Today saw the launch of Freesat, a subscription-free satellite TV platform backed by the BBC and ITV. It's independent of Sky, with its own channel list, set-top boxes, programme guide and interactive services.

Cost
Freesat's key selling point is that there's no contract or subscription, just the cost of the set-top box and installation.

Reception
Freesat is available to 98 per cent of UK home, using a standard 45cm minidish.

Channels
More than 80 channels, with the disappointing absence of Channel 4 HD or any of the Five channels, expanding to over 200 by the end of this year.

They're organised into 10 EPG groups: Entertainment, News & Sport, Movies, Lifestyle, Music, Children, Special Interest, Radio, Shopping, Interactive. There's also a regional list for the BBC, and ITV regions accessed via the red button.

High Definition
BBC HD is on air now, with a prime-time schedule that will expand over the next few years into the afternoon. ITV will start broadcasting HD this summer as red-button simulcasts, which will be exclusive to Freesat. Channel 4 HD has no plans to join Freesat at this stage.

The BBC's hi-def services are broadcast in 1080i with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio.

HD set-top boxes are available from Goodmans, Bush, Grundig and Humax now. Humax will launch a twin-tuner HD PVR 'in the next couple of months'.

Interactive
Freesat uses a version of the MHEG interactive software seen on Freeview, providing digital text, subtitles, audio description and extra video streams. There are special 'Freesat extensions' to MHEG, which allow richer services that can take advantage of the extra bandwidth on satellite, and the greater processing power of today's set-top boxes.

Every Freesat box has an Ethernet port which can be connected to your home broadband connection, to allow a high capacity return path for interactive services. This is likely to include versions of the BBC iPlayer and the forthcoming Kangaroo service, so you can access on-demand TV from your set-top box.

Receivers
There are seven receivers available now, with more manufacturers expected to join Freesat later this year. All receivers have to meet a standard specification and must pass stringent DTG Testing to win the Freesat badge.

Standard definition: three boxes with twin Scarts (one RGB) and analogue stereo audio outputs - Bush BFSAT01SD (£50); Goodmans GFSAT100SD (£70); Grundig GUFSAT01SD (£50)

High definition: four boxes with HDMI out, twin Scarts (one RGB), optical digital audio out, and analogue stereo audio out - Bush BFSAT01HD (£120); Goodmans GFSAT200HD (£150); Grundig GUFSAT01HD (£150); Humax FOXSAT-HD (£150)

PVR: There are no plans for a standard-definition PVR, but Humax expects to launch a hi-def PVR within 'a couple of months', retailing for around £150. Hard disc capacity will be at least 320GB.

Integrated hi-def TVs
Panasonic will launch two plasma TVs (42in TH-42PZ81 and 46in TH-46PZ81) with integrated Freesat and Freeview tuners by the end of June, with a third (50in TH-50PZ81) in July. They will be joined by three LCDs (28in, 32in and 37in) in October, also with both Freesat HD and Freeview tuners.

The plasma range are all 1080p Full HD-capable, with an SD card reader offering MPEG-4 HD playback, optical digital audio out, and HDMI out with Enhanced Viera Link, so you can record HD to a suitable Panasonic recorder. They have a total of three HDMI connectors.

Installation
Standard installation costs £80 for a dish with a single-output LNB, but other options will be available at different retailers: