If your not a heavy tv watcher and basically simply need channels 1-5 with the choice of maybe " dave " or up to 60 other channels to choose from like sky news etc etc then free view is perfect and there are 4-5 main channels in HD as well but to be fair the picture on most channels wipe the floor with sky tv and free view is FREE FREE FREE ( unlike sky who want at least £30.00 a month ) and are as much use as a canoe with a hand brake lol .Quite simply if your not bothered to much about sports channels or documentary`s then free view or even free sat will do the job perfectly 100% and with all the new smart tv`s who needs sky for films as you can get 3 x times the amount of films on net flicks etc sooner than sky and for a 3rd of the cost at just £5.99 ! " eat my free view sky box lol "

This is a awesome service compared to just the 5 terrestrial channels that we use to have. i think if only we could get more HD channels then i would be even more happy with it. i use a 1Tb Humax freeview + box and i can record 2 channels and watch a 3rd if its on the same multiplexer. I would be lost without freeview.

We bought a new TV with Freeview and a Digital aerial but everyday we lose signal I thing its a total waste of time. There are channels I still can't get. I think we should have been given a choice as to whether we want to go Digital I for one would have chosen to stay terrestrial. I wouldn't have Sky because I think we pay enough through the TV licensing system, why can't the BBC get their revenue from Adverts like the other channels?

FREEVIEW - the actual Freeview that is NOT not the channels available - they are ANOTHER story.

Because it is free does it mean it has to be rubbish? Sadly, I believe that to be the case here! Incidentally we do have up to date equipment and wiring so there is no problem with those.
We have had this 'service'(??) for several years and have been subjected to so many changes of channel - yes, it's there, oh no, it's not, yes,it's back, so many times we have lost count.
When we have researched (by the way - not often on the Freeview site, which is abysmal) there are so many convoluted remedies for problems that we have now give up and put up with it anyway because we refuse to pay anything to have most of TV's dreadful output, apart from the TV Licence Fee for BBC.
Did you know one of the recommended remedies for finding channels that have disappeared involves completely deleting the channels, going back to original set-up, UN-PLUGGING the main plug of the Freeview box for at least one minute and doing the original set-up all over again? Some advice gives leaving un-plugged for 24 hours!
In any event, we know that you can initialize and search for all the channels BUT, if they are not there, they are not there and ANYWAY they can only be picked up if they happen to be broadcasting at your search time.
We are told the transmitter has been changed, altered, pulled down, built back, fell over in the wind (some of this IS exaggeration but it matches the rest of the explanations) or we are out of the area, or even better we are in a 'bad area'. How is it possible then to have a channel that is OK then it's not the next day? I think someone just stands there and flips switches on and off as the mood dictates.
The actual signal varies from excellent to abysmal with freezing, pixillating and going completely off; best of all, when we open or close the freezer, the door-bell rings or a car goes by, the picture judders - absolutely wonderful, I don't think. Digital TV to me is worse than useless most of the time.
We had ITV4 for six years and now it has completely gone but we can obtain many, many others of quite awful content - who are these people who run this organization - a load of moronic idiots from where I am standing.
Actually my favourite channel for content is ITV3 BUT that is broadcast at a low sound level, you are deafened when the adverts appear. I believe that this is a deliberate policy.
Anyway, overall I think FREEVIEW is abysmal and we are taken for idiots and used and abused according to the nefarious whims of whomsoever is in charge of the so-called service.

It may not have as many channels as sky, but it is continually expanding & will get a big boost after the 'switch off' Compared to sky it a dream to use and channel selection is much more natural.

There are many boxes available from under £20, though quality is not always good, however there are many 'integrated' tv sets now available, so getting set up is easy (most boxes set themselves up automatically on initial switch on.

Once have your aerial installation correctly set up you should need no further expense, so a true one off cost is all it takes to give a lifetimes service.

I have both sky & free view, but always prefer to use the free view service, enough said??

