ITV has confirmed that it will complete its transition to HD only broadcasting on UK satellite TV next month, with the final two main SD channels shutting down.

Throughout October, all remaining regional versions of ITV1 SD will be removed from satellite and Sky digiboxes and Freesat set top boxes. Additionally, ITV2 will become HD-only, ceasing SD broadcasts on Sky and Freesat.

Earlier this year, ITV3, ITV4, and ITVBe also transitioned to HD-only, and several ITV1 SD regions were closed, limiting access to regional news for viewers with older satellite receivers.

ITV has not yet revealed plans for its timeshift (+1) channels, which are currently in SD and share satellite capacity with the closing channels. If these timeshift channels are also to close viewers will be redirect to ITVX, the online service.

As per our recent posts, some of ITV’s HD channels have already moved to a new satellite frequency on the Astra 2 satellites. The move to these transponders that have more bandwidth mean that technically they can carry more channels per transponder, and would provide room for +1 channels to continue.

With all Sky customers transitioning to HD boxes, with Sky ending subscriptions for older SD-only boxes in October, this change is expected to impact a very small group of viewers—specifically non-Sky customers with older SD-only set-top boxes, representing at most around 1% of all satellite households. ITV’s decision to shut down SD services on satellite comes after the BBC completed its own closure of all SD satellite services earlier this year.

What does this mean for you?

From October 2024, households with an SD-only satellite set-top box will need to upgrade to a High Definition (HD) satellite receiver to continue to watch ITV1. ITV1 and ITV2 nationally will no longer be available in SD on satellite.

With all Sky customers transitioning to HD boxes, this change is expected to impact a very small group of viewers—specifically non-Sky customers with older SD-only set-top boxes, representing at most around 1% of all satellite households.

ITV’s decision to shut down SD services on satellite comes after the BBC completed its own closure of all SD satellite services earlier this year. Many people should already have moved to HD receivers, otherwise they will not have been able to watch channels from the BBC, so this may not impact many people.

However, if you are watching ITV in SD because you are unable to receive the ITV HD signals, then you will need to upgrade your satellite dish to a larger satellite dish to enable reception of the ITV HD signals. For example, if you are watching ITV in SD on Freesat channel 111, or Sky channel 803, then you will lose access to ITV in October.

In my service area, a 125x135cm satellite dish will receive all ITV HD channels apart from in very heavy rains. The smaller 110x120cm satellite dish should just about receive the ITV HD channels. Users with smaller satellite dishes will struggle and may need to upgrade to a larger satellite dish.

Generally, if you can receiver BBC HD channels, then you should be able to receive ITV HD channels.

You may have to change the ITV HD region you are using (easily done on Freesat boxes by changing the postcode), to receive a “stronger” ITV HD signal.