as Sky+ or in Virgin Media’s case V+.  In simple terms, a PVR enables you to record all of your favourite programs onto the set top box without needing any additional equipment such as a video recorder.  In the case of the PVR, the set top box has a storage device incorporated into it, which will store all of the programs that you want to watch.  In some cases depending on your set top box, you will be able to record 2 programs whilst watching a third simultaneously!

EPG (Electronic Program Guide) – Almost all services and the set top boxes you get have an EPG incorporated into them.  The EPG or Electronic Program Guide is a planner of programs available on all of the channels that you get on a particular service, and allows you to organise your viewing with the ability to set favourites and reminders for your favourite shows.  In some cases the EPG can also give you more information about the program you are watching with a brief synopsis of the show, and even the actors and actresses that are in it!  EPG’s can also show you up to 14 days worth of programming in advance (depending on the services you get).

Series Link – Series Link allows you to record a whole series of programs at the touch of a button.  If you want to record all of the episodes of your favourite show, simply set the program to record on Series Link and you’ll never have to worry about recording your favourite shows again, your set top box will do it all for you!

Multiroom – If you want to watch your digital TV service in more than one room you can also purchase a multiroom service which will give you the ability to link up a second set top box in another room to your other TV and watch completely different digital TV channels.  A multiroom subscription can cost slightly more on top of your standard monthly subscription, and there can also be more one off costs depending on which multiroom service you sign up to.

Interactive services – You may also have heard of these services referred to as ‘push the red button’ services.  Normally on most new set top box remote controls there is a red button which when pressed gives you access to a wide range of new content including multiscreen sports, text services, and in some cases games and voting which may be present on certain programs.  The interactive services that you can get depend on the services that you get and programs you watch but in the most part the interactive services are the same as those that are highlighted.

Compare the best features on digital TV packages using our comparison service at Digital TV Selector or call our team of experts on 0800 840 4942 today!