How can I watch digital television?

One of the most common ways to watch digital television is via a cable connection. When you watch cable television with a decoder, connect this receiver to the main connector of your TV reception via a coax cable. The decoder decrypts the signal and sends it to your TV via an HDMI cable. Most cable TV providers offer different packs with channels. In the Netherlands, the largest provider for cable television is Ziggo. In Belgium, you'll often watch cable TV via Telenet.

You can also watch cable television without an extra decoder. Connect the coax cable to your television and use a smart card from your provider. This has to be a new CI+ card for a CI+ module. Your television also needs to have a DVB-C tuner and a CI+ connector. Whether your TV is suitable for the smart card and the CI+ module is often mentioned on the website of your provider (except the latest TVs).

With an antenna, you can receive the signal from the ether. You can receive this signal with Digitenne from KPN in the Netherlands, or with Antenne TV from TV Vlaanderen in Belgium. Put the antenna of the provider in a spot where the signal is strong and connect it to the decoder. The decoder sends the signal to your TV. The advantage of watching TV with Digitenne or Antenne TV is that the monthly costs are pretty low, but the offer of channels is more limited than that of services like cable television.

The advantage of satellite television is the large number of native and foreign channels that you can receive. If you want to watch satellite TV, you need a satellite antenna. You can then watch via a separate decoder or a CI+ module. If you want to watch satellite TV with a CI+ module, your television needs to have a DVB-S or DVB-S2 tuner. In the Netherlands, the largest provider of satellite TV is Canal Digitaal. In Belgium, TV Vlaanderen and TéléSAT provide satellite TV.

Another way to receive television is via the DSL connection. If you purchase a TV subscription from your internet provider, you can connect your television to your modem and receive channels that way. This way, it's relatively affordable to watch television. A downside is that the quality of the signal depends on the internet speed and your location. Odido offers television via DSL in the Netherlands, Proximus TV offers that in Belgium.

It's becoming more common to receive live television via apps of providers. For example, Ziggo has the Ziggo GO app and Telenet has Yelo Play and the Telenet TV app to Belgian customers. If you have a subscription with one of these providers, you can easily watch live television on all your mobile devices and cast this to your Chromecast or smart TV.