Freeview HDTV
At present it is not possible to receive high-definition free-to-view services via Freeview however in the next couple of years prospects are much more hopeful.
The 2006 Freeview HD Trial
The BBC, Channel 4 and ITV successfully ran a closed 12-month trial of high-definition broadcasts over the Freeview/DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) service in the London area from May 2006-7.
Despite the success of the technical trial what is preventing the transmission and reception technologies being deployed across the country is the lack of available space within the existing Freeview system to broadcast high-definition programming. Unsurprisingly in a 'commercial' broadcasting system there is little if any unused/spare capacity at any one time on the Freeview service, as channel/spectrum owners expect a return of the investment and so make maximum use of it.
Digital Switchover
Beginning on the 17th of October 2007 the existing analogue television channels are being switched off in a phased 'digital switchover' that is happening across the country up until 2012. As the analogue television signals are switched off this frees up space that could be used for an expanded range of Freeview channels, some of which could be in high-definition.
HDTV on Freeview
The digital switchover will free up broadcasting space that could be used for HD but at present just how the extra space will be used is still under some discussion and debate.
At present the communications regulator Ofcom has indicated its plan is to reorganise the Freeview spectrum to free up one of the six multiplexes, or collections of channels, on Freeview sometime in 2009. Existing channels on the multiplex will be moved on to one of the other five leaving an empty multiplex able to carry up to four HDTV channels from the existing terrestrial broadcasters, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five.
The high-definition channels will be broadcast using the newer more efficient MPEG4 format that will mitigate the extra space needed by HDTV programming. The compression and broadcast formats means it will be necessary to purchase a new set-top box to decode the HDTV programmes on Freeview as existing hardware will not support the new standards.
These upgrades to the Freeview service will allow for a limited amount of high-definition programming to be made available on Freeview over the next few years as the digital switchover progresses. In the shorter term Freesat, a free satellite based television service from the BBC and ITV, offers a limited range high-definition content from these broadcasters for free with just a one-off set-up fee.
Read more about Freesat and Freesat HD