UK TV analogue-digital switchover

...happens in the London region in April.

I hope this doesn't get too complicated.

I've only recently had to replace my Freeview box, which blew a gasket when my local housing association needed to switch the power off for a few hours to do something or other. The old Freeview box gave up the ghost with a bang and a spark when the power came back on again.

It appears from the booklet I've received through the letter box that I'm going to have to "Retune" the Freeview box in April- whatever that involves.

My new Logik Freeview box looks like this:

Nice box. Black. It's the 'new' black you know. I see it has a 'menu' button. That's good, that is. I bet it's got a 'menu' button on that spiffing looking remote control device, too. That also is good. With a 'menu' button, you just need to do what the 'menu' imp tells you when you press it. The 'menu' imp knows, you know.

Just retuned the Freeview box (apparently the old analogue signal was defunct from 4th April).

The irritating thing is that the "Switchover" apparently takes place in two phases, so we have to take remedial action again on 18th April.

So, we're all switched over to digital telly, the analogue signals have been switched off and the bandwidth flogged (bargain basement price, no doubt) to the telecoms industry. Hurrah! We can all relax now, with our Freeview boxes ensuring continuity of viewing, and extra channels to boot! - those of us who haven't already been wooed and won by the Dirty Digger and Beardie (Sky and Virgin).

Now I read that HMG have told their telecoms industry mates that it's OK, they can have the 800 khz (or mhz or wotever hz) band for their 4G developments, even though that is one of the bands already allocated to Freeview. Never mind, the disenfranchised Freeviewers can always go out and buy more new equipment - from the Dirty Digger or Beardie preferably ... there's only a few tens of thousands of the mugs ...

D'you recall when HMG gave the new Channel 5 the frequency allocated to VCRs, necessitating a hugely expensive - and totally unnecessary - exercise to retune everyone's VCR?

Good 'ere innit.