But for those who still have an analogue television, a set top box can come in handy. It converts the digital signals to analogue, so it can be displayed on your screen. A simple set top box will cost around $100, but you can choose a box with more features for a higher price. For example, some set top boxes on the market have a built-in hard drive for recording programs, or an electronic program guide.

Whether you choose to have an SD or HD set top box depends on your television. The main difference between the two lies in their ability to display either standard definition (SD) or high definition (HD) digital television. An SD set top box can access the standard definition channels provided by the free-to-air networks, while an HD set top box shows the high definition free-to-air digital channels. A HD set top box can still connect to a television that doesn’t show programs in high definition and access the additional channels, but it will be shown without the high definition quality.