Ofcom has given Channel 4 the go ahead to broadcast Channel 4 HD to Freeview owners in Wales once the S4C HD channel, also known as Clirlun, powers down. This will see Channel 4 HD become available on Freeview everywhere in the UK for the first time.
Expected to arrive on Welsh screens from the 1st of December, Channel 4 HD replicates the standard definition Channel 4 broadcast in higher video and audio quality in native HD, not upscaled SD.
Standard definition S4C will continue to broadcast in Wales on the traditional Freeview channel 4 slot, with Channel 4 occupying Freeview channel 8. Channel 4 HD broadcasts on Freeview channel 52 and Clirlun on channel 53.
Welsh Freeview viewers will therefore have to retune from the 1st of December onwards in order to get Channel 4 HD. If your Freeview HD set-top box or TV doesn’t automatically update and retune itself, you’ll want to read our guide on How to Retune your Freeview Digital TV Receiver.
The decision to axe Clirlun was announced earlier in the year when it was revealed to be too expensive to run and not that many people were watching in the first place.
In July, Channel 4 ssent a proposal to the Licensing Committee (now part of Ofcom) to broadcast Channel 4 HD in Wales, which was reviewed in September.
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