First town switches to digital TV

Well it's started. Whitehaven has become the first town in the UK to take part in digital switchover. At about 2am this morning, analogue BBC Two was switched off in the town, to be replaced by a set of BBC channels delivered via digital. In a few weeks time, the remaining analogue channels will go too, and the remaining digital channels will switch on.

It's the start of a six year process that won't end until 2013 when the last part of the puzzle - the Channel Islands - get switched over.

With over 80% of the population having already got at least one digital TV set, it's a path many people are walking on, however this is the first, true test of the logical conclusion of that process.

Of course it's not the first time the UK's switched it's TV transmission methods - it's a mere 22 years ago that the final VHF transmitter, pumping out 405 line TV, was switched off. Here's looking forward to the next switch over in 2029 then.