I am so angry with the freeview service! needs to be sorted out. I have invested in over 200 pounds in products and arials to gain a average standard of tv viewing. The service will worsen when moped motorcycle drive past the road of the home, microwave is used (10metres away) and even general movement walking in the proximety of the arial. I believe digital tv at the moment is awful. I miss so much news conversation words because of such happenings and low coverage which is not acceptable, its outragous that a digital service is provided and cant be viewed properly, a digital service that has extinct the previous service. I believe if I have paid out on a service that service should give atleast 100% of its intended purpous otherwise should it even exsist... otherwise i think it should be declare a complete absolute waste of energy time and money all which cant be given back.

Digital Terrestrial TV is coming of age.

Make sure you have a good signal -that often means a new "digital ready" aerial. I paid £65 - worth every penny - the difference was more than just noticeable, despite the fact the analogue pictures seemed OK. Recordings to DVD are indistinguishable from the original.

The range of features available, their ease of use and response time and updating can depend on the set top box or, as is now more common, the digital TV set.

EPG (Electronic programme guide) makes setting reminders or recordings almost a one touch operation. Some EPGs have annoying advertising for, for example, the Radio Times.

The bottom line is once digital Freeview is installed, you won't want to go back. The competiton is Cable or Satellite, and they seem far too expensive to me.

(I've rated Customer Service as 0 as there is no Freeview Customer service AFAIK.)

I got FREEVIEW Digital TV over the holidays, and I can't say that it doesn't have it's problems, but it's still a great form of digital television!

I previously viewed the basic 5 analogue channels in a medium to weak digital signal area. Yes, a good reception for analogue, but not what I'd call a variety of channels. That's when I finally thought it was time for a change. I fitted FREEVIEW, a Samsung 2-scart Digital+ DV3 Terrestrial Receiver (worth almost £100), with my present 16 element outdoor aerial, which was installed not that long ago. I have to admit that my signal does have a great disadvantage due to the medium/weak signal area I'm in, and a blocky screen is often present at night! Along with that, the interactive services are even worse than dial-up internet access! I'm sure that would be resolved though if I just bought myself a new higher-gain aerial; maybe about 42 elements.

I admit that with Sky, you never have to truly worry about the digital signal strength in your area, and all you need to ensure when getting Cable television is that the cable covers your area, but I still think that Freeview is a better option than a flat-rate cable or digital satellite service.
All you need is your simple set-top box or digital TV, and a new, high-gain aerial if you live in a medium/weak signal area!

We have just changed from NTL analogue. Freeview gives a much broader range of channels than terestrial analogue - FREE! and it's such good value. The Top-Up option gives as good a range as we had with NTL, but cheaper. The basic Freeview package provides a range of channels to suite the whole family. If you are looking for Sports or Film channels then this is probably not the best option.
.... And for £35 for a freeview box it's cheap enough to try it and see without breaking the bank!

We have just purchased Freeview after realising exactly how much we were spending a month on Sky Digital TV, whose prices seem to keep rising. We are very happy with it. You should be careful as a lot of the `free' channels are rubbish (shopping and auction channels mainly) but you do get `CBeebies' and `CBBC' which are a godsend if you have children, a couple of decent video music channels as well as `Sky Sports News', BBC3 and ITV2. You can pay extra to have channels such as UK Gold and E4 but the point of this is that it's free. If you are going to purchase a box ask your neighbours if they can receive a signal. We were told by Freeview that we couldn't and wouldn't be able to for quite a while but we get it as clear as crystal.

When I first heard of Freeview I thought, what a great idea. 30+ free channels of Digital TV which I can recieve for a one-off payment for the box. However, I find the majority of these channels completely useless, for example bid-up.tv. Take a look at the selection of channels they give you, and ask yourself, "How many will I actually watch?". I would recommend even the cheapest service from Sky. Trust me you wont be wasting your money there. If you do decide to buy a box then check out http://www.freeview.co.uk to see if you will be able to recieve in your area.